Park[ing Day LA is getting some media coverage from NBC, from LAWeekly, from LAist, from Hollywood Patch, upcoming in the Echo Park Patch, on KCRW Friday morning, and Reuters TV will be out to capture some footage on Friday.

The DLANC Complete Street Working Group is featured in the AIA's newletter and will be at City Hall Friday at 10 am to partner with two City Councilmembers on a Parklets initiative. WooHoo!

ABC 7 will be on Santa Monica Boulevard (next to the City Light Yard) to shoot their morning show from the Parallel Parking location. Anybody want to join in, we arrive at 4:30 am and they shoot sometime between 5-7 am.

I'm getting lots of calls and need to send the press to Park[ing] Day LA spokespeople so if you are willing to entertain the press, discuss your park, host a photo op, etc, let me know so I can give your number to their assignment desks.

Be ready...to proudly step up to the mic and state clearly your objective in a short quotable statement that will look good in print, sound good on radio, and entice people to consider your mission when you appear on TV.

Thanks for making it happen!

Stephen Box

p.s. From Grist, a few good reasons to rethink the allocation of public space.

Park[ing] Day LA

Friday, September 16, 2011

all day

in park[ing] spaces

throughout the city

“Streets are for People!”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 15, 2011

Curbside metered parking, the best real estate deal in town!

The debate over open space, public space, and green space takes to the streets

as Park[ing] Day LA proclaims “Streets are for People!”

On Friday, September 16, the 5th annual celebration of Park[ing] Day LA hits the streets as Park-itects throughout the city step up to the curb, put a quarter in the meter, and proceed to transform metered curbside parking into urban parks, just for the day.

Park[ing] Day LA challenges the status quo and is designed to stir a conversation or dialogue on open space, public space, green space, and to inspire a vision of a city where "Streets are for People!"

This year’s participants include the 4th Street Business Association who have a cluster of parks that includes the Edsel Lot “Sustainable Learning Center,” a Produce Exchange, a Lotchella music festival and a Bike Friendly Business guarantee that encourages cyclists with free bike tune-ups and bike portraits!

Downtown LA has a great Park[ing] Day LA cluster going, one that includes the Complete Streets Working Group’s “Parklet” demonstration, the Strangeways Academy’s $1/minute park, and gathering spots created by SWA and NBBJ that are all part of a collective approach to challenging the status quo.

Silver Lake and Echo Park also have a creative cluster of parks planned, starting with deLAB’s interpretation of PARK at Local restaurant. Just down the road, Channah will be challenging the animal friendly nature of the urban environment, asking the simple question “Why does city life have to be so hostile to animals?” The Echo Park Time Bank will be taking over the Circuit City Ruins and expressing a vision for great park space that includes a yoga studio and performance space for music and dance.

Park[ing] Day originated in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco based art and design collective, transformed a metered parking spot into a park-for-a-day in an effort to make a public comment on the lack of quality open space in American cities.

Their goal was to reprogram the urban surface by reclaiming streets for people to rest, relax and play and their mission is to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generosity and play.

Since then, Park[ing] Day has gone global and the messages are as varied as the participants.

The recent battles between LA’s City Hall and LA’s urban gardeners has prompted several of this year’s Park-itects to present an “Edible Streets” standard by building urban farms in parking spaces.

Another theme being implemented this year is “Parallel Parking” at the ArtCycle happening on Saturday the 17th where Park-itects from around the city will move their temporary parks to Santa Monica Boulevard. ArtCycle transforms East Hollywood’s section of Route 66 into an open air gallery where the streets are brought to life with music, art, bike rides and gourmet food trucks.

For more information contact:

Stephen Box

213-422-7694

Stephen@thirdeyecreative.net

Here is LA's map of 2011 Park[ing] Day LA Parks.

www.communitywalk.com/parkingdayla2011

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