Lost in Cubbon Park? Confused about which exits lead to Hudson Circle and Vidhana Soudha? Wonder about the significance of the Queen Victoria statue?
Sensing Local, a think-tank of architects, is working with the tourism and horticulture departments to make the city’s favourite open-air hangout more ‘legible’.
“We are developing a network of navigation systems and signage because a lot of people don’t know what they can do here. Many say they don’t know how to get around,” said Ankit Bhargava, co-founder of Sensing Local.
Five types of boards will come up inside and outside the park.
Each entrance will have a large map of Cubbon Park, marked with monuments, landmarks, and amenities such as toilets and drinking water. Blossom cycles of the park’s flowering plants will also be indicated.
Depending on where you are, a map will show you what you can see by taking a five-minute walk.
For instance, near the Metro station, the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium will be marked as a point of interest.
A portion of the board will also serve as a community notice board.
“There are a lot of impromptu activities and meetups in the park. Usually, you get to know about them only through Facebook. Here, anyone can put up a notice after seeking permission,” Bhargava said.
All information will be in Kannada and English. Mahantesh Murgod, deputy director of Cubbon Park, said multiple boards by different agencies to show one-ways, parking and Metro stations will be replaced with uniform signage.
He said tenders would be called once the plans were approved.
For joggers, a 5 km circuit will be chalked out with distance-markers.
This is for readers
Another idea is to encourage readers to pick up books from ‘pocket libraries’ planned around the park.
Book-lovers can sit on park benches and lawns reading their favourite authors. Even informal spots like the ‘dog park’ will be formalised and find a place on the map.
The think-tank is hosting public discussions to make the signage responsive to visitors’ needs.
On Saturday, it set up a stand at the Cubbon Park Metro station and interacted with commuters.
What boards will show
Directions to spots worth visiting nearby
Information about music jams, reading sessions
History of monuments and landmarks inside park
New attractions planned
A 5 km jogging track with milestones
'Pocket libraries' across the park