The plans to remodel the Guildhall buildings as a Digital Media Arts Centre (DMAC) have been in the news recently. It’s all very interesting indeed, and something we’ll be no doubt be hearing a lot more about in the future.

What I’m picking up (from Twitter, mainly) is that the project is one of those divisive things where concerns many people have had for a long time become focused on a particular building/project. So I’d like to raise a few points, ask a few questions, that kind of thing.

The Guildhall is an ‘iconic’ building. It’s a symbolic building, invested with meaning, with a history going back centuries. It’s where meetings of full council are held, where important decisions are made. It’s where citizens speak on issues they feel strongly about, in the ‘public participation’ part of those meetings.

These things of course happen elsewhere too now. Many of the council meetings take place in rooms at West Offices. And the relocation of the council to that building means a new use has to be found for the Guildhall buildings.

It is buildings we’re talking about here, in the plural. A PDF provided in a background report on the council website (see links below) includes this handy plan of the various buildings making up the Guildhall complex. Which of course has at its heart the original medieval hall, or rather the rebuilt version of it after it was bombed in the war. Then there are additions, 19th century and later.

Perhaps we should be making a point of calling it the ‘Guildhall complex’ or ‘Guildhall buildings’ when talking about the plans.

The DMAC, as I understand it, would be using the more recent parts of the complex, while the council intends to retain the council chamber.

We could be forgiven for imagining that our ancient hall and council chamber is going to be turned into hi-tech office space filled with interns writing pieces for oneandother.com. That’s how it’s coming across at present.

My perspective on this is entirely through online channels, the Press and other websites, and Twitter. But that must be the case for most people. I’m only just beginning to catch up on the available information and background documents. (See links below)

The project to transform the Guildhall buildings was clearly a key part of the UNESCO bid, which has been successful. This has been widely welcomed on Twitter but as far as I can tell hasn’t meant much to the wider York community. Not a criticism, just the way it is, inevitably. Different communities with different concerns and different perspectives.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the different communities and different perspectives, but those thoughts would make this page far too long.

It’s clear though that there are concerns about the cost, and questions about what is seen as another ‘vanity project’. These seem valid concerns and questions, and I hope they’re answered.

Is it a ‘vanity project’? In what way?

The Guildhall plans appear to be an attempt to keep the city’s talented graduates in the city.  It makes sense, doesn’t it? I see many complaints about the fact that too many jobs in York now are insecure and low-paid. So how do we change that … by encouraging the younger people with the drive and imagination to form successful businesses to stay here, rather than moving elsewhere?

On the other hand, it seems that a Digital Media Arts Centre could be created anywhere, and driving through plans to put it here, in what was for so long the ‘seat of power’, is creating some friction and disquiet. I understand that too.

It also occurs to me that making big plans for anything associated with ‘digital media’ is a bit risky. I’ve been using the internet for 15 years, had this website for more than a decade, and seen many changes in all things ‘digital’, in the last three years in particular. Any redevelopment of these historic and important buildings right in the centre of the city will be a long and complex process. Will take two or three years, probably more. What will ‘digital media’ look like by then? Perhaps we won’t need a permanent ‘centre’ on this kind of scale?

I don’t personally feel strongly either way. I only care that we don’t waste money as enough has been wasted already, particularly on the fiasco over that bridge a stone’s throw away from the Guildhall buildings.

Anyway, I’d urge anyone interested to have a look at the report linked to below, part of a huge PDF covering all the agenda items from the council’s cabinet meeting a few days ago. The relevant section (agenda item 12) is an interesting and informative read, not only on the plans for the Digital Media Arts Centre but on the background situation regarding employment and the city’s facilities (or lack of them). The relevant bits of the council meeting are worth watching too.

The adjoining boatyard is to be part of the plans. A couple of years ago when all this was first mentioned I came up with an idea for the reuse of that area, which I also offer as a less serious read: Ye Olde Boatyard, crone attraction idea.

More

The background report (PDF, large file) — the initial pages give a summary of the agenda items, look for item 12, or go straight to page 221

Video of the cabinet meeting in which this was discussed. Highly recommend at least the first few minutes, new council leader Dafydd Williams talking about the plans for the DMAC. He’s followed by other councillors giving their views:

Also available on this link.

