New Salem Benches Encourage Chatting Up Strangers In City Parks

SALEM, MA — If you want to strike up a conversation in Salem the city has just the seat for you.

The "Happy to Chat" bench installed in Salem Common late last week is the first of 10 benches citywide that will encourage residents to make a connection with strangers, as well as friends and neighbors, while out in public as part of the Salem for All Ages initiative.

An AARP Massachusetts Small Dollar Big Impact grant funded the benches.

"Connection is a key part of Salem's age-friendly action plan," said Dominick Pangallo, co-chair of Salem for All Ages. "This grant will enable us to install these benches in parks and public spaces throughout our community.

"The signs invite people to sit and talk with others, to get to know one another, and to help build stronger bonds of connection between residents of all ages."

In November 2016, the City of Salem formally submitted its age-friendly action plan, Salem for All Ages, to the AARP and the World Health Organization, with the goal of strengthening the city's commitment to being a community where everyone can age in place comfortably and safely and remain active.

Since then, the COVID-19 health crisis was especially difficult on many seniors who lived alone and were most vulnerable to severe systems if they contracted the virus.

"Isolation has been identified as one of the largest challenges facing Salem's older residents," said Patricia Zaido, co-chair of Salem for All Ages. "This small program has the potential to make a big difference in that regard, by offering a safe space for people to open up and have a conversation with a neighbor or even a stranger."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)