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Projects · Community project · Accessibility · Lyon

Shade and rest stops for older walkers on the Rhône quays

How would you like to take part?

From one resident’s observation to a completed trial: benches, shade sails and planters every 250 m along 800 m of quay.

Understand the issueAsk or contributeWeigh the argumentsHelp build itSee what happened
  1. Draft
  2. Submitted
  3. Under review
  4. Open for discussion
  5. Developing
  6. Proposal
  7. Prioritisation
  8. Decision / recommendation
  9. Implementation
  10. Monitoring
  11. Completed
  12. Evaluation

What this is: Implemented project

Carried out; the outcome is documented.

Who decides: Illustrative: the public-space service of the city (example response interface) holds the decision on street furniture; the association carries the trial.

You are discovering this initiative

  1. Discover
  2. Understand
  3. Ask
  4. Contribute
  5. Discuss
  6. Deliberate
  7. Propose
  8. Collaborate
  9. Prioritise
  10. Decide
  11. Implement
  12. Monitor
  13. Evaluate
  14. Continue
Follow · 25Support · 49I would help build it · 25 ShareCalendar (.ics)

Understand

Overview

Older residents and people with reduced mobility say they cannot walk the Rhône quays between the Guillotière bridge and the park in summer: there is no shade and nowhere to rest for about 800 metres.

Background

The quays were redesigned for cycling and walking. Seating was concentrated near the bridges. Since then summers have become hotter and the neighbourhood older; the social centre’s walking group reported people turning back.

Key facts

  • About 800 m of path without seating or shade Community observationMeasured by residents with the Cercle (personal observation)
  • Heatwave guidance recommends regular shaded rest for older people Official sourceRegional health agency guidance
  • Weekday mornings are the busiest walking period Official sourceFootfall counts, city open-data portal (illustrative reference)

Different perspectives

Rest points every 250–300 m would make the route usable again.

Older residents and carers

Supports rest points if the path width is kept and furniture sits outside the cycle lane.

Cyclists’ association

Welcome shade; worried about night-time noise near benches.

Riverside residents

Open to their terraces serving as rest points in agreed hours.

Café owners

Perspectives are attributed to the groups who raised them. Their inclusion does not mean the platform agrees with them.

What remains unresolved

  • Who maintains the planters after the first year?
  • Can lighting be added without disturbing riverside homes?

Evidence given by the author

Walking-group observations, heatwave guidance, footfall data.

Understand first, then take part: ask a question or add what you know →

Participate

Deliberation (39)

Questions (2)

  • Question A resident (collected by Odile C.) 2026-07-18 · On paper

    Who is responsible for this space — the city or the metropole?

  • Question Sylvain J. 2026-08-24

    Has anything like this been tried nearby, and what happened?

Arguments (6)

  • Argument A resident (collected by Leïla S.) 2026-06-24 · On paper

    Using local artisans keeps the budget in the neighbourhood.

    7 agree · 1 disagree · 6 unsure

  • Argument A resident (collected by Leïla S.) 2026-07-24 · By phone

    Maintenance should be planned from the start or the benches will be removed in two years.

    5 agree · 3 disagree · 3 unsure

  • Argument Julien B. 2026-08-13

    Shade is a health measure, not decoration, during heatwaves.

    6 agree · 1 disagree · 1 unsure

  • Argument A resident (collected by Rachid C.) 2026-08-16 · By phone

    Rest points would let older residents keep walking independently for longer.

    4 agree · 2 disagree · 5 unsure

  • Argument A resident (collected by Rose Z.) 2026-08-26 · With a facilitator

    Rest points would let older residents keep walking independently for longer.

    10 agree · 0 disagree · 5 unsure

  • Argument Jean-Marc O. 2026-09-09

    Shade is a health measure, not decoration, during heatwaves.

    15 agree · 2 disagree · 0 unsure

Evidence (8)

  • Evidence (with source) Juliette V. 2026-05-26

    A 2023 survey by the neighbourhood council found 61 % of respondents over 70 avoided the route in summer.

    Source: Open data portal and survey report

  • Research (with source) A participant from Lyon 2026-05-27

    Studies on urban heat islands show tree canopy lowers surface temperature by several degrees compared with bare paving.

    Source: Published research summaries (see briefing documents)

  • Research (with source) A resident (collected by Raphaël D.) 2026-06-08 · At a meeting

    Evaluations of pop-up street furniture trials in several European cities found most were made permanent after one season.

