IT is altogether possible that I have missed the point when it comes to the new wave thingummy being proposed for the Watersplash, but what’s wrong with the waves which are already there?
Isn’t that what draws people there in the first place?
It is fair to say that the Splash itself is way beyond its best-before date and even the charm of that fact is probably wearing a bit thin. Nostalgia only gets you so far, after all, especially when it comes to toilets.
What does seem a little odd though is to replace it – or update it – with something which is so obviously an enormously commercial venture. In one sense that is wholly understandable in that those who own the site want to make the most out of it and to do so means making it commercially viable.
But in another it seems truly bizarre to be altering something which works so well and making it into a sort of sanitised and themed version of what it is already. The moment something is orchestrated it begins to lose its appeal and there already seem to be enough examples of that happening all around the Island.
The presumption here, as elsewhere, seems to be that development means expansion and getting more of a good thing rather than enjoying what is already there for its limitations. You enjoy it because you have to make the effort.
Even though the plans have been made with an awareness of the surrounding landscape in mind, it still bears with it this current presumption that the only way forward is to build and expand. This, it would seem, is the only way to improve something.
This has always been the way of things and many times it works out for the best or we forget what life was like before. Every so often, though, it would be nice for the improvement to involve less rather than more.
When less is more
IT is altogether possible that I have missed the point when it comes to the new wave thingummy being proposed for the Watersplash, but what’s wrong with the waves which are already there?
Isn’t that what draws people there in the first place?
It is fair to say that the Splash itself is way beyond its best-before date and even the charm of that fact is probably wearing a bit thin. Nostalgia only gets you so far, after all, especially when it comes to toilets.
What does seem a little odd though is to replace it – or update it – with something which is so obviously an enormously commercial venture. In one sense that is wholly understandable in that those who own the site want to make the most out of it and to do so means making it commercially viable.
But in another it seems truly bizarre to be altering something which works so well and making it into a sort of sanitised and themed version of what it is already. The moment something is orchestrated it begins to lose its appeal and there already seem to be enough examples of that happening all around the Island.
The presumption here, as elsewhere, seems to be that development means expansion and getting more of a good thing rather than enjoying what is already there for its limitations. You enjoy it because you have to make the effort.
Even though the plans have been made with an awareness of the surrounding landscape in mind, it still bears with it this current presumption that the only way forward is to build and expand. This, it would seem, is the only way to improve something.
This has always been the way of things and many times it works out for the best or we forget what life was like before. Every so often, though, it would be nice for the improvement to involve less rather than more.
Article posted on 5th July, 2008 - 10.00am