Parklet

A parklet is a small urban park, often created by replacing several under-utilized parallel parking spots with a patio, planters, trees, benches, café tables with chairs, fountain(s), artwork, sculptures and/or bicycle parking.[1][2] Parklets are designed to provide a public place for citizens to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the city around them, in places where either current urban parks are lacking or if the existing sidewalk width is not large enough to accommodate vibrant street life activities. Parklets can be designed to be either permanent fixtures, or can be designed to be temporary/seasonal in places where snow removal is a concern.

Contents

Locations

San Francisco

In the United States, Parklets have so far been most popular in San Francisco. The first parklet was created in 2005 as an unofficial activist project by Rebar art and design studio, by feeding a parking meter with coins, unrolling grass sod, and placing a potted tree on top.[3] Later, the city's "Pavement to Parks" program facilitated their installation. As of 2011 the program had received over 50 applications from sponsors around the city.[4] In 2011 the city installed the most ambitious parklet, a 2-block long installation along Powell Street near Union Square, funded by a corporate donation by Audi.[3]

Elsewhere

Parklets have sprung up in Philadelphia and Vancouver, British Columbia; with plans for parklets in Los Angeles.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Pavement to Parks San Francisco: Divisadero Street Parklet". http://sfpavementtoparks.sfplanning.org/divisadero_parklet.html. Retrieved 18 May 2010. 
  2. ^ "SF Pavement to Parks - Divisadero Parklet Flickr Gallery". http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremyashaw/sets/72157623937793396/. Retrieved 12 June 2010. 
  3. ^ a b King, John (July 13, 2011). "Parklets offer a place to pause on busy Powell St.". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/13/MNDT1K95SP.DTL&tsp=1. 
  4. ^ Stephens, Josh. "‘Parklets’ Create Public Space, 120 Square Feet at a Time". California Planning & Development Report. California Planning & Development Report. http://www.cp-dr.com/node/2977. Retrieved June 29, 2011. 
  5. ^ King, John (December 29, 2011). "S.F. parklets: a little tour of a major trend". SFGate (San Francisco Chronicle): pp. A1. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/29/MNNS1MDAHQ.DTL&ao=all. Retrieved 2011-12-29. "a guided tour of every parklet now open. Some are more welcoming than others. Some already show their age. The best strive to create destinations, not just seating. It's a design experiment being conducted before our eyes, and it's not going away."