    Source: Published research summaries (see briefing documents)

  • Organisation information Jean-Marc S. 2026-06-11

    The social centre can host the preparation workshops in its hall free of charge.

  • Expert contribution Manon E. 2026-07-12

    As an occupational therapist: resting points matter more than distance for people with reduced mobility.

  • Expert contribution Sophie A. 2026-07-14

    As a landscape architect: benches need back and armrests for older users, and 45–50 cm seat height.

  • Evidence (with source) A resident (collected by Raphaël D.) 2026-08-04 · At a meeting

    The regional health agency publishes heatwave guidance recommending shaded rest points every 300–500 m for older people.

    Source: Open data portal and survey report

  • Organisation information A resident (collected by Monique K.) 2026-08-09 · By phone

    Our association already runs weekly walks here and can share attendance figures.

Concerns (2)

  • Concern A resident (collected by Rachid C.) 2026-08-03 · On paper

    Tree planting takes years to give shade; people need something this summer.

    1 agree · 4 disagree · 12 unsure

  • Concern A participant from Lyon 2026-09-01

    Tree planting takes years to give shade; people need something this summer.

    8 agree · 2 disagree · 18 unsure

Alternatives (2)

  • Alternative A resident (collected by Sophie N.) 2026-06-23 · With a facilitator

    Move the rest points to the park entrances instead of the quay itself.

    4 agree · 0 disagree · 6 unsure

  • Alternative A resident (collected by Odile C.) 2026-06-24 · On paper

    Use the existing café terraces as rest points through an agreement with owners.

    7 agree · 4 disagree · 25 unsure

Common ground (2)

  • Common ground A resident (collected by Sylvain J.) 2026-06-23 · With a facilitator

    All sides agree maintenance must be budgeted from the start.

    8 agree · 0 disagree · 0 unsure

  • Common ground Leïla S. 2026-08-13

    Residents and cyclists both want the works outside the summer months.

    1 agree · 0 disagree · 3 unsure

Unresolved issues (2)

  • Unresolved issue A participant from Lyon 2026-05-29 · By phone

    Who maintains the planters after the first year is still unclear.

  • Unresolved issue Raphaël D. 2026-08-08

    Whether the budget covers lighting as well as seating is not settled.

Experiences, opinions & suggestions (8)

  • Opinion Juliette V. 2026-05-19

    I would rather see a small trial first than a big plan that takes five years.

  • Personal experience Yasmine S. 2026-06-10

    I walk here every morning with my mother; there is nowhere to sit for 800 metres.

  • Opinion A participant from Lyon 2026-06-27

    I think the priority should be the people who use it most, not the people who pass through.

  • Personal experience A resident (collected by Jean-Marc S.) 2026-07-17 · With a facilitator

    We moved here two years ago and it took us months to find out this existed.

  • Personal experience Victor D. 2026-08-20

    I run the Saturday market stall opposite and see this every week.

  • Suggestion A resident (collected by Raphaël D.) 2026-09-05 · At a meeting

    Ask the retirement home and the primary school to co-design it.

    16 agree · 0 disagree · 16 unsure

  • Personal experience A resident (collected by Justine Z.) 2026-09-05 · At a meeting

    My children’s school is next door; parents have raised it at every meeting.

  • Suggestion Sophie A. 2026-09-06

    Start with a one-month trial using removable furniture.

    10 agree · 2 disagree · 9 unsure

Progress feedback and evaluation

  • Monitoring feedback A resident (collected by Raphaël D.) 2026-06-07 · With a facilitator

    Great to see the planters watered by the school children.

  • Evaluation A resident (collected by Yasmine D.) 2026-06-08 · On paper

    Before, my mother turned back at the bridge. Now she walks to the market and back.

  • Monitoring feedback A participant from Lyon 2026-06-11

    Great to see the planters watered by the school children.

  • Evaluation Nadia K. 2026-06-20

    We should document how the volunteer watering rota worked so other neighbourhoods can copy it.

  • Monitoring feedback Mei V. 2026-07-30

    One shade sail was damaged by wind on Tuesday — reported to the team.

  • Monitoring feedback A resident (collected by Jean-Marc O.) 2026-09-13 · At a meeting

    One shade sail was damaged by wind on Tuesday — reported to the team.

  • Monitoring feedback Nadia K. 2026-09-14

    The first four benches are in and already used every morning.

