Shawnee Evergreen Chairs

This summer, Shawnee Evergreen Community Association (SECA) used a Good Places Grant to bring outdoor chairs to public green spaces throughout the community. These chairs give people more choice in how they use public space because unlike a bench, these chairs can be moved into the shade, brought closer to a tree, or arranged in a circle for a group. The chairs are placed, stewarded, and maintained entirely by community volunteers.

SECA created custom signage for the chairs, inviting neighbours to take a seat and use the opportunity to connect with neighbours. The chairs have been a hit for the community. One SECA volunteer introduced us to an older gentleman who come to the park with his dog twice a day. Each day, he grabs a chair and moves it to a spot he likes before settling in for a break with his dog.

Projects like the SECA chairs show how a relatively simple idea can impact how people use public spaces to connect to their communities.