Cornhole at 5th and Walnut, downtown

This PARK[ing] spot lasted maybe an hour during rush hour yesterday morning, before it had to be packed up. Just a hop and a skip south of Fountain Square, this was definitely the most audacious location. Thank you, John and Alicia, for putting on the show!

Lemonade/Advice Stand in Front of Park+Vine, Over-the-Rhine

Dan and some volunteers set up a charming stand offering free lemonade and advice across the street from Park+Vine, on Vine St. in Over-the-Rhine. Thanks, guys!

Green Space in Front of City Roots, Over-the-Rhine

Lisa of City Roots, an urban garden store, set up a lovely little green space in front of her shop on Vine St. in Over-the-Rhine, for Cincinnati Park[ing] Day 2008. Thanks, Lisa!

Outdoor Patio in Front of Coffee Emporium, Over-the-Rhine

Coffee Emporium on Central Parkway in Over-the-Rhine celebrated Cincinnati Park[ing] Day by extending its outdoor seating area into the parking space in front of its coffee shop. It was clearly much appreciated!

Cincinnati PARK[ing] Day Locations

PARK[ing] Day is Friday, 19 Sep. This list of all participating Cincinnati-area locations will be updated continuously, so please keep checking back. If your PARK[ing] spot is missing from this list, contact us at cincinnatiparkingday [at] gmail [dot] com with your details. All addresses and times are approximate:

OVER-THE RHINE:

Coffee Emporium
110 Central Parkway
between Walnut and Clay
all day

Park+Vine
1109 Vine St.
between Central and 12th
all day

City Roots
1133 Vine St.
between Central and 12th
all day

Outside
16 East 12th St.
between Vine and Jackson
all day

impromptu cornhole
Vine St.
between Central and 12th
all afternoon

Iris Book Cafe
1331 Main St.
between Woodward and 14th
all day

Classical Glass
1333 Main St.
between Woodward and 14th
mid-afternoon

Cincinnati Enquirer: Parking Spots Will Morph into Parks

Check out this Cincinnati Enquirer article on tomorrow's PARK[ing] Day event: Parking Spots Will Morph into Parks.

Cincinnati PARK[ing] Day Needs You!

The organizers of Cincinnati PARK[ing] Day [Dan of Park+Vine and Maya and Michael of VisuaLingual] are coordinating all the logistics and details to make this year's event a success! If you're interested in getting involved on any level, please let us know ASAP by emailing us at cincinnatiparkingday [at] gmail [dot] com. Whether you've got ideas for your own PARK[ing] space, want to collaborate with others on a PARK[ing] space, want to assist with set-up or break-down, or just want to help by visiting and hanging out in the PARK[ing] spaces throughout the day on Friday, 19 Sep 08, we'd love to hear from you!

Activists to Turn Parking Spaces into Green Spaces

Next American City: Daily Report
by Brian Krier
22 Aug 08

Between all the mammoth S.U.V.s, boxy minivans and compact cars, parallel parking in any city can be a nightmare. Come Sept. 19 to the streets of Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and several other cities, drivers desperately vying for precious curbside parking will also have to compete with potted plants, park benches, bicycles and some clever environmental activists. Read more at Next American City.

photo: PARK[ing] Day 2007, Cincinnati, OH

Call to Citizens

"Cincinnati PARK[ing] Day" call for entries (Posted: Aug. 6, 2008) -- Cincinnati PARK[ing] Day announces a call to citizens for the second annual "Cincinnati PARK[ing] Day" to be held Sept. 19, 2008 in parking spaces around Cincinnati. This is a one-day, global event in which artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform parking spots into public parks and alternative public spaces. Parking spaces show the fundamental elements of a good outdoor public space and may include seating, shade, and a place to watch people, exchange information, and view scenery. Each parking spot can be transformed into a park, playground, puppet show, or whatever you like.

This event is open to the public. There is no entry fee. There are no commissions. We're looking to hear from interested parties before Sept. 5, 2008 so that we can start lining up parking spaces, organizing materials and advising the community of our ambitious intentions.

For more information, visit:
www.cincinnatiparkingday.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/cincinnatiparkingday

Contact us: cincinnatiparkingday[at]gmail[dor]com

photo: Park[ing]Day 2006, Cleveland, OH

"Place First" Parking Plans

PARK[ing] Day gives us all a chance to consider how parking fits into the larger city.

An article about "place first" parking plans points out that while demand for parking is a product of supply, the minimum supply of parking is mandated through zoning codes.

At some point a balance has to be met. The article also mentions, with respect to Hartford, "They have too much parking from the perspective that they have degraded vitality, interest and walkability, with bleak zones of parking that fragment the city. The have too little parking for the exact same reason - they have degraded walkability and thus increased the demand for parking.

In Cincinnati's CBD 20% of the surface area is dedicated to parking lots. This doesn't include on-street parking or the additional levels of garages. Putting a cap on parking can insure that demand doesn't go unchecked at the cost of walkability and vitality. It may seem counter intuitive, but the article shows that it is possible to put places before parking.

PARK[ing] Day 2006 Video

Trailer about PARK[ing] Day 2006, found here.

What Does PARK[ing] Day Look Like?

Above are some examples of previous PARK[ing] Day projects, found here; more examples here.

Why PARK[ing]?

More than 70 percent of most cities' outdoor space is dedicated to the private vehicle while only a fraction of that land is allocated to open space for people. Around the nation, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel, and more pollution. It’s time to rethink the way streets are used!

A metered parking spot is an inexpensive short-term lease for a 10'x20' plot of land. Imagine what you can do in a space usually dedicated to private vehicle storage. PARK[ing] Day began in a single metered parking spot in San Francisco and then spread around the world.

Here's calling all people in Cincinnati who want more open space, less traffic, and safer streets. We're looking for people to help organize the second annual Cincinnati PARK(ing) Day Sept. 19. PARK[ing] Day is a one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform parking spots into "PARK(ing]" spaces: temporary public parks and art installations.

To learn more, go to PARK[ing] Day, or become our MySpace friend!

photo: PARK[ing] Day 2007, Cincinnati, OH