2701 El Camino Real - Bus Stops and Poets* - [California/Sheridan Avenues] 2004

Bus Stops and Poets* references a cultural and activist hub by that name in Washington, DC which in turn references African American poet, Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy. This spot has the potential for such a combination with a bus stop vs busboys.

Ivy Park LIving is a senior assisted living and memory care community located at the end of Sheridan Avenue where it meets El Camino Real. It houses two of the 12 Palo Alto POPOS.

Bus Stops and Poets seems like a fitting name for this postage stamp of a Public Benefit. Tucked into an inset along busy El Camino Real, just north of Oregon Expressway, this POPOS features a gracious bronze sculpture of a woman reading a book to a child on a bench. If you had a tight shot of just that, you might think you were in a sculpture garden at Stanford University or in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains. But no, you are right on the King’s Road, yards away from a Caltrans bus stop (too far to use this as a waiting area, I am afraid). And this poetic scene is actually wedged between the electrical utility box and Recycling, Garbage and Compost jumbo bins for Ivy Park Living. After all, it’s all got to go somewhere. And as for the functionality of the bench, well, there is a little room for a live human to sit - maybe just enough for someone to read to a little one on their lap.

HOURS: 24/7. And despite the potenially noisy environment of El Camino traffic (and now, cyclists whizzing by in the bike lane), it’s still a good idea to keep the sound level down given the senior community “host".

WHAT’S THERE: A bronze sculpture of a woman reading to a child on her lap, while sitting on a bronze bench is the focal point of this micro-POPOS. There is a small lawn, and some large utlity and often large waste stream bins keeping the sculpture company.

If you wanted to sit down on something besides the lawn, part of the bench is your option. You’d face El Camino and again, you wouldn’t be able to wait for the bus there. Just a little too far away from the bus stop. There are some newspaper boxes nearby.

If you want to park a car, you will be best off parking on Sheridan near the front entrance of Ivy Park Living. I don’t know where there is a bike rack close by.

WHAT’S AROUND: See sections above. There isn’t much more to share.

WHAT YOU CAN DO THERE: Well, you can sit on the bench and read a book, to yourself or to someone else, following the lead of the statue. You could wait for the bus and get up in time for the next bus assuming you know when that is. You could use it as an area for a protest of some kind. El Camino has a lot of traffic and you’d have a pleasant retreat when you want to take a break. And of course you could write poetry, inspired by Langston Hughes or otherwise.

WHAT I HAVE DONE HERE: Mainly I have come by and looked at the space, and shown other people. I have not been moved to spend time there. The El Camino-facing orientation really detracts from the retreat-like potential. I may go back with my typewriter and write some haiku for my grandchildren.

WHAT YOU CAN’T DO THERE: You can’t have a lot of people sit down on existing seating or really relax in a quiet atmosphere. You can’t make a lot of noise, leave a mess or smoke. it would not be a good spot to play frisbee.

WHAT YOU COULD DO THERE: Go deep into poetry and politics, then share it with all the passersby. Get to know the people waiting for the bus in between sitting on the bronze bench. Take the bus to this spot with a small person and a book. Get off at the bus stop and read to the child. Get back on the bus. A bus ride and a book can be equally thrilling and mind-opening. Consider changing buses and going to the Public Library. If you do that, you will have taken advantage of three Public Goods in one day. Good for you.