Asheville Volunteers Build Benches for Bus Riders

When bus riders in Asheville needed a place to sit, their neighbors grabbed hammers instead of filing complaints.

Strong Towns Asheville and the Asheville Tool Library organized a community build day on August 22, inviting anyone who wanted to help. Volunteers spent the day constructing, staining, and installing wooden benches at the city's busiest bus stops.

Kara Wheeler leads Strong Towns Asheville, a group that believes in watching for problems and fixing them right away. "Our motto is, 'Observe where your community is struggling, go do something right now to make it better and then go back out there and observe again,'" she explained.

The benches came from community donations and a GoFundMe campaign, with local businesses chipping in to buy materials. The labor was free, powered entirely by residents who saw their neighbors standing while waiting for buses and decided to change that.

The Ripple Effect

This bench project represents something bigger than a place to rest tired legs. It shows communities don't have to wait for government budgets or formal approval processes to improve daily life for their neighbors.

The incremental approach Strong Towns Asheville champions tackles small problems with immediate solutions. See a need, gather resources, fix it, then look for the next opportunity to help.

Transit riders who spend time waiting at bus stops often face long waits without shelter or seating. A simple bench transforms that experience from uncomfortable to manageable, especially for elderly riders, parents with children, or anyone dealing with mobility challenges.

The volunteer model also builds stronger neighborhoods. People working side by side to build benches form connections that last beyond a single Saturday afternoon.

Strong Towns Asheville plans to continue these community build events, watching for the next gap they can fill together.