CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PARKING DAY 2012 | Community Spirit

From Leah Farris

JEFFERSONVILLE, IN - On September 21st, cities around the globe , artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called "PARK(ing) Day." The City of Jeffersonville will participate in the event for the first time this year.
 

Originally invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. “In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel and more pollution,” says Rebar’s Matthew Passmore. “The planning strategies that generated these conditions are not sustainable, nor do they promote a healthy, vibrant human habi-tat. PARK(ing) Day is about re-imagining the possibilities of the urban landscape.”
 

The Jeffersonville Urban Enterprise Association will be sponsoring this year’s event. According to JUEZ Director Kelly Reed, there are currently 8 spots slated to participate in downtown Jeff. The participants are Choices Boutique, Grinny Possum Fiber Arts and Grateful Goat Winery, Adrienne & Co. Bakery and Café, Jeffersonville Main Street Inc, The Springs Salon and Spa, Sugar Maples Antiques, Affairs of the Heart, and the Animal Protection Association Thrift Shop. Each participant is designing his or her own space. The spaces will be open for viewing by the public from approximately 10 am – 5 pm.
 

“The main idea is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, and to stimulate thought about how public space is created and allocated in an effort to improve the quality of the urban human habitat,” states Shane Corbin, Jeffersonville’s Direc-tor of Planning and Zoning. Corbin originally approached the JUEZ with the idea, and has been working with them to coordinate Jeffersonville’s participation in the event.
Since 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement: PARK(ing) Day 2011 included 975 “PARK” installa-tions in more than 160 cities in 35 countries on six continents. This year, the project continues to expand to urban centers across the globe.
 

PARK(ing) Day is an “open-source” user-generated invention created by independent groups around the globe who adapt the pro-ject to champion creative, social or political causes that are relevant to their local urban conditions. More information regarding local PARK(ing) Day activities can be found at CityofJeff.net, and a global map of all participating cities are available on the PARK(ing) Day website, at parkingday.org.

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