PARK(ing) Day 2009

Among many other things lately, Parking Day completely snuck up on us this year.

Originally created by Rebar, San Francisco art and design collective, PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens independently but simultaneously temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks.

We at carfreedays think subsidized on-street parking is a waste of public space. That makes it easy for us to get excited about PARK(ing) Day. Green space where a stinky car would have been waiting between trips? We’re all for it.

I had a few free hours yesterday,  a lovely Seattle end-of-summer kind of day,  so I took some time to ride around and check out some of the impromptu “parks” in South Lake Union and downtown Seattle. I enjoyed a mini-South Lake Union complete with picnic area, sailboat and kayak, tried my hand at a  putting green, albeit badly, and enjoyed a delicious Michou sandwich at Pike Place Market (not a PARK(ing) day site but a prime location for car- freeness).

I intended to ride up to Capitol Hill where the bulk of Seattle’s “parks” were set up but I ran out of time.

What was your favorite PARK(ing) Day site?

How was PARK(ing) Day in your city?

more photos here

– Anne