We need a reshaping and rethinking of how our cities work
Why our cities need reshaping
The absence of office workers has had a significant impact on weekday footfall in city centres which is one of the repercussions of the COVID pandemic. According to Dr Ruth McManus, Associate Professor in Geography here in DCU and recently featured on The Business on RTE Radio One, it requires a reshaping and rethinking of how our cities work. Dr McManus said:
“People are working differently now with more people working from home in the suburbs and the knock-on effect is that cities are becoming dead and empty, leaving many urban businesses struggling to survive. This is the result of past planning policies which favoured suburbanisation. Impacts have been heightened by the COVID restrictions and living with the ‘new normal’.”
Evolution of suburbs
Looking back on how suburbs evolved, Dr McManus explained that the well-off started to move out to suburbs in the 19th century as cities became crowded and less attractive due to disease, poverty and pollution. By the 20th century, urban slum problems prompted the planned movement of people to new suburbs, where it was believed that they would enjoy a healthier life with more fresh air and space. While the intentions were good, unintended outcomes included a hollowing out of city centre populations and difficulties in providing infrastructure and access to services in sprawling suburbs.
Urban renewal
More recently in the 1980s, urban renewal policies in Dublin saw a concerted drive to build apartments in the centre. But according to Dr McManus, many of these dwellings were never intended as long-term homes. She said:
“Now during COVID we’ve seen people living in cramped conditions and no outdoor space. One thing we have learned from COVID, is that people need access to public space. In Ireland, we haven’t been very good at thinking about that up to now, often succumbing to a developer-led model where profit trumps the public good. The pandemic has highlighted the need, but also offers opportunities to rethink how to make the public realm more attractive and more accessible. But whether change will happen, that is the question.”
Back to the Burbs
“Back to the Burbs” is the latest feature on The Business on RTE Radio One which looks at how suburban businesses are faring better in the pandemic than their city-based counterparts. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr Ruth McManus on the evolution of suburbs as the show looks at the impact of people favouring their local haunt over a trip to the city centre.