While catching up on some magazine reading, I came across a write-up on PARK(ing) DAY in the September/October 2007 issue of Sierra, the magazine of the Sierra Club. Curious? Read on...
This September 21, if you want to make change, make sure you have some spare change. And maybe a tarp and some sod. And perhaps a few potted plants or maybe even a bench, lawnchair or bird bath. These are the essential ingredients required for participation in PARK(ing) DAY 2007.
Conceived by San Francisco-based art collective Rebar, PARK(ing) Day is a one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. Their mission: "to rethink the way streets are used, call attention to the need for urban parks, and improve the quality of urban human habitat....at least until the meter runs out!"
According to the PARK(ing) DAY website, "what began as a simple, playful idea has become a lively and visible symbol of the desire to reprogram the street and increase public open space in cities all over the planet." With support from the Trust for Public Land since 2006, PARK(ing) DAY has been transformed into an international event.
The Sierra article lends clarifying logistical support for taking part in PARK(ing) DAY with the following checklist on how to join the fun:
1. Find a vacant parking space and feed the meter.
2. Roll out a tarp and some sod.
3. Add plants, benches, and other amenities.
4. Chat with passersby and tell them about the project.
5. When the meter expires, clean up your site and reuse or recycle all materials.
While your impact on the appearance and purpose of your chosen park(ing) space depends on the going rate for metered parking and the amount of change in your pocket, your impact on how people think... priceless.
Take a look at the how-to manual, and if you'd like more information on participating, contact the Trust for Public Land. And keep in mind these cautionary words from the PARK(ing) DAY.org website: "Obey the law and have fun!"
Lauren, WALKArlington
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