Think of Interesting Things to Do Next to Parking Meters, Because Park(ing) Day is Coming

By Eric Nicholson Fri., Aug. 24 2012 at 9:44 AM

Danny Hurley

Last year, on a short block between Pearl and Olive, a few dozen groups hijacked some metered parking spaces downtown for a day. There was music, pop-up museums, a little bit of soccer, and a good deal of lounging. They were miniature parks, set up by volunteers for Dallas' inaugural Park(ing) Day, the San Francisco-born movement that reclaims parking spots, if only temporarily.

Noah Jeppson, the Dallas movement's co-founder, sent word recently that, since last year went so well, Park(ing) Day is happening again on Sept. 21, a Friday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This year things will be a bit more sprawling, occupying sections of Main and Harwood downtown and part of Commerce Street in Deep Ellum. The concept, however, remains the same: "to promote social interaction, civic engagement, critical thinking, and creativity through individual generosity and play."

Any persons, businesses, nonprofits, collectives -- basically anyone -- can reserve a space for free by signing up on the event's website. And if you really want to participate but worry that you'll have to go to City Hall to obtain a temporary SUP and COO from the CPC or something like that, you needn't fret. Jeppson told me that all bureaucratic hoops have already been jumped through.

Jeppson also told me that the Observer should have a booth of its own. I think I already have the perfect columnist: grizzled newspaper columnist with bathrobe and lawn chair defending a patch of grass witha shotgun. Perfect.

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timetomoveon

Adult children expressssing themselvesssss because they are trapped in permanent adolescence.

Friday from 11am to 7? I'll be working. Not lounging around like some mustachioed freeloading asshole.

marianagriggs

Just for the record:

The FIRST Park(ing) Day was in 2008, in Oak Cliff, you can see Hattie's in the background-and Zac and Heather Lytle, the first Park(ers).

http://parkingdayoc.blogspot.com/

noah.jeppson

@marianagriggs You are correct. The first PARK(ing) Day event in Dallas was Oak Cliff in 2008. The first large-scale installation downtown was 2011.

Barry Kooda

You're building a better block.

noah.jeppson

Those wanting to register (no cost) can do so on the PARK(ing) Day Dallas website until September 7th: http://www.parkingdaydallas.org

livableperspective

I experience great examples of how well this works just this week in Toronto:

http://livableperspective.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/yonge1/

YeahISaidIt

2 Like

"to promote social interaction, civic engagement, critical thinking, and creativity through individual generosity and play." ... hipster shit for white people with too much time and money

noah.jeppson

@YeahISaidIt If you attended last year, you would have seen a very diverse crowd of all ages (downtown itself is very diverse). The idea gets people who wouldn't normally interact to enjoy a temporary public space together.

YeahISaidIt

@noah.jeppson Judging by last year's photos, you consider a grand total of five black people to be "very diverse":http://www.dallasobserver.com/slideshow/scenes-from-parking-day-dallas-35169878/

YeahISaidIt

@noah.jeppson - "Diversity in terms of participant background, not ethnicity. Local businesses, non-profit organizations, downtown residents." Oh so that's what you originally meant by "very diverse". Um. Yeah. Not buying it.