Garden gamers take time out from busy Sydney

That’s why Christian Carter started Garden Games nearly three years ago. Now a real variety of people take time out and settle down for a slow board game under the trees every Saturday morning in Fitzroy Gardens on market day in Kings Cross.

“Scrabble is getting more popular lately, but chess has staying power, while Connect 4 and Guess Who are popular with people who don’t want to overtax their brains on a Saturday morning,” says Christian.

You will often see parents and their kids playing, too, and the friendly group chatting in the dappled shade couldn’t be more starkly different from today’s more common sight of solitary people bent over a computer game, killing things for fun.

It’s very un-Sydney, with Christian and his friend Ted Swab giving their time for free, providing the games, tables and a portable shelter, storing the materials and liaising with Council and market organisers. The project has been supported by Council and the Kings Cross Partnership from the start.

This year Council granted them $2,000.

“We’re going to use the money to buy more games, do some marketing and we’re thinking of branching out to Millers Point Community Centre and maybe The Block in Redfern,” said Christian. He also has plans to take the idea into schools.

You can join in every Saturday morning for a gold coin donation. For more information visit gardengames.com.au.

Source: www.altmedia.net.au/garden-gamers-take-time-out-from-busy-sydney/11834