Committee: Facilities, Parks, and Recreation
Cost: $100,000
Location: To be determined based on need, impact, and space availability. Recommended locations include parks and city squares.
Short Description: Install 10 shaded benches with solar power charging stations around Cambridge. This project will improve the daily quality of life for pedestrians. These solar benches will allow people to sit out of the sun and charge their electronic devices.
Long Description: Benches are more than a place to sit. Benches provide a respite, a reprieve, and a place to take time out from the often over-stimulating and stressful urban street activity. More benches would improve the daily quality of life for pedestrians, especially those with health issues, limited mobility, or pain while walking. This proposal will fund state-of-the-art benches with three amenities in one: a place to sit, a place to get out of the sun, and a place to charge your device. This proposal addresses the basic human need for rest, comfort, and social interaction. In addition, benches are a cost-effective addition to our urban landscape, with a positive, long-lasting impact on a large cross-section of Cambridge residents.
