Greenways as vehicles for expression

Traditionally, the commonly recognized functions of greenways focus on natural conservation and recreation. Lewis has described greenways as environmental corridors, which he dubbed ‘E-ways’, for the four main purposes which he listed as environment, ecology, education, and exercise. In this paper a fifth ‘e’ purpose of ‘expression’ will be suggested. Five different ways of promoting expression will be illustrated with examples. These means include personal, patriotic, commemorative, cultural, and social-political forms of expression. Examples to illustrate this range will include the following: (1) Anne Luskʹs initiative with the Stowe Greenway in Vermont. This can be regarded as an example of personal social expression. (2) The US emergency war gardens from World War I and the subsequent Victory Gardens of World War II, as examples of symbolic patriotism. (3) ʹMeanwhile Gardensʹ, begun by Jamie McCollough as a reclamation adventure in the creative expression of neighborhood participants in a greenway area along the Grand Union Canal in London. (4) The Santa Cruz River Park, which features the public art tile project by Susan Gamble in Tuscon, Arizona. (5) The former ‘no-manʹs-land’ in Berlin, where avant-garde artists have created a radical new greenway of social-political commentary in their outdoor environmental sculptures snaking through this long, linear strip. This important, yet perhaps overlooked role as a source of expression to its makers and users helps broaden the meanings of greenways, thereby contributing to the growing strength of the greenway idea in peoplesʹ minds. In conclusion, the range of possible expressions which greenways afford their makers and users will be developed.