AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

Gil Penalosa, founder and chair of the Toronto-based planning non-profit 8 80 Cities, said the “war on benches” an ill-advised 20+ year trend of removing benches in cities as presumed deterrent to homeless people is “insane”

“Elderly people will not walk if there are no benches. 

They might not even use it, but they want to know it is there if they need it,” he said.

“You put in benches, shade and soon you have sidewalk cafes, people selling flowers, coffee shops, places to meet.”