U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Sit and Recharge in the Shade!

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.

A bench with an attached canopy.  The canopy has a small solar panel on the top.

Contact Us

How can we help?

Please provide as much detail below as possible so City staff can respond to your inquiry:

As a governmental entity, the Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records made or received by the City. Any information received through use of this site is subject to the same provisions as information provided on paper.

Read our complete privacy statement


Service Requests

Enter a service request via SeeClickFix for things like missed trash pickups, potholes, etc., click here