Park(ing) Day, an annual worldwide, public art project that reimagines parking spaces as people spaces, is making a comeback this coming weekend.
Across the globe, individuals temporarily transform on-street parking spaces, boulevards, or lots into miniature parks and areas for artistic expression, recreation, and activism.
Park(ing) Day provides an opportunity to engage in an ongoing conversation about the design and construction of cities. This event highlights the necessity to enhance both the accessibility and quantity of public open spaces in densely populated urban zones while emphasizing the significance of these spaces for social and environmental interactions. The underlying philosophy of Park(ing) Day is to celebrate the utilization of urban public areas for people and challenge the prevailing dominance of automobiles in urban environments.
Park(ing) Day originated as a guerrilla art and design activism initiative initiated by Rebar in a single parking spot in San Francisco back in 2005. Since then, it has evolved into an annual global phenomenon, featuring hundreds of installations in numerous countries. Local urban activists temporarily repurpose parking spaces, converting them into small areas for art, design, recreation, and activism.
Park(ing) Day Toronto, organized locally by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, will showcase installations throughout the city, including at Dubbeldam’s office, where they will transform boulevard and on-street parking spaces into areas for people.
On Friday, September 15, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition will be hosting a special event at 192 Spadina Ave (just north of Queen Street W). They are setting up a pop-up café designed for cyclists and pedestrians, offering complimentary coffee and refreshments.
Then, on Saturday, September 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Dubbeldam Architecture + Design will be at 142 Westmount Ave (St. Clair & Dufferin). They’re creating a unique pop-up park, complete with lush greenery, art activities, live music, and an array of delicious food options from Lion Coffee and Switzer’s hot pastrami sandwich cart =Additionally, there will be a free HIIT class from F45 at 10:15 a.m., and Yoga classes provided by Modo Yoga at 11:00 a.m.
Finally, on the same day, Saturday, September 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., guests may head over to Arup at 132 Cumberland Street, where another parking space will be transformed into an activated tiny-park for the day.
Those who are interested in participating may pay for parking, and host their own “Bring Your Own” parklet. For coordination, reach out to hello@parkingdaytoronto.ca and stay updated by following #parkingday and @parkingday_Toronto for inspiration.