Downtown Park Construction

(parkingday.org)

Throughout downtown Tacoma there are a number of tiny parks under construction.  This unified effort is not funded by the City or a specific entity, but is a concentrated attempt to rethink how we use our public urban spaces as part of PARK(ing) Day.

PARK(ing) Day is a an annual, worldwide event that invites citizens to transform metered parking spots into temporary parks.  Here in Tacoma, a number of businesses and non-profits have decided to participate by creating their own park for a day.  If you are wondering where the park nearest you will be found, please visit the Tacoma PARK(ing) Day Google Map.  If you are nervous about venturing into these parks on your own, please join Downtown On The Go on a 1-hour park tour beginning at 12-noon in front of the UWT Bookstore at 1754 Pacific Avenue, 98402.

For more information on PARK(ing) Day here in Tacoma, please visit Downtown On The Go.

PARK(ing) Day Comes to Downtown Tacoma this Friday!

Park(ing) Day is an international day of turning passive urban parking stalls into active mini-parks filled with people, plants, music, art and games. After a successful inaugural Park(ing) Day in 2009, Transportation Choices Coalition is partnering with area businesses/organizations to bring you yet another year of converting on-street vehicle storage into public spaces. It all happens this Friday, September 17th between 10am and 2pm. Check out the map of downtown Park(ing) spaces by clicking here.

To add to the excitement, Downtown: On the Go! will lead a walking tour of the these spaces between noon and 1:00pm. The walking tour will start in front of the UWT Bookstore, and culminate at the final "park" in front of Doyle's Public House. You can then vote for the best park(ing) space on the Downtown: On the Go! Facebook Page.

Park(ing) Day started in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, transformed a parking stall into a park for two hours. It has now grown to more than 700 “parks” in 140 cities across the world. Check out www.parkingday.org and the Flickr Park(ing) Day pool to see inspiring photos.

Both Transportation Choices Coalition and Downtown: On the Go! hope that you'll take advantage of Tacoma's well-designed public park(ing) spaces by joining fellow Park(ers) for lunch or coffee, choosing to make a Park(ing) space your office for the day, or just admiring the creative use of public space during the lunchtime walking tour. Become a fan of Downtown: On the Go! on Facebook to get all of the details on Park(ing) Day 2010!