At 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, a park was coming to fruition in three parking spaces on the northwest corner of Washington Square and Allegan Street in Downtown Lansing. The park commemorated Lansing’s first official celebration of
PARK(ing) Day.
At this annual global event, metered parking spaces are transformed by “citizens, artists and activists” who collaborate to temporarily transform them into “PARK(ing)” spaces. The goal: to create a temporary public space for people to interact, enjoy and socialize.
Let’s Save Michigan and
Accelerate Lansing were the two organizations behind Lansing’s inaugural PARK(ing) Day. Although the goal of the day is to draw attention to the need for more urban open space, Accelerate Lansing’s vice president, Joe Manzella, says it was more about drawing attention to what we already have Downtown.
Attention was certainly drawn to the space, as passersby stopped to ask questions. “I was having lunch downtown and was surprised to see people having fun on the street,” says Lansing resident, Kristen Cambern. “It’s always great to see stuff like this going on in Lansing.”
Source: Rory Neuner, Accelerate Lansing
Writer: Suban Nur Cooley
Park(ing) Day 2010, Lansing, Michigan from Bryan Robb on Vimeo.
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