Fresh paint

 

It didn't turn out quite as I intended because my hands are shakier than they used to be, but the ferris wheels/flowers/fireworks are eye-catching and will be a bright spot of colour in the winter, at least.

You're welcome to sit and rest a while any time!

#holyroodbenchproject -- update #6 -- 6 years later

Come and sit a while...

Six years later, our faithful #holyroodbenchproject beauty had seen better days. She's been sitting patiently through all the weather Edmonton seasons have thrown at her over the past six years, and we've really enjoyed seeing people (and animals) enjoying her...

A neighbour's toddler ran to the bench to try to climb up on it each time the family went for a walk, but now she's six and tall enough that no one has to lift her. Another neighbour's labour began on that bench, and she brought her swaddled baby and visited quite regularly while the wee one naps. He's two now. Squirrels and magpies like to sit on its back, and jack rabbits keep the grass trimmed around its legs. Bike riding families line their little ones up on it for snack time. And my chalk box rests under it for Julianne to use whenever she comes by. 

But someone (on a bike?) knocked one of our bench's legs off kilter, and exposure to moisture caused some rot along her backrest, so Lee and I have been working on fixing her up again. He repaired and sanded her, and I put a second coat of fresh paint on her this morning.

She looks much better again, ready for another stretch of offering a hospitable sitting space to passers-by. And she's a blank canvas -- for a new design and welcoming phrase. 

So, dear readers, if you had a blank green neighbourly bench like this one, how would you decorate her? I'm looking for suggestions.

For those who may have missed other moodlings about the #holyroodbenchproject or perhaps want to revisit them, here they are...

The #holyroodbenchproject
The #holyroodbenchproject -- an update
#holyroodbenchproject update #2 -- special edition
#holyroodbenchproject update #3 -- two blue benches

#holyroodbenchproject update #4 -- one year later

#holyroodbenchproject update #5 -- three and a half years later

Have a happy, neighbourly day.

#holyroodbenchproject update #4 -- one year later

Shadow-dog and I have discovered a couple more #holyroodbenchproject spots during our neighbourhood walks. The carpenters at SEESA have made and sold 80 benches beyond the 20 they built for the original project, so people who like the idea of a neighbourly bench have been able to buy and set out their own, and not just in Holyrood. A neighbour I spoke with yesterday said that she saw a painted bench on the north side of the city, so word of this brilliant idea has gotten around.

It's a wonderful thing when neighbours offer hospitality to neighbours by providing a spot to sit, especially in neighbourhoods with seniors who like to take walks. I was delighted to see that the First Church of God recently put out a bench... churches are definitely places that attract seniors!

My new favourite bench has a bit of a story that goes with it. It's situated on the boulevard where the "Dog Lady" lived. She was known to a lot of dogs and their owners who ambled past her home on 95th Avenue.

Jane's love for meeting neighbourhood canines was such that, on the corner of her lawn, she put out a few rocks inscribed with permanent ink: "Doggie Rest Stop, "Paws" for a Drink." There was also a little airtight container marked "Two Treats per Tail, love Grandma" filled with dog snacks, as well as a dutch oven pot filled with ice water (she must have taken the pot in every night, refilled it and set it in her freezer in order to supply passing pooches with water that was cold all day long).

I remember the Dog Lady's delight at meeting Shadow on one of his first walks around the neighbourhood as a puppy five years ago. If she was outside and we happened to walk by, she always greeted him by name, and though I'm sure we humans probably introduced ourselves at some point, to me, she was always the Dog Lady, and to her, I was Shadow's Mom. Shadow definitely knew the doggie corner of her yard and went straight to it without fail, hoping that we would give him a treat, which we often did.

Last spring we noticed that the "Two Treats per Tail" container had disappeared, though the pot of water still made its appearance. But it wasn't replenished as often, and eventually filled with brackish water and rain. We wondered if the Dog Lady had gone on holidays. Finally, the watering spot for dogs disappeared completely, and we wondered if Jane was okay.

