Cobblestones

[poliphilo]

The Council has hired a firm to dig up all the back alleys in this corner of town and replace the cobblestones with tarmac. We knew it was going to happen and had the chance to object- but I don't suppose anyone did. I don't suppose anyone was lobbying for it to be done either. It feels like change for the sake of change. Ailz thinks the cobblestones will be sold  to footballers wives living in Cheshire and a nice profit will be made- to be shared between the contractors and the Council.  Quite probably. I suppose the surface we're getting will be easier to keep clean and kinder to wheeled vehicles. No more weeds. Actually I rather liked the weeds. It was good to step outside the back gate in sunmmer and see greenery and flowers. I liked the cobblestones too- for the same reason that the footballers wives covet them: because they're picturesque and old- and I'm sad to see them go.

Comments

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Oh how sad!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm all for purposeful change but this seems pointless.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Stinks of greed to me...

[sculptruth.livejournal.com]

I suppose change is inevitable, but if it doesn't need doing, why bother?

But then again, I'm a hopeless romantic in favour of cobblestones.

Seriously, New York doesn't even replace theirs! I remember walking around trying to find all the cobblestone streets in Manhattan over the six years I lived there. I don't think I did. :P

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Manhattan still has cobbled streets?- that's amazing!

[sculptruth.livejournal.com]

Yes--some were paved over once but the asphalt has crumbled away; others never were like in South Street Seaport.

I live in Seattle now, and we still have several cobbled streets left unpaved as well as some of the original red brick showing through in a few streets downtown. It's pretty amazing.

:)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This town- a creation of the industrial revolution- is busily destroying its history- grubbing up cobblestones, pulling down mills. One day it'll be sorry.

[sculptruth.livejournal.com]

I believe you--if it isn't sorry already. Seattle typically has a bad habit of swallowing itself, and its history with it.

That would be fine, if we could just move forward properly--I think the UK might have us beat there. But that's another subject entirely.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't know. We went through a terrible period of vandalism in the 1960s and 70s. Historic town centres were ripped out to make way for horrid concrete shopping malls. I particularly remember how- in the village where I lived at the time- a Tudor cottage was pulled down because they wanted to straighten the road.

[craftyailz.livejournal.com]

Cobblestones may be pictuesque but you should try going over them in a wheelchair. Liverpool Albert Dock is all cobbled and it's murder. Trying to go down our backing in the chair, before the step-lift, or when it breaks, is grim too.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

"Cobblestones may be pictuesque but you should try going over them in a wheelchair."

I believe I did once. In the electric wheelchair. It was quite a ride. Who needs Alton Towers?

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

A little half-block long street nearby was recently "refurbished", which, yup, included removal of the old brick paving.

Sad.