Earlier in the same meeting Cllr Brian Watson expressed some concerns about the project. That’s on this video, at 15 mins 54.

York celebrates securing UNESCO City of Media Arts accolade — City of York Council press release

The Future for York’s Creative and Digital Sector: Transforming the Guildhall — from oneandother.com. Very enthusiastic about the DMAC plans. ‘The proposal for the Guildhall complex is part of a bigger picture and demand being pushed through the city by the creative sector, including the city’s awareness in improving its retaining of graduates. York’s designation as a City of Media Arts by UNESCO is thought to further reinforce the need for creating a high visible hub for the creative sector.’

Concerns over the cost and funding of the project have been reported in the Press this week: Guildhall digital media centre plan to be re-examined following funding row.

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‘As usual this meeting of council is being filmed for live broadcast via the internet so that more people can get a chance to see the meeting live and feel involved in their local democracy.’

— said Lord Mayor Cllr Gillies at the start of last night’s council meeting. Certainly seems to be effective, judging by reaction on Twitter. We were feeling very involved indeed.

If you’d like to watch the meeting from the start, the first part is on this link. It’s split into sections, with others available on this link.

As someone once said, ‘everything is political’. Anyone who cares about the city, its present state and future plans, has to engage to some extent in Guildhall goings-on. It’s much easier to do that these days, as technology takes us into the heart of it all. Last night’s meeting of the council engaged many more people, and in the end it all went rather beautifully, in that it seemed to properly represent the finer and nobler parts of that thing we call democracy.

I just wanted to mention a couple of parts of what was a long and eventful meeting. Four speakers who spoke passionately. These excerpts have been carefully cued to start at the appropriate places – I hope it works. Please do have a watch/listen.

Two councillors

Excerpt from council meeting (click to play)

At the start of proceedings two councillors in my own ward of Clifton made speeches widely reported in the media today. I’ve been waiting for the video to be uploaded, as I think this is one of those times when we need to see and hear them speak, not just read their words, to get the proper picture. They’re introduced by Lord Mayor Ian Gillies.

They’re followed by council leader James Alexander, who during other parts of this long meeting came across very well — he’s an excellent speaker on things he really cares about — but here … well, judge for yourself.

(If the image link doesn’t work, try this link, and go to about 1 min 30 secs.)

I don’t communicate much with my local councillors, and it’s a while since I’ve had any contact with Cllrs Scott and King. It was good to see them speak so honestly. Like many Labour voters in this city I had serious concerns about the current administration here in York and felt I couldn’t vote Labour in the council elections next year. But I can now vote for Cllrs Scott and King, as they clearly care about Clifton and its people, and that’s what matters.

[Update … December 2014 … not so sure now about voting … back to being a floating voter, floating between Labour or Independent Labour or Green. Still thinking about it.]

More on this from the Press

Two York City supporters

Excerpt from council meeting (click to play)

This was the main reason I tuned in to the webcast. That community stadium issue, with its long history, stretching back so many years.

I don’t want the football club to leave Clifton, to leave Bootham Crescent, but I know that it has to, and I know, because I was involved in the protests over a decade ago, how hard won it was, keeping hold of Bootham Crescent for this long. As emphasised here by Sophie Hicks.

She’s followed by Frank Ormston, who talks about the club’s history, to remind those listening why it deserves support in the crucial vote for funding for its future.

(If the image link doesn’t take you to the right bit of the proceedings, try this link, and go to 37 mins 31 secs.)

The vote last night was important to many people packed into the public gallery and watching on a screen in a nearby room, as well as to many of us watching the webcast and discussing it on Twitter.

Here for key vote on funding for #yorkstadium. Interest massive for #ycfcfans, this is the overflow room at Guildhall pic.twitter.com/seyK61txtJ

— Nick Morris (@YorkPolRep) October 9, 2014

See The Press for more on the vote on the community stadium plans.

Two other things

Also of interest, and featuring in this unusually eventful meeting, the future of the Burton Stone Community Centre, which may feature in a future page, and that very big issue of the Local Plan, and specifically how many houses and where we’re going to put them. More on those stories later perhaps.

Beautiful digital democracy

City of York council meetings can be viewed live on www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or on the council’s YouTube channel later.

