Park{ing} Day

The Power of the Parklet

October 10, 2019 by Sarah

DL Evans, Stack Rock Group and erstad ARCHITECTS partnered to create this 2019 parklet.

Parklets empower cities to reclaim our streets as places for people – not just people in cars. Parklets are when car parking is converted to a use other than for cars. Parklets can be permanent or temporary, as in the case of our recent PARK(ing) Day event when several businesses and organizations converted one or more parking spaces into a place where people could relax, play, visit and in general just enjoy a moment outside.

Check out the video from this year’s parklets in downtown Boise. Thanks to Idaho REALTORS® for the support to produce this video and coordinate PARK(ing) Day in Boise!

The power of the parklet is in recognizing that our streets are public space. Parklets help us experience this publicly owned land in other ways, provoking us to question – How do we want to use this public space? What is greatest value we as humans can derive from this public space? Is it simply to have a place to park our car? Or could some of our street space be more?

Why we support pop-up parklets

Streets once were places of gathering, commerce and other human encounters. Today we have relegated most of their purpose to conveying people in cars from one place to another. We are beginning to realize that we have lost something in this conversion.

As one of the parklet attendees said,

“It really is only the status quo that has made us decide that this is a space that belongs to cars.”

Karl Jilg illustrates how much public space we surrender to cars.

Parklets as smart growth

Smart growth is generally guided by ten principles. Looking at how these relate to PARK(ing) day and parklets, it’s clear that this reclaiming of space helps to foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place. Walking through downtown Boise, you could hear the sounds of Opera Idaho over the sounds of passing vehicles. You could smell the delightful aromas from the restaurants along 8th street.

The roots of PARK(ing) day encourage community and stakeholder collaboration with everyday citizens working with local businesses and private properties owners to take action and create gathering spaces and by asking the question, is this the best use of this space? Is this the most efficient infrastructure design?

By reclaiming space from cars, PARK(ing) day and parklets also helps encourage walking by creating comfortable and interesting places for people to walk.

AARP, American Heart Association and Idaho Walk Bike Alliance 2019 parklet on 8th street.

Ready to create your own parklet?

Parklets can happen any day of the year, not just on PARK(ing) day. If you are ready to create a parklet in your town or neighborhood, reach out! We are happy to help. And if you’ve already been involved in creating a parklet, send us a photo! We’d love to see and share.

PARK(ing) Day! Friday, September 20, 2019

September 11, 2019 by Sarah

Idaho Smart Growth brings together partners to Unpave Parking Spots and Put up a Paradise for People in Celebration of PARK(ing) Day 2019.

Parking spaces along 8^th, 9^th and Main streets in downtown Boise, and around the globe, to be reclaimed and turned into temporary public “PARKs” for people on Friday, September 20, 2019.

WHAT:

With streets making up on average more than 80% of public space in our cities, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. Several organizations are teaming up this year to create parklets in downtown Boise. We invite people to drop by and visit these fun spaces on Friday, September 20^th.

Video from PARK(ing) Day 2018 in Boise.

Idaho Walk Bike Alliance, AARP and American Heart Association will take over five parking spots on 8^th Street between Idaho and Bannock. These organizations are joining together to make one large park that will feature games such as bocce ball and ladder golf, as well as areas to sit in and relax amongst plants and trees provided by North End Organic Nursery.

DL Evans Bank is teaming up with Stack Rock Group and Erstad Architects on 9^th Street between Idaho and Main. This parklet will feature live performances by Opera Idaho during the lunch hour. Energize Boise will be on Main Street outside of City Hall with coffee and games, and Cole Architects will re-purpose recycled materials to transform spaces in front of their office on Main Street between 10^th and 11^th.

These temporary open spaces, which will be installed in parking spots, will be open to all who pass by to stop and enjoy. Participating organizations look forward to creating spaces for everyone to enjoy on one of the last days of summer.

Photos from PARK(ing) Day 2018 throughout Boise.

WHY:

“Parklets are a great way for people to rethink our public space and think about how we can develop our streets for greater public good,” said Deanna Smith, project coordinator for Idaho Smart Growth. “We invite everyone to join in the fun and visit all the locations! With support from the Idaho REALTORS^®, we will have maps and information available at each location to help you find your way to visit all the downtown Boise locations.”

“Streets are for people too! We hope to call attention to the way our streets are improved when we share them and highlight the need for more urban open spaces,” said Cynthia Gibson, executive director of Idaho Walk Bike Alliance. “We chose 8^th Street for our ‘PARK’ because it is such a fantastic example of how access for cyclists and pedestrians helps create a healthy and vibrant community. This access even boosts communities’ bottom lines because nonmotorized transportation facilities provide tangible economic benefits. It’s just good for business.”

“Opera Idaho is looking forward to performing at DL Evans’ parklet as part of our initiative to grow the boundaries of our art form by performing in alternative venues and spaces throughout the city. This is a perfect opportunity to bring beautiful music to the streets and to provide members of the community a moment of reprieve from their busy lives to enjoy one of the many great artistic offerings in our city,” said Stephanie Derentz, director of development and marketing for Opera Idaho.

“Showing people how to think differently about the space we dedicate solely to cars is a great way to get them thinking about walking, biking and public transit,” said Boise Mayor Dave Bieter. “Events like PARK(ing) Day are a fantastic companion to the city of Boise’s Keep Boise Moving initiative and its goal of reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips by 10 percent by 2029.”

WHEN & WHERE:

Friday, September 20, 2019

7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Main Street in downtown Boise at the corner of Capitol Boulevard in front of City Hall, hosted by Energize Boise.

The Energize our Neighborhoods parklet will focus on encouraging people to consider alternative transportation options. They will have trivia with some awesome prizes and free coffee in the morning. Everyone is encouraged to stop by and learn about the city’s strategy to Keep Boise Moving! There will be also be music and games on the plaza from 12:00 to 1:30.

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – 9^th Street in downtown Boise between Main and Idaho streets hosted by DL Evans Bank, Stack Rock Group and erstad Architects.

DL Evans Bank, Stack Rock Group and Erstad Architects will turn a quarter block into a park for the day to illustrate how our streets could be more human centered and provide places to gather and enjoy one another or just be outside. Opera Idaho will join them during the lunch hour and perform for ‘PARK’ visitors.

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – 8^th Street in downtown Boise between Idaho and Bannock streets hosted by Idaho Walk Bike Alliance, American Heart Association and AARP.

The Idaho Walk Bike Alliance ‘PARK’ will be similar to the one last year, featuring greenery and sitting areas where visitors can stop by to chat or just sit and relax.
The American Heart Association ‘PARK’ concept will star a little red bench where people will be invited to share their “why” by explaining the moments, people or experiences that motivate them to live healthier lives. ‘PARK’ visitors will also be able to win tchotchkes by participating in a physical challenge.

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Main Street in downtown Boise between 10^th and 11^th streets, hosted by Cole Architects.

Cole Architects is excited to be part of an event that reclaims the street back for people! For their park, they’ve designed a cozy and unique space re-purposing recycled materials from all around town. They will integrate these into a functional design that blends architecture and landscaping into a playful design. Stop by and experience their park surrounded by live plants and trees!

Special thank you to Idaho REALTORS^® for helping make this event possible!