OpenDoor Canal

Edinburgh has a developed tourism and it draws in more oversees visitors per year than other UK cities outside of London. 71% of overseas visitors come to Edinburgh for a holiday, this is larger than London 50.7%. In fact, rare of the visitors know the canal’s existence even part of residents. Given the national and city wide significance and the quality of its historic, natural and recreational resources, the Union Canal should be a key part of and contributor to the Edinburgh tourism and for the city’s residents. However, despite this, the Union Canal does not have the status that it deserves.

The canal connects Edinburgh to the rest of the central belt of Scotland and brings the waterway right into the heart of the city. It is this that can be built on to provide new high-quality tourist facilities, raise awareness of the canal system, its significance, and its value to potential visitors. The canal is also an educational resource in this own right, providing a source of open air activity. “OpenDoor Canal” is supposed to build a visitor centre at Harrison park which near the city centre and has a potential people flow. The goal of visitor center is to make more residents open door, go outside, learn canal, use canal and maintain its significance. For the visitor centre’s constitution, firstly, it will have a exhibition space to illustrate the canal’s history, development, biodiversity, visiting routes, activities and souvenir made by communities. People can also hold the events that they would like to have. Secondly, a series of teaching space and seminar room will be added up to the building for education department where could be the learning base with electronic equipment for students and people can have meeting and discussion there. Then, the project will also contain a cafe for rest and enjoy the natural view with souvenir studio which people can design their own handicrafts using natural materials. The community residents can work with each other and design their own artwork for canal. The meaning of the workshop is to improve residents’ hands-on skill, helping them discover more stuff to repair and maintain the potential value rather than just throw them. on the other hand, all the handicrafts can be exhibited and sell for visitors and the money they earned can support community events or donated to charities. Finally, all the building parts can be removable and keep minimal disturbance to the natural site during the construction and life span of the building. When the buildings are moved, the site can be recovered to the natural park.

From the perspective of community, this project would appeal to residents to use green commuting, walk along the canal and get a more close relationship with each other. People can talk about their ideas about canal here and host canal project discussion. For education, it would be a learning base for school, using as outdoor training camp and helping students develop the knowledge about ecosystem. For tourism, it would introduce and exhibit canal for more visitors, making more people know its eco-value and historic significance.