New tulip chairs sprouting along Stratford's lakeshore

Susan Powell and Alex Powell of Waterloo take a seat in two of Destination Stratford's new tulip chairs while enjoying a walk along Lake Victoria during a visit to Stratford.

By: Amanda Nelson

You may have noticed a colourful new addition along the south shore of Lake Victoria over the last week. New tulip chairs have been installed by Destination Stratford to add character and colour to the waterfront. The versatile chairs also provide comfortable seating at several locations along the lakeshore.

The chairs, sourced from the Netherlands, are functional works of art designed for year-round use. Made from recycled plastic and stainless steel, they have been installed in four groupings along Lake Victoria.

"A big part of our work at Destination Stratford is destination development," said Zac Gribble, executive director of Destination Stratford. "We're a cultural destination, but we also have a super creative community, so all of our development work tries to balance things that will benefit residents and involve residents in the creation where possible, while also creating an incredible experience for visitors."

The chairs appeared almost overnight, and Gribble said that was intentional.

"We decided to very quietly install them," said Gribble. "I personally helped install them. The idea was that they would grow from the community soil in Stratford. Stratford being such a creative community that cares about its public spaces and wants to provide opportunities for discovery and joy.

"From a destination marketing perspective, this allows people to capture their experience in Stratford and share it with the world through social media," said Gribble.

The chairs have already sparked community interest, with both residents and visitors stopping to use them. Visitors from Waterloo noticed the colourful addition to the lakeshore and decided to take a closer look.

"We were just walking along and saw them," said Susan Powell of Waterloo. "I noticed they had a handle, so I knew it must be a chair to sit on – they're very cute!"

The comfortable seats feature a soft-close design and are available year-round. Destination Stratford staff will work with the City of Stratford to maintain and keep them clean and functional throughout the year.

"They're actually surprisingly comfortable, given that you're seated in a petal of a tulip flower," said Gribble. "Another really important aspect of when we do destination development. We aren't just doing for fair weather. We are trying to invest in projects that will benefit the community and the visitor economy year-round."

The tulip chairs can be found along the south shore between the Boathouse and Tom Patterson Island.

Future Destination Stratford projects include additional chair installations and the development of a light trail. Feedback from the community is encouraged to help shape future initiatives.