FYNNLAND Railway Station has undergone a much-needed upgrade and locals are excited about future prospects for the area.
The upgrade includes fencing and security measures.
A parking lot has been added within its boundaries, including space for disabled drivers. The buildings have been repaired and painted and a heaped accumulation of refuse and debris removed.
The broken windows theory, introduced by professors James Wilson and George Kelling in the 80s theorises that the upkeep of an area creates a sense of order, which reduces the potential for crime.
If a building already has a few broken windows, vandals will have no qualms breaking a few more, which eventually leads to worse crimes being committed.
Fynnlands, which has seen much deterioration in recent years, is a prime example of this theory. With the improvement of the railway station, many believe the upliftment of the area has begun.
This can been seen already, as a building across the road from the station, which has become synonymous with crime and squalid living conditions, has been demolished. The building, which claimed the life of a man in 2015 when it caught fire, was a haven for prostitutes and drug users.
“The upgrade was necessary and has been outstanding for some time. Due to continuous pressure from various organisations including the Cutler Complex Forum, eventually the upgrade followed.
It is the broken windows effect – because it looks bad no one cares. It is also in line with the upgrade and demolishing of the redundant buildings across the road. It will make the area safer for commuters,” said Bluff Community Policing Forum chairman, Carl Knauff.
Community Orientated Policing (COP) chairman, Rake Jeeves agrees and said the station looks really good.
“I believe 100% in the broken window theory, so this will definitely have a positive impact on the area.
The old station was attracting vagrants, drunks and drug dealers and the fact that they have renovated and fenced it off will obviously deter undesirables from hanging around,” said Jeeves.
“They need to do something about the compounds and dilapidated buildings opposite the station and provide security at the station, otherwise it will deteriorate quickly,” warned Jeeves.
Bluff Alliance founder, Ivor Aylward is excited about the upgrade and believes the improvement is much-needed in a community that has been overlooked for too long.
He believes that residents who have been calling for the improvement of Fynnlands for many years may yet see an upward surge in development, as the area is improved by added security measures at the station and its improved aesthetics.
“While the station upgrade is to be commended, it is long overdue. However, it does serve to uplift a neighbourhood that has become squalid as a result of negligent, absentee landlords.
Hopefully, the station will provide a benchmark for urban renewal. Already the demolition of the burnt-out building opposite the station and clearance of what was a slum, is underway, which is encouraging,” said ward 66 councillor, Duncan Du Bois.
