When I think about the innovation that has taken place in the construction industry over the past century, I am astounded. New homes and condominiums built in our cities today use technologies that are mind boggling.

The construction process today is grander, in most cases safer and in all cases smarter. With all these new technologies, however, no one has been able to figure out the most important thing for common people like me and especially young children passing by all those building sites. Why oh why oh why do they have to use the same old plywood style boards to close up the perimeter of the site?

I understand that wind can blow dust and debris around sites so hoarding has to be erected to make sure people passing by aren’t hit by it. I also understand that material must be protected with some kind of fencing, even if it is sometimes easily breached, it’s like a border that everybody knows you should not go beyond.

I just think after all this time something could have been developed to replace this kind of hoarding. From the time that I was a little kid, which is a very long time ago, nothing has changed. Big machines gather in an area. Really interesting machines, which would be great to watch. Then a bunch of guys with hard hats come along and start nailing up big boards around the construction site so you can’t see what these big machines are doing or how the building is getting put together.

On very rare occasions a construction site would have a hole cut out for people passing by to look through. These are not accessible to little kids, who are the people who would be the most interested in watching machines work, because kids are always too short to look through the openings. It has made me crazy for over 50 years.

You would think after all this time, somebody, somewhere, somehow would think to themselves, “This construction site is really annoying the neighbourhood. I wonder what we could do to mitigate the imposition we make on the community?” Well, don’t you think if you let the neighbourhood watch the building unfold from the ground up it might help them appreciate what is happening?

Maybe construction companies could come up with some kind of barrier that you could see through, like a hardy plastic that is strong enough to contain debris but clear enough to see through. Maybe some kinds of openings could be installed that are down low for kids to look through, with strong screens for protection. Then they would be on to something.

I have seen construction sites that had observation areas over the hoarding. These thoughtful construction companies build them just for those who want to look and see the machinery and the building live in progress. I am certain that watching construction makes people a part of the process and gives them an appreciation for the building as it comes together, rather than despising it as an unseen secret intruder in the neighbourhood.   

For all the new innovations, inventions and technological breakthroughs in building, if you could discover a practical solution that would allow folks a way to watch big construction machines and all the bells and whistles of the building process, then you will have created what no one else has managed for 100 years. You will have achieved something mighty and great.

I would wager that millions of kids would sing your praises.

Heino Molls is the publisher of REM. Email [email protected].