Tiny Parks to Pop Up Across D.C. Next Month for ‘PARK(ing) Day’

An annual celebration of public spaces is scheduled to return to the District next month.

The District Department of Transportation announced yesterday that PARK(ing) Day will turn ordinary parking spaces into tiny temporary parks on Sept. 16.

PARK(ing) Day is a global event that challenges businesses, organizations and locals to come up with creative ways to transform metered spaces into public places.

More than 30 tiny parks popped up across D.C. last year, according to DDOT. In Dupont Circle, for instance, Rails to Trails Conservancy turned parking spaces along New Hampshire Ave. NW into a “bike path” lined with real sod.

More info from a DDOT press release:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is accepting permit applications for the annual PARK(ing) Day scheduled for Friday, September 16, 2016. Launched in 2005 in San Francisco, Calif., PARK(ing) Day has spread to cities around the world as residents and businesses create temporary “parks” in what are normally metered parking spaces.

“More than 30 “pop-up” parks were created in the District as part of PARK(ing) Day last year and we look forward to building on that momentum,” said DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our efforts at making DC the greenest, healthiest, and most livable city in the nation while contributing to Mayor Bowser’s Sustainable DC Plan.”

PARK(ing) Day is open to anyone seeking to sponsor a seven-hour temporary park. The “pop-up” parks are limited to metered parking locations without time-of-day restrictions and will be located in the middle of blocks as a safety precaution.

Participants are responsible for permitting fees, cost of materials and any other associated fees with the temporary parks. Participants are also responsible for cleaning up the spaces after the event.

For event guidelines and information on obtaining a permit to participate in the District’sPARK(ing) Day, please visit http://ddot.dc.gov/page/parking-day.The deadline to apply for a permit is Wednesday, August 31, 2016.