[Reader-list] In hundreds of cities, parking spaces become parks

[lalitha kamath]

In Hundreds of Cities, Parking Spaces Become Parks    
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 
Published: September 18, 2009 
Filed at 9:28 p.m. ET
LOS
ANGELES (AP) -- Activists across the nation parked themselves curbside
Friday, taking up spaces reserved for cars and transforming them into
mini parks with sod, potted plants, lawn chairs and even barbecues to
raise awareness about how the auto has won the battle over public space
in big cities.
On a busy street in Los Angeles, a neighborhood
association took up seven parking spots and set up a hangout with a
grill, a kiddie pool and a gardening workshop to teach people how to
grow drought-tolerant plants. In Chicago, an architecture firm turned
two parking spaces into a pit stop where bicyclists can chill out on a
grassy knoll and refuel on drinks and snacks. In New York City, theater
students from Fordham University staged a ''Shakespeare in the Parking Spot'' festival.
Construction
workers on their lunch break sat on cardboard chairs and watched the
students read ''Romeo and Juliet,'' ''Richard III'' and other plays
from a portable stage.
''I was impressed,'' said adjunct
professor Sandra McKee. ''They did some interesting interpretations and
they projected their voice well. Of course, they had to compete with
the cars.''
The setting was one of the pocket parks created for
''Park(ing) Day.'' The movement started as a single installation four
years ago in San Francisco and has become a worldwide event reaching
more than 100 cities on four continents.
Matthew Passmore, who
helped start Park(ing) Day, said the concept strikes a chord with urban
dwellers everywhere because they're dealing with similar issues of
traffic congestion and pollution. The temporary parks highlight the
fact that curbside parking ''results in increased traffic, wasted fuel
and more pollution,'' Passmore said.
He cites a study by Donald Shoup, a professor of urban planning at the University of California,
Los Angeles, which found that drivers spent an average of 3.3 minutes,
or half a mile, circling the block in search of a parking space. Over a
year, vehicles traveled 950,000 miles -- the equivalent of 38 trips
around the Earth -- just looking for a parking spot. Shoup said many
drivers would rather cruise for open spots on the street than park in
higher-priced lots and garages.
''Converting a parking space into
something else challenges people's assumption about how space is used
and allows them to reimagine the possibilities of the urban
landscape,'' Passmore said.
Organizers said many cities have been supportive, even when mini parks occupy a parking space beyond the time limit.
''Parking
enforcement is well aware of what we're doing and they look the other
way,'' said Alfredo Hernandez, who has staged mini parks in Los Angeles
for three years.
But just in case, he said he keeps plenty of coins in his pocket to feed the meter.
Motorists
and police slowed as they passed three such parks in Los Angeles to
check out the scene. Some stopped to ask what it was about, then put
their thumbs up before driving away.
At one park in downtown's
arts district, an affordable housing advocacy group set up a lounge
area over two parking spaces with chairs, tables and a lamp covered in
artificial grass. A few people played Scrabble while others chatted
with curious onlookers.
''When we cut out the AstroTurf to lay on
the ground, we didn't realize how big it was,'' said organizer Marla
Alvarez. ''This shows how valuable a parking space is as a piece of
real estate. Hopefully this will start a dialogue about what you can do
beyond just parking a car here.''
Melissa How, a designer who
works nearby, said it's usually tough to find a parking space in the
area but she didn't mind losing two spaces to a temporary park.''I think it's good. This doesn't happen everyday,'' she said. 

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/18/us/AP-US-Parking-Meter-Parks.html?_r=1