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parkingdaycolumbus.org wrote
National Park(ing) Day Returns September 19
The number of downtown parks in America will increase dramatically this September.
Friday, September 19, 2008 is National Park(ing) Day, and metered public parking spots nationwide will become temporary public parks. The project is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national conservation nonprofit.
National Park(ing) Day was initiated following a performance by San Francisco art collective Rebar in 2005 when they re-imagine the potential of the metered parking space through the installation of sod and a park bench. In 2006, in collaboration with TPL, REBAR founded “PARK(ing) Day”: a global exploration of the creative potential of city streets.
“Our goal was to encourage people to rethink the way our streets are used, and to temporarily expand the amount of public open space in an underserved area of downtown San Francisco,”says John Bela, co-founder of Rebar. “We added 24,000 square foot-minutes of public open space that afternoon.”
“Turning parking spaces into instant parks, National Park(ing) Day is a creative way to demonstrate the real need to create more parks in our cities,” said Will Rogers, TPL president. “Across America, cities are renewing their investments in parks because our civic leaders have come to recognize that close-to-home parks, gardens, and playgrounds are essential if we are to have cities that aren’t just livable, but lovable.”
In 2007, National Park(ing) Day spawned more than 200 new parks in more than fifty cities nationwide and around the world. Photos from Park(ing) Day 2007, as well as a full list of cities with maps and details is available online at www.tpl.org/parkingday .
Supporters in cities nationwide, including New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington D.C, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Columbus have announced participation for Park(ing) Day 2008.
In Columbus, various community organizations and designers concerned with issues related to public green space, the urban environment, and transportation are planning to “park” downtown on September 19th. A walking/biking map of the sites will be available the first week in September at www.ParkingDayColumbus.org . The website also hosts more information about the event and ways to get involved.
Comments
- cheap: i highly recommend the Millersport sweet corn festival of course,the cor
- Jimmy Mak: Thanks for the write-up! Just to clarify - this is the third year we've do
- Briana Henry: Well, eventually they plan to add more bands from the region...gotta start
- bucki12: I like the business model, but the internet sales part seems like something
- racheltb: I don't see the Ohio Shrimp Fest on the list. It is truly a good time. h
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National Park(ing) Day Returns September 19
By: Walker
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Actually, it could use an update. Some of the red has been filled in or is in the process of being filled in. :D Hooray for progress!
Especially on Gay St. The map also doesn’t account for parking garages or other buildings for cars like the auto shops along 3rd or gas stations. Where there used to be parking there should be blue squares to mark reclaimed land for people.
If you have a more up to date map please send it over.
Really pumped about this! I want Alive to sponsor the two metered spots outside our building.
Awesome! Glad you all will be participating.
Crap, now I have to be nice to the Alive for a few months.
:D
The quote in the article says ““Turning parking spaces into instant parks, National Park(ing) Day is a creative way to demonstrate the real need to create more parks in our cities,†said Will Rogers, TPL president. “Across America, cities are renewing their investments in parks because our civic leaders have come to recognize that close-to-home parks, gardens, and playgrounds are essential if we are to have cities that aren’t just livable, but lovable.â€
But the Why Columbus page on the website for Columbus’ Parking Day focuses on the red parking lot graphic.
These seem like two different issues to me. IN MY OPINION, the parking lot issue is worth pushing but if someone thinks that we don’t have enough parks in the downtown area, they don’t get out and about enough.
edited for typos and a clarification
It’s not a protest. It’s a national event that we’re helping make happen here in Columbus. The main thing is to simply have some fun with public space and give people a platform to do that. Have fun.
We put the bit about the parking lots on the site to simply draw awareness to the fact that parking lots dominate our downtown. It’s nice to frame our participation around this fact, but again – the main point is just to have fun and promote conversations amongst folks who would normally never talk to each other.
I agree whole heartedly with Roy and Motorist. We have A LOT of greenspace for a major city. Metered parking spots help generate money for businesses because they force a rotation of people in an area.
I made the map a few years ago. It’s easy– go to Google, steal the satellite map, then paste into Photoshop, start coloring. Changes– please make them if you have the time.
Also, it would be a great idea to build some fake buildings on some of those lots with parks on top of them, eh? No matter what, it will shine light on underutilized land and get people talking. That’s all it shold do, besides be a lot of fun.
The quote in the article says ““Turning parking spaces into instant parks, National Park(ing) Day is a creative way to demonstrate the real need to create more parks in our cities,†said Will Rogers, TPL president. “Across America, cities are renewing their investments in parks because our civic leaders have come to recognize that close-to-home parks, gardens, and playgrounds are essential if we are to have cities that aren’t just livable, but lovable.â€
But the Why Columbus page on the website for Columbus’ Parking Day focuses on the red parking lot graphic.
These seem like two different issues to me. IN MY OPINION, the parking lot issue is worth pushing but if someone thinks that we don’t have enough parks in the downtown area, they don’t get out and about enough.
edited for typos and a clarification
It’s not a protest. It’s a national event that we’re helping make happen here in Columbus. The main thing is to simply have some fun with public space and give people a platform to do that. Have fun.
We put the bit about the parking lots on the site to simply draw awareness to the fact that parking lots dominate our downtown. It’s nice to frame our participation around this fact, but again – the main point is just to have fun and promote conversations amongst folks who would normally never talk to each other.
Having fun is cool, I like having fun.
I could see it not being fun if people make it a protest. Mostly because that would be a lame protest.
I love it! Keep the ideas coming.
I think I’ll take my lawn mower to work on the 19th…
Maybe at one of the spots we can drill for oil?
Take back (almost) everything I just said. I just had an idea.
Are you seeing the light on how much fun this can be?
I think I am going to have a yard sale!
The chief of police will brief officers on this event that day so we shouldn’t have any hassles.
Are you seeing the light on how much fun this can be?
And I don’t really think it will happen on a scale to effect business in anyway, so I think I’ll have some fun with it. I just need to put my knee back in place…
Are you seeing the light on how much fun this can be?
And I don’t really think it will happen on a scale to effect business in anyway, so I think I’ll have some fun with it. I just need to put my knee back in place…
If anything it will create a reason for people to linger in front of businesses.
If I don’t pay my meter will they ticket my astroturf?
I talked with my boss about occupying a prime metered spot on Broad Street between High and Third streets. They seem to think it’d be sweet.
My idea: Lemonade stand!
Sweeet.
One idea we brought up at the planning meeting was putt-putt.
It would be great to see a street full of mini-golf holes, making up one awesome downtown urban golf course.
Is this a protest against on-street parking or more of a “change perceptions on what space is public?”
It would be great to see a street full of mini-golf holes, making up one awesome downtown urban golf course.
Holy shit! That is so fucking brilliant. A little dangerous going after loose balls, but still, you’re totally onto something. We could just have a hole with a lemonade stand on the curb…