Consensus map

Broad agreement (3)

70 % or more of respondents agree

  • All sides agree maintenance must be budgeted from the start.8 responses · Common ground
  • Shade is a health measure, not decoration, during heatwaves.8 responses · Argument
  • Shade is a health measure, not decoration, during heatwaves.17 responses · Argument

Partial agreement (1)

50–69 % agree

  • Rest points would let older residents keep walking independently for longer.15 responses · Argument

Disagreement (0)

under 50 % agree and at least 30 % disagree

    Needs more information (9)

    40 % or more unsure, or no clear pattern

    • Move the rest points to the park entrances instead of the quay itself.10 responses · Alternative
    • Using local artisans keeps the budget in the neighbourhood.14 responses · Argument
    • Use the existing café terraces as rest points through an agreement with owners.36 responses · Alternative
    • Maintenance should be planned from the start or the benches will be removed in two years.11 responses · Argument
    • Tree planting takes years to give shade; people need something this summer.17 responses · Concern
    • Rest points would let older residents keep walking independently for longer.11 responses · Argument

    Not enough responses yet (1)

    fewer than 8 responses

    • Residents and cyclists both want the works outside the summer months.4 responses · Common ground

    How this is calculated. Only statements (arguments, concerns, alternatives, suggestions, common ground) can be weighed, once per person, as agree, disagree or unsure. Shares are of the people who responded to that statement — not of residents, and not of everyone on the platform. Popularity is not truth: a statement with broad agreement can still be wrong, and a minority concern can be decisive. Nothing here is a vote or a decision. Full methodology

    Proposal

    Objective
    Make the quay walkable in summer for people who cannot walk 800 m without resting.
    Proposed solution
    Six rest points every 250 m with benches (back and armrests), shade sails on removable posts and planters watered by a volunteer rota; a one-season trial before anything permanent.
    Beneficiaries
    Older residents, people with reduced mobility, carers, parents with young children, walking groups.
    Evidence
    Walking-group observations, heatwave guidance, footfall data.
    Estimated cost
    38 500 € (illustrative estimate: furniture 21 000 €, shade sails 9 500 €, planters 5 000 €, signage 3 000 €)
    Resources
    Benches from a local cabinet-maker, shade sails, planters, a watering rota, social-centre hall for workshops.
    Timeline
    Preparation 6 weeks · works 3 weeks outside peak season · trial 1 season · evaluation 1 month
    Potential partners
    Walking the Quays Cercle, social centre, primary school, cyclists’ association, local cabinet-maker
    Implementation requirements
    Furniture outside the cycle lane; removable posts; night-time quiet respected
    Risks
    Wind damage to sails; vandalism; watering gaps in August
    Sustainability
    Planters with drought-tolerant species; maintenance rota agreed before installation
    Environmental considerations
    Local timber; no concrete footings; planters support pollinators
    Accessibility
    Seat height 45–50 cm, armrests, 1.5 m clear path kept
    Community participation
    Residents co-design locations on a walk; volunteers water and report problems
    Cost (€)
    38 500

    The author would take part in implementation: yes.

    People & project

    Find people to build this with you

    • 4 people in Lyon are interested in this subject
    • 9 have skills this needs (Carpentry, Design, Event logistics, Facilitation)
    • 0 have organised events before
    • 0 local Cercles discuss related subjects

    Counts include everyone whose profile is visible to members; only people who chose to be visible to you appear below. Nobody’s location is shown beyond their city.

    Justine Z.Cooks for too many peopleLyonBakingVegetarian cookingCheese & terroirLooking to: share a skillNadia K.Parent of two, organiser by necessityLyonIntergenerationalGardeningBoard gamesLooking to: find a group to belong toRaphaël D.New in town, curious about everythingLyonBoard gamesWelcoming newcomersLanguagesLooking to: learn somethingSophie N.Repair café volunteerLyonZero wasteUpcyclingVolunteeringLooking to: share a skillYou share: Urbanism & public spaceThomas F.Parent of two, organiser by necessityLyonIntergenerationalParentingLibrariesLooking to: find a group to belong toVictor D.Ceramicist with an open studioLyonSewingCeramicsGalleriesLooking to: share a skillYasmine S.Retired teacher, full-time grandmother of the streetLyonGardeningVisiting eldersLibrariesLooking to: share a skillYou share: Visiting elders

    The team

    No project team yet.

    Volunteer roles

    Visiting volunteerLyon · 1 hour a week · 0 of 12 places openClean-up crew — riverbankLyon · 3 hours · 25 of 25 places open · visitors welcomeWatering rota — quay plantersLyon · 1 hour a week · 2 of 16 places open · visitors welcome

    Resources needed

    Process & meetings

    Meetings

      Response

      Illustrative response — shows how a response appears once received; not the position of a real authority.