When this bench appeared this Spring, I asked a few of her nearer neighbours about it, and one of them told me that Jane had died. Apparently, her children were the ones who designed and painted the bench, and they put it out in her honour just a few weeks ago. The stones are gone from the corner, and the house is shuttered, likely awaiting a new occupant.

It's always sad for a neighbourhood to lose kind people like Jane. She never asked for anything in return for her kindnesses, but simply enjoyed connecting with her community through her love for dogs. Thanks to this wonderful bench, built by SEESA carpenters and decorated by her children, her legacy as the neighbourhood Dog Lady will last for years to come.

Thanks, Jane, for your consideration for our pets. May you meet all sorts of four-legged friends on the other side...

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

For more about the #holyroodbenchproject:

The #holyroodbenchproject
The #holyroodbenchproject -- an update
#holyroodbenchproject update #2 -- special edition
#holyroodbenchproject update #3 -- two blue benches

Umm... not today, thanks all the same

#holyroodbenchproject update #3 -- two blue benches

Last week I saw SEESA's Executive Director, Kim, when we were both out for an evening walk (or maybe she was heading to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival?). Her neighbourly bench had been missing for a few weeks, and when I asked her where it went, she said that one of the artists at SEESA was repainting it for her. Seems the benches in the neighbourhood, besides giving people a place to rest, have inspired more art too. Here's Kim's bench...

Who doesn't love Van Gogh's Starry Night ... 

this one above with a bit of an Edmonton skyline 

and some hidden objects for the kids to find...

Elsewhere in the neighbourhood, 

this bench (above) recently appeared.

(To see others, click here).

I'm wondering if this latest one is paying homage

to the Arrogant Worms' song about

the pirates on the River Saskatchewan...

If you've never heard that tune, 

here's a humourous cover version 

by Edmonton folk-rock band, Captain Tractor...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G_L9tXEwmc

Even though our perennials are mostly past their peak,

it's still a lovely day to sit and enjoy a neighbourly bench. 

If you're interested in sharing a bench like this 

with your neighbours, they cost $100

and can be ordered from SEESA at (780) 468-1985.

#holyroodbenchproject update #2 -- special edition

The SEESA (South East Edmonton Seniors Association) wood workshop carpenters are still making their wonderful benches for anyone willing to part with $100. Call 780 468-1985 if you're interested. If you haven't heard about the bench project, click here for the original moodling about it. And if you want to see some other pretty cool benches, click here.

Holyrood resident Jennifer sent a message recently -- her family just finished painting their neighbourly bench -- with no less than 150 maple leaves! So finally this morning Shadow and I went for a walk and took one more picture for your enjoyment. Jennifer and her elementary school-aged daughters did a marvellous job, don't you think? Shadow thinks so, too.

The #holyroodbenchproject - An update

One recent sunny morning, I decided to ride my bike around my neighbourhood to discover how the #holyroodbenchproject had turned out (click here for the original moodling on the subject). And I have to say it was a wonderful ride because of the anticipation I felt with every corner I turned. Coming across a bench I hadn't yet seen was like finding an unexpected present under the tree on Christmas morning. Thanks to all the wonderful woodworkers at SEESA, and to my neighbours who took responsibility for giving these benches homes -- and some creative paint jobs!

Let's start with the original bench, the one that 

spawned the idea for the #holyroodbenchproject.

Note the lovely curved armrests and the shape of the back pieces,

plus the message to indicate that anyone is welcome to sit:

Below is a bench in its original state,
awaiting a coat of paint or varnish...

Then there are the simple beauties, 

finished with lovely stains...

Some people gave a bit more thought to colour and design...

The bench above goes with a red-and-white themed flowerbed 

for Canada's 150th anniversary, I'm guessing...

I'm happy to see these bright colours above on display...
as I'm guessing members of our LGBTQ community might be...