I wonder what other York residents feel when watching these full council meetings in the Guildhall. I find them always interesting, and in parts very moving. Inspiring even, in the ‘public participation’ section. Watching all those different people, often nervous, passionate, standing up to speak, in that ancient place, so much a part of York’s long history. So many people packed in, all ages, backgrounds.

The party-political bickering can be a bit tedious, and I rarely manage to watch a meeting all the way through, but overall I think it’s an excellent thing that technology enables so many of us to watch the workings of our local democracy.

Comments welcome, but anything personally abusive or vindictive or sweary will be removed, because this is my site, and we don’t like that kind of thing here. It’s not Twitter ;)

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I wasn’t going to mention the recent suggestions for redevelopment of part of the riverside near the Guildhall, as it seems to have been well-covered on several local websites and in The Press. And this isn’t a planning application we’re talking about, it was only a competition designed to encourage ideas. And I wasn’t sure I could deal with yet another manifestation of this recurring urge to gentrify the life out of every bit of the city centre.

Not enough time, not enough info

I did call in to the library to have a look at the ideas/plans on display, but didn’t have enough time to fully absorb and consider the information, and meant to call back. The exhibition was only in York Explore, and only for three days, and I wasn’t able to get back there in time. I imagine 99% of York’s population didn’t get to see the display either.

The display included the thinking behind the schemes, the approach taken, that kind of thing. None of that information was easily available online. Promoted online were five rather small and inadequate drawings of the proposals. One was from a completely different viewpoint to the others. How anyone made a judgement on the basis of that I don’t know.

The brief display took place during another flood, which as always caused traffic problems, and so it’s even more unlikely that people would be rushing into the city centre from out in Acomb and Fulford, grappling with the choked-up roads, to view the plans in the library. But I get the impression, increasingly, that the opinion of the ordinary residents who live in the suburbs doesn’t matter anyway.

Overlooked charms

Though everyone’s been talking about this as affecting the Guildhall site, it’s the adjoining boatyard site the new buildings would occupy.

Many of us have probably never paid much attention to the boatyard, as it’s a humble kind of place. From Lendal Bridge and from the opposite bank it’s just a collection of red brick buildings and boatyard bits, just weathered and small and not making any kind of statement except perhaps of a natural evolution, of a working place, settled and quietly charming. And, crucially, it has greenery, trees.

It used to have a few more, but they seem to have been removed. Still, it enhances its neighbours, with its retreating red brick and softening green. It doesn’t compete with the Guildhall buildings in their beautiful light-reflecting stone, rising out of the water. The boatyard area sits back, a foil to the Guildhall on one side and bright shiny Lendal Bridge on the other. In the middle of it is an 18th century ‘vernacular’ building.

Walkway obsessions

The riverside walkway idea has of course come up again. I know the Esher report of the 1960s was keen on the idea of some kind of walkway right along here, but hadn’t realised that the idea goes right back to a 1948 plan. The city’s planners seem to have been fixated on this idea for decades on end.

What are we going to stand and admire from the walkway here – the Aviva building or the big ugly Park Inn?

In my rather rushed reading of the background information on the display boards I noticed that one of the plans made a point of not including a walkway, specifically because it would ruin the front of the Guildhall to have a horizontal structure across it. They’re right, aren’t they? I’ve looked at this glorious riverside scene many times over the years, in all weathers, at all times of the day. It wouldn’t be improved by having some kind of elevated walkway cutting across the the front of it.

Look, just perfect, isn’t it, viewed from the opposite bank.

On this opposite bank is a previous generation’s idea of ‘riverside access’. It’s not the most attractive space and should perhaps serve as a warning … ?

Someone else put it far better than I have, in fewer words. A recent comment on The Press website said: ‘I have yet to see a valid reason for doing anything. Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing to do.’ [’MouseHouse’ in The Press]

Comments to …

David Warburton, Guildhall competition, Head of design, conservation and sustainable development, City of York Council, No 9 St Leonard’s Place, York. david.warburton@york.gov.uk, by 30 Nov 2012
– or if you’re too late, or would rather comment here, comments are welcome below.

The five drawings of the shortlisted ideas (The Press)

I discovered, via Googling, a lot of background information on the Guildhall and boatyard site on the RIBA website, in the information prepared for those entering the competition. See in particular the PDF files on this page if you’re interested in the history of the site and its buildings.

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