5 responses to “Blowing up the Red Road Flats – a poor image of the city”

1. 

   Serena Culfeather

   03/04/2014

   It’s not a lapse of humour on your part it’s gross insensitivity on the part of whoever is running the Games – can’t imagine what the asylum seekers must think of the city if this is deemed entertainment.

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2. 

   Brian Ralph

   03/04/2014

   I hope they have heard about the Canberra Hospital incident. (from wikipedia)
   The demolition had been planned for some time, and the ACT Government decided to turn the building implosion into a spectator event. Over 100,000 people, one of the largest crowds in Canberra’s history, came out to bid farewell to the birthplace of many Canberra residents.

   However, the implosion of the Royal Canberra Hospital was a terrible failure. The main building did not fully disintegrate and had to be later manually demolished. But far worse, the explosion was not contained on the site and large pieces of debris were projected towards spectators situated 500 metres away on the opposite side of the Lake, in a location that nobody considered unsafe or inappropriate. A twelve-year-old girl, Katie Bender, was killed instantly, and nine other people were injured. Large fragments of masonry and metal were found 650 metres from the demolition site.

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3. 

   frdougal

   03/04/2014

   They’ve obviously forgotten the fatality which happened when they demolished the old Gorbals flats. This is very stupid.

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4. 

   Helen

   04/04/2014

   Apart from the insensitivity of the event, one has to ask why one block is left standing. If it is not suitable for the citizens of Glasgow, why is it suitable for asylum seekers. Should people fleeing brutality and persecution not be housed with more care.

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5. 

   Andrea

   06/04/2014

   I first moved to the Red Road flats in 1968 as a 14 year old. Moved away from the centre of the city which I loved – and still love.
   Anyone who thinks of this spectacle in terms of ‘entertainment’ is missing the point – its not entertainment – it a Celebration.
   As a young teenager I learned what despair looked like – because it was all around me.

   As a young trainee teacher I taught in both primary schools that serviced those flats – and learned compassion for the weans who followed ….

   When I decided a decade later to leave Scotland (guessing maybe that I would never live there again) – my last act was to climb the stairs to the top of the Birnie Ct Tower take in the highest views – the distant horizons beckoning.

   I’ve now lived in Australia for more than 30 years – and I would credit the Red Road flats for galvanizing me to leave. It is at times a bittersweet exile from family and friends.

   I hope the celebration goes ahead – I’ll certainly be watching – a celebration for all those souls who were part of this disgusting social experiment.

   If you think of this event as in ‘poor taste’ – you simply never lived in those flats.

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