Above, the butterflies are padded decals...

and there are a few benches below with well-designed messages...

Including the special bench above, which sits right outside 

the South East Edmonton Senior's Association building...

Above is a closeup of one that says 

"Break time -- enjoy the day from your friends at SEESA"

and the flamingo is having a wonderful vacation, 

visiting Alberta's golden prairies and snowy mountains...

or at least that's how I see it. See the ducks?

Below is a brilliant activity bench,

with a ziplock bag of chalk included.

Clearly the kids' choice!

But I think my heart's favourite is a bench purchased and painted 

by a neighbour for her neighbours down the street...

with piano keys for a piano teacher,
 and see the beloved pets in the trees?

The bench outside our house appears on my original moodling... and counting it plus all of these, I'm still a couple short of the 20 that were built for the #holyroodbenchproject. I know that the SEESA seniors have had quite a few extra orders, so if you would like a neighbourly bench of your own, they're now selling them for $100, a great deal. A friend of mine bought two, one for her boulevard and one for her children's school. 

If you have a bench that I missed in this moodling, let me know, and I'd be happy to come take its picture too. I've never ridden my entire neighbourhood on my bike before, and I found that tracking down benches made it even more enjoyable. And if you're looking for a walkable neighbourhood with big trees and shady benches for rest, come visit us in Holyrood.

The #holyroodbenchproject

A neighbourly bench across
from SEESA

Holyrood is a lovely, walkable neighbourhood, and it's getting nicer all the time thanks to the South East Edmonton Seniors' Association (SEESA) and a special project by their woodworking workshop.

The Holyrood Bench Project (#holyroodbenchproject) is the brainchild of Kimberly Buehler, the Executive Director at SEESA. She's had a bench on the grassy boulevard in front of her house for the last four years, and has enjoyed watching people stop to appreciate a little break during their strolls. She says that people of all ages use the bench -- seniors who want to rest a little, parents who let their kids run ahead and wait at the bench, newspaper readers, and those having a lunch break or coffee.

Kim and Myrna, a SEESA member
who will also have a bench
in front of her home

This spring, SEESA received funding for the project from Age Friendly Edmonton and the Holyrood Community League also offered support, allowing Kim to approach some of the seniors with bench plans in hand. She asked if they would consider building boulevard benches similar to hers as part of a community project. She expected the project would keep the workshop busy for a couple of months, but the woodworkers finished all 20 benches in two weeks flat (they have a pretty slick workshop and some very handy carpenters). They stacked the benches outside as they were made, in spite of a few snowy days in April. Around that time, I heard about the project through a neighbour who thought we should have a bench near our little area park.

I contacted Kim to let her know that we were interested, and two weeks ago, I went to SEESA to pick up a bench, a gift card for $25 to buy stain at Rona, and hardware (chain and padlock) to attach it to one of the elms on the boulevard in front of our house. Steve and Harvey, two of the builders extraordinaire, loaded the bench into the back of my vehicle, I signed an agreement saying that we would keep the bench where the public could enjoy it, we would maintain it, and leave it with the property should we ever sell our home.

Harvey and Steve in the SEESA woodworking workshop

Then it was just a matter of sanding, staining and decorating... and now there's a community bench on a boulevard near my house, a resting place in a neighbourhood where many people like to walk (we joke that we live on a 5-dog-per-hour street). People can sit and enjoy the view of the little park across the street, or my messy perennial front yard, and hopefully I'll have the opportunity to meet a few more neighbours when they stop by. And as a dog walker, I'm really looking forward to finding more #holyroodbenchproject seating areas in our neighbourhood.

Thanks to Kim, Steve, Harvey and the rest of the marvelous carpenters at SEESA, we're building community in Holyrood, one bench at a time.

(If you live in Holyrood and have a home for a boulevard bench, there are seven still available at the time of this moodling. Contact Kim at SEESA -- benchproject@ seesa.ca.)