Plan for Park(ing) Day 2008

Thanks to Anna, who asks today in the comments to a former Park(ing) Day:

I would love to do something like this in my town next year, BUT, How do I know what day is Park(ing) Day?? Someone care to give me dates?
Thanks, Anna

Well, Anna, it is not too soon to start planning for Parking Day 2008 on 19 September 2008! For those not yet familiar with Park(ing) Day, it is a one-day event originated by REBAR in San Francisco. Artists, activists and citizens gather to transform parking spots into NO Parking Parks: artistic, miniature, temporary public parks complete with greenery, benches, and other decorations. Occupying the temporarily greened space asserts the public right to use land otherwise normally taken for granted by auto drivers (or in the case of certain cities, land highly coveted by people who deposit a collection of fume-spewing steel on it for some hours at a time.) Full disclosure: I am one of those covetous drivers occasionally myself!

Last year, Park(ing) day spread from its roots in San Francisco and mainstay advocates in LA and NY to major US cities such as Austin, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Portland, St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Tampa, Washington DC.

And internationally to: Barcelona, Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Brisbane (Australia), Bremen, London, Melbourne, Munich, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Toronto, Utrecht, Valencia, and Vilnius (Lithuania).

Even if your city is not on the list, don't worry! You can set up a Park(ing) Day in your town or city. So get planning, 19 September is coming fast.

Reports on Previous Park(ing) Day Activities:
Park(ing) Day 2007
Park(ing) Day 2006
Park(ing) Day 2005

Via: Parking Day Org
Image via: Parking Day LA