PARK(ing) Day converts parking lots into public spaces

Potted plants lined the perimeter of two metered parking spaces on East Sixth Street.

At the center, people mingled around three card tables draped with tablecloths. They ate vegetable stir-fry from mismatched mugs and sipped coffee and tea.

On Friday afternoon, supporters gathered in front of Boxcar Books to celebrate PARK(ing) Day.

As a man plucked a ukulele, the conversation centered around one issue: the importance of using public space for people rather than cars.

The international event transformed parking spaces into public parks in 162 cities across the globe last year.

“This is a celebration of life, and it points out an alternative to the automobile culture,” Bloomington resident Chris Donahue said. “There are better uses of public space than a wide strip of asphalt.”

PARK(ing) Day was originally created in 2005 by Rebar, an art and design studio in San Francisco, according to the event’s website. January Jones of WFHB FireHouse Broadcasting, in conjunction with the Center for Sustainable Living, brought the initiative to Bloomington last year.

Boxcar Books and Bloomington Transportation Options for People  also contributed to this year’s event, and refreshments were donated by the Runcible Spoon.

The group selected the location in front of Boxcar Books because the store supported the group’s message.

“We want to call attention to parking as an issue and ask what else the land can be used for,” said    Bloomington Transportation Options for People member Elizabeth
Venstra.

“Some parking spots are empty a lot of the time. Can you imagine what the city would look like if they were transformed into shops, apartment buildings and parks — spaces more pleasant to be in?”

The event is sponsored by individual groups in each city and is tailored to specific causes applicable to each local urban environment, according to the release.

In Bloomington, attendees discussed ways to create more pedestrian space in the city.

“I would love to see vines above the alley between Sixth Street and Kirkwood,” CSL member Lucille Bertuccio said. “It would look so sweet and keep the walkway cooler in the summer.”

The group also discussed limiting vehicle traffic in the alley to early morning truck deliveries to the businesses, reserving the space for pedestrian use the rest of
the day.

Attendees could also learn more about urban issues by perusing the books set out on the table, which included “Asphalt Nation” by Jane Holtz Kay, “The High Cost of Free Parking” by Donald Shoup and “When Corporations Rule the World” by David C. Korten.

“If we took money we put toward cars and put it toward public transportation, it would discourage people from driving,” Bertuccio said.

“We need to encourage people to walk and bike. We need to show them how beautiful public space can be when we can sit and talk like this.”