The Milford Arts Council will install the first two benches in its “Meet Me At The Bench” project on April 24 at the Milford Green.
The project, which received grant funds from the state Department of Economic and Community Development in 2020, will be completed by May and eventually include five benches, all reimagined as arts and community experiences created by artists, woodworkers, contractors, metalsmiths and designers.
One of the benches to be installed Sunday will be placed in front of People’s United Bank with Sonny Cardinali’s “Sitting in the Shade.” The other will go at Lisman Landing with Io Escu’s and Rich Bourque’s “Community Blocks.”
The Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce will join the MAC for a “mini-ribbon cutting” for the benches on Tuesday, April 26 at 4 p.m. starting on the Green and progressing to Lisman Landing.
“Historically, towns, both small and large, flourished with neighborhoods whose epicenter was the front stoop, thriving with friendly, communal activity,” said Paige Miglio, the MAC’s executive director. “Today, we all live in silos with blinders on, running from appointment to appointment, chasing our kids’ busy schedules, feeling loss of personal space and time. Now, think of ‘the bench’ as a replacement for the front stoop as the building block of community. Imagine a trail of benches from a historic green – to a bustling harbor – to a peaceful spot overlooking the duck pond within the city’s arboretum. Imagine the physical, social and economic impact this will have for Milford while improving the overall well-being of our ‘small city with a big heart’.”