Park(ing) Day Scenes From Coast to Coast

Today is a very fun day in cities around the U.S., when advocates for better public spaces unleash their imaginations on the dreary places where we normally store cars. Park(ing) Day is “an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks,” according to its organizers.

Below we are showcasing some creative examples from across North America. Kudos to everyone involved!

Philadelphia

Come relax in our urban forest at 16th & JFK! #ParkingDay #parkingdayphl

A photo posted by Philadelphia Parks & Rec (@philaparkandrec) on

Houston

installation from #parkingday #htx A photo posted by mai (@_i_am_mai_) on

Baltimore

Atlanta

Activate your public spaces! #atlparkingday #parkingday A photo posted by @ahanson804 on

Washington, DC

 

Sure, looks comfy! RHI’s Park(ing) Day installation! #parkingday #aslapd #rhi #rhodesideharwell #oldtownalexandria

A photo posted by Sukirti Ghosh (@sukirtighosh) on

Hamilton, Ontario

It’s a beautiful day to enjoy PARK(ing) Day. #jamesstnorth #hamont #hamilton #parkingday #park #green A photo posted by Chrissy Taylor (@ctayls3) on

Athens, Georgia

Parking it at #parkingday #CED #aslapd #morepublicspace #myathens #yourathens #ourathens #imagine

A photo posted by Kiley Aguar (@professor_kilo) on

Pittsburgh

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Los Angeles

Cleveland

Photo via John McGovern
Photo via John McGovern

Oklahoma City

Un-pave paradise and un-put in a parking lot. #parkingday #okcparkingday #hippies ????>????

A photo posted by Ryan Fogle (@rdfogle) on

If we missed yours, and I’m sure there’s a lot of good ones we missed, feel free to show it off in the comments.

  • My favorites are Philly, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

  • Heather Boyer

    In Washington, D.C. Island Press had a Park(ing) Day reading room.

  • Good analysis of why it’s effective protest from Beautiful Trouble, a great source on creative social change tactics, plus tips on how to carry Parking Day off well: http://beautifultrouble.org/case/parking-day/

  • Jess

    God ours was lame compared to all of these. All i could afford was some fake grass and a plant. Where do people get the money to do these elaborate set ups?

  • Allyn West

    We had 14 parks all grouped together in Downtown Houston! http://www.ricedesignalliance.org/2015/2015-parking-day-in-houston/

  • @J_Griffin:disqus …I am sure many firms / individuals do spend their own money, but most often, the products and materials are donated, found or recycled.

  • Allyn West

    Some colleagues and I built a “tiny house.” Not exactly a park, but we paired it with infographics about Houston’s parking code and criticisms culled from Donald Shoup’s “The High Cost of Free Parking.”

  • WPi

    2015 Park(ing) Day in Bluffton, SC. We highlighted alternative transportation options.

  • Sarah Smith

    2015 PARK(ing) Day Houston, Clark Condon Associates

  • Sarah Smith

    2015 PARK(ing) Day Houston, Clark Condon Associates.

  • Michelle Fehribach

    Anchorage, AK Park(ing) Day – Anchorage Parks and Recreation

  • Brian DeMuynck

    In Appleton, WI our space was low key construction but we went interactive with music, bocce, chalk art and questions about parks. https://www.facebook.com/sitelandscapearchitecture

  • In Cambridge, MA, we (Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition) repurposed wooden pallets and made bike parking and jenga. Zero dollars spent on The Pallet Cleanser 🙂 sustainable & fun!

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