Background

Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and is famed for its history of shipbuilding and engineering. Glasgow has a rich and vibrant cultural life, with regular festivals for art, jazz, comedy, folk music and film. In 1990, it was European Capital of Culture, and more recently it was named as a UNESCO City of Music.

However, Glasgow also faces a number of challenges. Whilst some aspects of health have increased, there is a growing gap in life expectancy between the affluent and deprived areas of the city, with some areas having higher than average incidences of heart disease and lung cancer. The city also includes some of the most deprived areas of the UK, based on indicators including access to services, household income, education, housing, health, skills and training.

Objectives

The game focussed ambitiously on the whole of Glasgow city, and players came up with ideas that could be implemented across the city. Many of the players had no experience of working across sectors, so as well as the ideas generated, the game also aimed to encourage working and networking across a range of skills and disciplines. 

Winning idea

A Tree for Every Child Born in the City

How do you get people to slow down their pace of life and spend more time with friends and family? By planting a tree for every child born in the city! The winning team’s innovative idea suggested that the government invest in planting a tree for each child when it is born, so that each family would have a connection to a green space in the city. The trees would provide a place for play, relaxation and reflection, and would encourage residents to care for their natural environment and their own physical and mental health.

Winning ideas from the other teams

River of Culture

Glasgow has a number of waterways, from the Rivers Clyde and Kelvin to the regenerated Forth Clyde Canal. Regeneration is on-going, but this team suggested building an aqueduct to better connect the waterways, so they could be used to connect Glasgow’s cultural sites. The waterways would provide transport to museums, music venues and galleries, and would encourage Glasgow’s citizens and visitors to appreciate the city’s cultural past, present and future.

So-Bar

Glasgow’s low life expectancy for men has been linked to excesses in binge drinking and excessive alcohol consumption. This team suggested that an alternative to pubs should be available for adults to enjoy socialising. Different from coffee bars and cafes, the So-Bar would offer a range of non-alcoholic cocktails to help create the atmosphere of a bar, but without the alcohol.

Community Bank

The Community Bank brings together a credit union, a skills bank and a community centre. People in the community could come together to exchange skills, products and culture. The centre would provide a focal point for the community, would help create a greater sense of community in areas where people might have little interaction, and would provide support to small scale enterprises.