I've begun to approach my research questions as of late, by looking into how different communities see and project their ideas onto the neighbourhood in concrete ways. That is, how do neighbourhood community members create and influence their own neighbourhood? What role do they play in its creation? Here in Rotterdam, reconstruction seems to be a way of life. When one walks around the city streets there are many, many construction projects, renovation crews, and men in hard hats playing around with noisy yellow construction vehicles. Rotterdam seems to be in a constant state of make-over! It is no different in my surrounding neighbourhood. One of the tramlines, the Hofbogen which runs into the heart of our district, is going to be shut down in January and now local residents are trying to decide what to do with the abandoned station and tracks.
Today I had to fortune to meet with a young and inspired entrepreneur hoping to open up a multicultural cinema (film house) here in Rotterdam North in the old Hofbogen station. There is a need for this enterprise as the old film house (a cinema that goes above and beyond the boring 'blockbuster' flicks) is moving addresses and relocating in Rotterdam South. So after years of deliberation (the local residents here are very aware and notably active) it was decided that another cultural centre was needed and one that preferably catered to the diversity that lives in and amongst the area known as Rotterdam Noord.
Hearing about the entrepreneur’s projections (yes the pun was intentional), I was truly inspired, enough so in fact, that I actually applied to be a volunteer at the upcoming International Film Festival held here in Rotterdam in January 2010. While it's too soon for the Noorder Bioscoop (the tentative name given to the local project) to play a role in these events, I thought that my enthusiasm for such projects would support this local venture in one way or another. For those who are interested, if I see any famous people while popping the popcorn (they have both salty and sweet variety here) I will work hard to get an autograph. I say to them "Just make it out to Jennifer, the Imported Popcorn Connoisseur, all my love, BNer".
P.S. For those outside my present zipcode, 'BNer' is the short form for famous Nederlander, a Dutch celebrity
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