Benches offer respite

I am really upset by the decision of our city in removing the benches at our city bus stops.

Have those people (any of them) ever been shopping with children? They have a bundle of groceries or other items, lively, bored children – if there’s a bench they can set their shopping items on it, sit the children down and read to them or give them a coloring book or book to look at, until the bus arrives.

No bench. Children running around in different directions, and one heads for the street. There’s a car coming. Should she drop her shopping items on the sidewalk, leave the other child alone and retrieve her wayward child?

I find it’s a good place to sit down and read for a few minutes if I’m out for a walk. Benches look bad? Give me a break. It’s a welcome sight. My grocery packages are heavy. We’ve had benches for some years; suddenly they are an eyesore.

Repaint them or repair if needed. Throw them away and remaining people suffer.

No. I’m not alone in this.

Pearl Schmidt

Spokane