PARK(ing) Day is coming up on October 1, and the Arlington community is invited to join in. For one day, metered parking spaces around the county get transformed into mini parks and creative attractions as a fun way to re-imagine what drab parking spaces could look like if they weren’t just reserved for cars. If your organization is looking for a creative, low-lift, and high-visibility way to engage employees and show up for the local community, this is a great event to put on the calendar.
PARK(ing) Day started over two decades ago, when a design studio in San Francisco turned a single parking spot into a temporary park to shine a light on the need for public space in cities. That one-off project from 2005 has since grown into a global event, now held on the first Wednesday of September in cities and communities around the world. The idea behind it hasn’t changed: it’s an opportunity to rethink how our streets and sidewalks serve us, especially in dense, urban settings.
Here in Arlington County, organizations are invited to keep that tradition going by turning parking spots into fun, creative, social spaces that get the community talking.
Want to reserve a design space for PARK(ing) Day? Your organization will need to complete the application forms in the county’s PARK(ing) Day Guidelines by August 31. You’ll also need to cover the fee for the PARK(ing) Day permit and the required buffer-zone traffic barrels. The permit runs $43 per site, and barrels are $6.36 each ($31.80 total for the minimum of five).
The application process only takes a few minutes once you know what you want your space to look like. Submit your application by email, and once approved, Arlington County will send back a payment invoice. Pay that, and your PARK(ing) Day permit lands in your inbox and from there, you’re clear to start planning.
Once all the design spaces are locked in, Arlington County will publish a list of PARK(ing) Day sites along with a map of where to find them. If you’re heading out to check out the spaces, consider taking public transit or Capital Bikeshare. It fits the spirit of the day, which is all about rethinking what our streets are for. Want more detail on getting around without a car? Check out ATP’s Urban Village Quick Glance guides.
PARK(ing) Day occurs once a year and it’s a simple way to make a real impression, both on your team and on the community. If you’re on the fence about hosting a space, the application window closes August 31, so now’s the time to lock it in. And if hosting a space isn’t in the cards this year, mark October 1 on your calendar anyway; it’s worth seeing what the rest of Arlington builds.
Want help thinking through a sustainable transportation program for your organization beyond just one day a year? ATP is here for that conversation too.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/Kittner.com for Arlington Transportation Partners