Let’s Rest: Picnic Tables & Benches for Our Parks

Let’s Rest: Picnic Tables & Benches for Our Parks

Committee: Facilities, Parks and Recreation

Total Cost: $120,000

Locations: Up to 10 parks throughout Cambridge

Short Description:

Benches and picnic tables bring our community together. Installing new benches and picnic tables in up to 10 of our Cambridge parks will allow people of all ages and abilities to enjoy them for resting, talking, reading, people watching and being outdoors.

Long Description:

There is strong evidence that benches and picnic tables are needed in our Cambridge parks — the idea has been raised in previous PB cycles. The City typically installs benches and picnic tables that seat four adults easily (such as at the main library), with a comfortable design suitable for all. The addition of more benches and picnic tables in our parks would promote sociability, community sentiment, and would provide walkers a nice place to rest.

Measuring the impact of more benches and picnic tables can be estimated by examining the use of current benches and picnic tables. When examining the entrance to the Main Library, for example, the presence of 10 benches has created a mini-park. Everyone uses these benches — library patrons, people pausing in their exercise routines, parents with baby carriages, high school students, dog walkers, etc.

Several locations for benches were mentioned in PB proposals, including Sennott, Fresh Pond, and Danehy Park. These locations will each be considered in addition to others as the city reviews potential sites.

Project feasibility is high. The Department of Public Works has experience in installing standardized metal benches and picnic tables, and both benches and picnic tables are fully-certified, have a 30-year warranty, are very low-maintenance, stable, dry quickly, are weatherproof, and are very comfortable. The estimated costs also includes installation.

example of a table

example of a bench