Destroying community gardens to build yet another mall
If you’ve been following me for a while here on We Don’t Have Time, you might know I am a big fan of urban community gardens. Not (only) because I love gardening, but because of their role in climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation and restoration, and community-building. So imagine how sad and revolted I was when I read that in the city of Tourcoing, in the North of France, the city council has acted to destroy most of them to build (another) mall, ironically called Les Jardins d’Eden (gardens of Eden). This would mean that 14,000 m² of allotment gardens in the Pont Rompu district would be replaced by a shopping area!
Picture by Théo Heffinck / Reporterre
The project has been in the pipeline for almost 10 years, but no work has been done. The allotments, which have existed for almost 60 years, were protected until 2016. The Tourcoing city council and the Métropole Européenne de Lille then stripped them of their “allotment garden” status, to allow a developer to carry out work on them. After a lot of back and forth, cancellation of the building permit, and then cancellation of the cancellation, the decision has now been taken: the gardens will disappear.
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Very bad move! Prioritizing commercial development over community gardens is a detrimental decision. It neglects the importance of local food sources, biodiversity, and community cohesion, ultimately harming the environment and residents.
Boniface Kuria
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4 w
This is just absurd.
We Don't Have Time
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4 w
Dear Marine Stephan
Your climate warning has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Doriane Bécue by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress!
To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you!
/Adam, We Don't Have Time
Princess
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4 w
This so frustrating and it's a very terrible decision to begin with.
Lucinda Ramsay
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4 w
🤦♀️
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Millicent Olale
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4 w
Disappointing, limiting the number of malls will be of great assistance towards achieving better climate
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Elizabeth Gathigia
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4 w
This is sad and disappointing
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Rashid Kamau
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4 w
Short-sighted and disappointing.
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Sarah Chabane
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4 w
Ridiculous decision! We don't need malls, no one goes to malls anymore
@sarah_chabane_874 for sure! Especially since... there is already one just a couple of minutes away on foot!
Sally Wangari
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4 w
This sad this community garden are of importance, they are valuable to human, nature, birds ,they are also beautiful. Most of all climate change effects positively.
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Rashid Kamau
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4 w
@sally_wangari Plus, they play a role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon and reducing urban heat.
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4 w
Very bad move! Prioritizing commercial development over community gardens is a detrimental decision. It neglects the importance of local food sources, biodiversity, and community cohesion, ultimately harming the environment and residents.
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4 w
This is just absurd.
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4 w
Dear Marine Stephan Your climate warning has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Doriane Bécue by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Adam, We Don't Have Time
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4 w
This so frustrating and it's a very terrible decision to begin with.
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4 w
🤦♀️
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4 w
Disappointing, limiting the number of malls will be of great assistance towards achieving better climate
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4 w
This is sad and disappointing
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4 w
Short-sighted and disappointing.
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4 w
Ridiculous decision! We don't need malls, no one goes to malls anymore
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4 w
@sarah_chabane_874 Exactly. This decision makes no sense!
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4 w
@sarah_chabane_874 for sure! Especially since... there is already one just a couple of minutes away on foot!
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4 w
This sad this community garden are of importance, they are valuable to human, nature, birds ,they are also beautiful. Most of all climate change effects positively.
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4 w
@sally_wangari Plus, they play a role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon and reducing urban heat.
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4 w
@sally_wangari This is really sad.