An audit of our town identified a real need for more accessible seating particularly in areas where people gather and along walking routes into town. MAG have now gifted three new age friendly / accessible benches to our community. Two benches opposite the church at the entrance to the boy’s schools and a third bench in the park on Pound Lane. Accessible Benches offer much more than welcome respite for tired legs. They can play a crucial role in fostering social interactions and building a sense of community. They can serve as gathering points where friends can catch up and families can rest and chat, and strangers can strike up conversations. Benches offer a shared space that encourages spontaneous interactions and connections, enhancing the social fabric of our community. Adding respite seating to the area near the church and the boy’s school has created a social space allowing generations to intermingle both young families and senior citizens participating in a shared public space regardless of age or mobility loss.
The bench in the park is an important amenity providing a quiet tranquil place for people to rest, relax, and socialise. It also encourages people to spend more time outdoors, which can have a number of benefits for physical and mental health.
Benches also play a vital role in making parks accessible and inclusive for everyone. They offer a place for elderly visitors to rest, for parents to sit while watching their children play, and for individuals with mobility challenges to take a break and enjoy the park. Well-placed benches ensure that everyone, regardless of age or physical ability, can enjoy the park’s amenities.
The benches are age friendly and the seating area is made of recycled plastic, making them essentially maintenance free. Of course none of this would have been possible had it not been for the generosity of a number of organisations, namely, Maynooth GAA, Maynooth Cycling Club and Kildare County Council. A very special thank you also to our area engineer Mr Cyril Buggy for his assistance in the installation of the benches.
This is an ongoing initiative and the group are aiming to install more benches in the near future.
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