Tallinn to install nearly 400 new benches on streets and in parks this spring
This year, the City of Tallinn will install more benches than usual, primarily to improve independent mobility for the elderly. New benches will be added not only to the streets of the city centre and other districts but also to parks and green spaces.
Installation of benches in the city centre began on 12 May. A total of 208 benches will be installed in the city centre, with another 150 benches placed across other districts.
“Older people are better able to move around on their own when the city provides benches where they can rest or set down a shopping bag. Benches also improve the business environment along streets, as they help bring life to the public space and allow activity to flow out from buildings into the streets,” said Pärtel-Peeter Pere, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn.
Based on these goals, benches are primarily being installed near businesses and public institutions. On main streets, the city follows the principle of providing a place to sit and rest every 300 metres. Where possible, benches are placed near trees that offer shade and shelter from the wind.
“Adding this many benches to the streets of the city centre represents a major shift in how we think about our streets. The street belongs to all of us – which means that offering resting places for people with different physical abilities should be a basic requirement, not a bonus. The main reason for adding benches is to expand the usability of public space,” said Aksel Johannes Part, Head of Urban Environment Planning at the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department.
In addition to the city centre, more than 150 benches will be installed in other districts. With the first procurement orders, the city will install 370 new benches and 220 trash bins this year, at a total cost of €675,000. The city’s 2025 budget allocates €1.1 million for the installation of urban furniture. The work is commissioned by the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department and funded by the City of Tallinn.
Photos of Tallinn’s new benches can be found on the Tallinn Strategic Management Office’s Flickr page: https://flickr.com/photos/linnameedia/albums/72177720326101971/
“Older people are better able to move around on their own when the city provides benches where they can rest or set down a shopping bag. Benches also improve the business environment along streets, as they help bring life to the public space and allow activity to flow out from buildings into the streets,” said Pärtel-Peeter Pere, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn.
Based on these goals, benches are primarily being installed near businesses and public institutions. On main streets, the city follows the principle of providing a place to sit and rest every 300 metres. Where possible, benches are placed near trees that offer shade and shelter from the wind.
“Adding this many benches to the streets of the city centre represents a major shift in how we think about our streets. The street belongs to all of us – which means that offering resting places for people with different physical abilities should be a basic requirement, not a bonus. The main reason for adding benches is to expand the usability of public space,” said Aksel Johannes Part, Head of Urban Environment Planning at the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department.
In addition to the city centre, more than 150 benches will be installed in other districts. With the first procurement orders, the city will install 370 new benches and 220 trash bins this year, at a total cost of €675,000. The city’s 2025 budget allocates €1.1 million for the installation of urban furniture. The work is commissioned by the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department and funded by the City of Tallinn.
Photos of Tallinn’s new benches can be found on the Tallinn Strategic Management Office’s Flickr page: https://flickr.com/photos/linnameedia/albums/72177720326101971/