Citizens Use Second Life For Public Input On Design

"Les Halles was the central wholesale market for the Paris region until the 1970s when it was razed to the ground to make way for a shopping centre."

"It is also a major underground hub and redevelopment plans for the area include renovating the garden."

"But local residents' association Accomplir (Accomplish) says residents have not been consulted over the gardens which they say are at the heart of local life."

"The association is urging locals to come up with their own ideas for the area's gardens and post them in the online world of Second Life, where people create virtual doubles of themselves called avatars."