GATES BE GONE!

For some time now, there has been a discussion as to whether the gates outside the school should be removed, and parts of the grounds opened to the public as a sort of common land, where people can meet and come down to the water. I have loved the idea from the start, and was very happy when I came to school yesterday the gates were gone. I suddenly felt that the street and pavement and surroundings were connected to the landscape in a whole new way.

The common land ("allmenning") is a very distinct feature of the city planning in Bergen, where large strips of land go all the way from the sea to the forest and mountain, thereby bringing air, open space and a view into the city. If a decision was made to create a "BAS common", we would be able to contribute to a better environment for people in our part of Bergen, so I hope the gates will continue to be gone, so that people will get the chance to be present.