First it was a Parisienne shared bicycle scheme, now Brisbane City Council is taking its cue from the Big Apple with the launch of shared garden furniture.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
About $14,000 will be spent to install and maintain more than 40 outdoor tables, chairs and deckchairs in Post Office Square over the next six months, brisbanetimes.com.au can reveal.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the Chairs2Share trial would allow visitors, residents and city workers to take full advantage of Brisbane's enviable outdoor lifestyle.
"We are taking a lead from some of the world's most renowned parks which have similar seating installed, such as New York's Bryant Park and Times Square," Cr Quirk said.
"It's about activating our outdoor spaces and making them as inviting as possible.
"Visitors will have the chance to relax in a range of new seating to read a book, eat lunch or have a chat with friends while soaking up the surrounds of our beautiful city."
The furniture will be in place on weekdays from 6am to 2pm from June to December.
The council will evaluate the program on completion of the six-month pilot, and the furniture will be reused for city events, libraries and other initiatives if required.
Cr Quirk said he hoped the trial would also connect with the free wi-fi the council provides at Post Office Square. He said close to 29,000 sessions had been logged since the wi-fi service was installed in July.
Free deckchairs are also available at South Bank through the managing corporation's UNFOLD moveable seating concept.