      Public-space service of the city — example response interface Partly accepted 2026-06-29

      Illustrative response: the trial of six rest points is accepted for one season on the conditions agreed at the public meeting. Permanent installation will depend on the evaluation. Lighting is not included at this stage and needs a separate study.

      Programme / department
      Neighbourhood public-space improvements (illustrative)
      Proposed or requested action
      Confirm locations on the plan; nominate a maintenance contact; keep the 1.5 m path clear.
      Requirements
      Removable posts; no works in July–August.
      Timeline & follow-up
      Joint evaluation walk at the end of the season.
      Supporting documents
      Trial conditions sheet; works calendar.
      Contact
      Through this initiative’s thread; the project lead is the contact on the residents’ side.
      Next step
      Works calendar published → installation → monitoring → evaluation walk → decision on permanence.

      The chain: public contribution → responsible organisation → review → response → action → implementation → outcome. A response is not a decision unless it is recorded as one by the organisation with authority.

      Implementation

      1. Concept
      2. Preparation
      3. Works
      4. Completion
      5. Evaluation
      100%Progress
      38 500 €Budget
      38 000 €Spent so far
      5Updates

      1. 2026-09-08 · Evaluation · 100% · Illustrative update

        Evaluation walk and survey

        Residents surveyed on the route: benches used daily; two locations to move closer to the park entrance; lighting study requested.

        Milestone: Evaluation published

      2. 2026-08-21 · Completion · 100% · Illustrative update

        All six rest points open

        The watering rota is running with 14 volunteers and the primary school.

        Milestone: Trial running

      3. 2026-08-06 · Works · 70% · Illustrative update

        Installation completed at four of six points

        Wind delayed two shade sails. The path stayed open throughout.

        Milestone: Four rest points open

        Issue: One sail post needs a stronger base.

      4. 2026-07-23 · Preparation · 35% · Illustrative update

        Benches built by a local cabinet-maker

        Twelve benches in local oak with armrests. Volunteers sanded and oiled them at the social centre.

        Milestone: Furniture ready

      5. 2026-07-07 · Preparation · 15% · Illustrative update

        Locations confirmed on site

        The six locations were pegged out with residents and checked with a wheelchair user.

        Milestone: Locations agreed

      Community monitoring

      Follow progress, ask questions, give feedback, report problems, submit evidence, suggest improvements.

      Outcome

      Before
      After

      What happened because people took part

      • 95 people took part; 39 contributions were recorded.
      • A response was published on the record.
      • 266 volunteer hours were given.
      • Evaluation walk and survey.

      How the quay got its benches back

      It started with a walking group turning back at the bridge. A resident wrote it down on the platform; neighbours added what they saw; a Cercle walked the route; an assembly marked the spots; a cabinet-maker built the benches; school children watered the planters. At the end of the summer the same group walked all the way to the market and back. This is the outcome record: what was asked, what was answered, what was built, what was learnt.

      Evaluation

      • Evaluation A resident (collected by Yasmine D.) 2026-06-08 · On paper

        Before, my mother turned back at the bridge. Now she walks to the market and back.

      • Evaluation Nadia K. 2026-06-20

        We should document how the volunteer watering rota worked so other neighbourhoods can copy it.

      Continue

      Community idea · Accessibility · LyonExtend the rest-stop route to the Saône quaysOpen for discussion4 supporting · 8 contributions · 2 ready to help

      Start the next initiative from this one

      Network

      1. People95 taking part
      2. OrganisationLes Bancs du Quai — association de quartier
      3. ResponsePartly accepted
      4. Implementation100% complete
      5. OutcomeDocumented
      6. Future participationExtend the rest-stop route to the Saône quays

      History on the record

      1. Submitted — Issue raised after a walking-group outing: people turned back at the bridge.
      2. Under review — Moderators linked it to the Walking the Quays Cercle.
      3. Open for discussion — Open for questions, experiences and evidence.
      4. Developing — A project team formed; skills requested.
      5. Proposal — Proposal drafted with costs, risks and accessibility requirements.
      6. Prioritisation — Neighbourhood assembly ranked locations and design options.
      7. Decision / recommendation — Illustrative response: trial accepted for one season.
      8. Implementation — Works started outside peak season.
      9. Monitoring — Residents report progress and problems through monitoring feedback.
      10. Completed — All six rest points installed and used through the summer.
      11. Evaluation — Evaluation walk and survey: keep, adjust two locations, add lighting study.

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