Surely, if you’re an urban dweller you’re familiar with the term “NIMBY”. It means “Not In My Back Yard”. It’s an acronym that denotes someone who is against anything happening anywhere near him or her – no new buildings, no higher buildings, no increases in density, no changes to sidewalks, landscaping, streetscape, roads, or anything. Basically, in my opinion, a fan of stagnation.
Sometimes, this can be beneficial – certainly, the South End and Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston would be nothing like they are now if not for committed and earnest groups of people banding together to fight over-development and the forces of evil, including greedy developers and ignorant politicians.
But, many times their good intentions lead to unexpected results – basically, nothing gets accomplished. (Been to the Greenway lately?).
The power in Boston, and in many cities, lies with those who speak up most often – which makes sense, doesn’t it?
But, as often is the case, those who speak loudest or most often are not necessarily those who are learned or experienced enough to make such far-reaching decisions.
Where’s this post going? (My #101 post, by the way.)
I just came across an article about a group of people who joined together in Stockholm Sweden – to SUPPORT a proposed development, even though it was larger, taller, and bigger than what others desired.
From the Christian Science Monitor:
The new development, Stockholm Waterfront, has come under fire from conservationists largely because of its height – twice the city average, and with a 25-story tower block … The extensive urban makeover will radically raise the average height of city center buildings – and the population density …
It’s progress being cheered by a group calling themselves YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard).
“We’re positive about the city growing – we’re happy to have new neighbors and more bars and restaurants and plazas,” says Anders Gardebring, cofounder of YIMBY, a pressure group promoting urbanism and citizen participation.
More on YIMBY – Wikipedia.org
Photo from the Long Island Progressive Coalition, a group supporting affordable housing initiatives
Related posts:
Loading ...
