Steal Park
Steal Park or Green Cabbage Green is a 5-hectare park in the East Periphery District of Kien-k'ang. The park is around half wooded areas, and the other half is divided into grassy areas, flowerbeds, and footpaths.
History
Pre-PSW
In the early modern period, the outer city of Kien-k'ang had some underpopulated areas following the the Civil War of 1503 – 31, and these were generally put to use as animal pastures or farmland growing commercial crops like fruits that could not withstand preservation. This is because it was within the city walls and close to the local market. The area of the park may have originally been used, as its name suggests, as a cabbage patch, but this cannot be demonstrated on the basis of actual record. On the other hand, it was unlikely the entirety of the park was a large cabbage patch—such large vegetable farms are otherwise unknown in Themiclesia until later in history.
While other districts slowly regained their population after the war, it seems the area that would become Green Cabbage Green was persistently used as a vegetable garden by several major families of the vicinity. DUe to its altitude and slope, the land was well-drained and suited to crops like melons and grapes. These became its notorious products in the 16th century onwards and was the cause for its appointment as a supply of royal goods. Its use as a farm receded in the 18th century, when the surrounding area became built up. The locals often paid a fee to enter the park and more to purchase its products inside. Recreational facilities such as alehouses opened around its perimeter at that time.
Following the Settlement of 1801, Green Cabbage Green was no longer under royal appointment and became a public park with the agreement of the four families then owning the park. Very extensive landscaping occurred in 1829, creating the large fountain that still stands.
Post-war
Following the park's use as a meeting ground for the city's defence forces during the Battle of Kien-k'ang, the east side of the park became occupied by stockpiles and vehicles. The west side was used as temporary offices for the Commission for the Defence of the City, for which temporary buildings were erected. After the war officially ended in 1949, the stockpiles were cleared, and more temporary houses were builted to house up to 10,000 returning soldiers and some of their family. Enlisted rates were provided a shed-like house of just 11 m2 (120 sq ft) of covered space if they had family; if not, they lived several heads to each shed.
While the govenrment worked to expand the availability of permanent houses in conjunction with the slum clearance effort which had been postponed due to the war, the government declared that rent would be collected from those living on the park starting from 1952. From about the same time, the city's citizens also formed the Public Committee for Restoration, whose principal aim was to restore the city to its pre-war functionality and appearance. Under this precept, the group placed pressure on the government to finish more suburban houses that similar tenements, scattered in the city's public places, could sooner be removed.
While other tenements of this kind had largely disappeared by the late 50s, the one in Green Cabbage Green saw both emigration and persistent immigration, and some families grew within this environment. Veterans were not automatically placed on the queue for discounted housing as some already had homes, and those living in Green Cabbage Green installed running water (tapped from wells) and privies with the acquiescence of the city, making the area more habitable than before. Eventually, street signs were erected in the narrow paths between microscopic houses, and even a community gathering hall appeared in 1958.
On the other hand, the Restoration Committee's stance on the non-shrinking Green Cabbage Green tenement grew increasingly aggressive by 1960. It called for government action to deny extensions on their leases so that they could be evicted and the area returned to a public park. The City had full authority to deny such extensions but was hesitant to do so on account of the government's ambiguous policy, since it was not previously forseen that residents would migrate into these tenements and indeed assumed they would voluntarily and naturally clear when better housing options were available.
With little action from the city, the Restoration Committee brought the matter to public attention in the council election of 1963, in which it is claimed that the Green Cabbage Green tenement was "unfit for habitation" and "a detriment to the locality".