Djeneba Doso

LJI Reporter

If you’ve noticed bright blue rocking furniture out on Principale, Jacques-Cartier, Main and Notre-Dame streets, you may have run into Blue Beaks. The versatile street furniture offers passers-by the choice between sitting down alone or in groups to relax, enjoy a meal or simply have fun. Three local associations, AGAP, APICA and ACJCG joined forces to launch 36 Blue Beaks across the city.

They have been described as “a new species of rocking furniture bird that allows you to sit down, lay down, read or rock,” by Mathieu Lévesque, Member of the National Assembly for Chapleau, who is certain “these beautiful birds will be a must for our walks and cityscapes this summer.”

Following a migration calendar, the Blue Beaks will travel in groups across the city’s ambient streets before settling in parks to await the winter season. 

“Annually, the 36 rocking furniture will stop, in groups, on Gréber and Jacques-Cartier streets, Notre-Dame and Main and on Aylmer Main Street,” reads the official website for the Blue Beak campaign. “In winter, 12 Blue Beaks will settle in each sector in the parks targeted by the associations: The Mémoire d’Elles Park, the Place du Marché on Notre-Dame Street and the Micheline Lemieux Park on Aylmer’s Principale Street.” 

The Blue Beaks, which are all named after influential figures resonating with the history of the associations, have an estimated minimal lifespan of three years and are expected to also be functional in the winter. 

The three associations who consider the blue rocking furniture a part of the Gatineau landscape, hope this initiative will “embody the vitality and conviviality of Gatineau’s commercial arteries.”

With notes and edits from Mary Baskin and Lily Ryan.

Photo caption

Photo #1: 36 Blue Beaks can now be found across Gatineau’s ambient streets until their migration to the parks for the winter season. The project, which was launched by three associations, AGAP, APICA and ACJCG, is planned to become a staple of the Gatineau landscape. (DD) Photo: Courtesy of ID Gatineau.