Park(ing) Day invades Winnipeg streets

Driversexpecting to find metered parking spots in some downtown Winnipeg locationson Friday might havefound sofas andchairs instead.

Artists, designers and citizens tookpart in a worldwide event called Park(ing) Day, transformingparking spaces into temporary parkplaces and other types of social gathering spots.

"It's a neat idea just to reclaim the street from cars for a while, for part of the day and say, you know, cities are dominated by cars and maybe that isn't always the best idea," saidMatthew Havens, who sunk intosofa at the intersection of Portage Avenue and Kennedy Street andwatched the traffic go past.

Liz Sellors, an interior designer, saidthe event is away to change a space from something cold and concrete into something warm and inviting, such as the space at Portage and Kennedy, outfitted witha carpet, table, chairs and peopleplaying cards.

"[It's about] the importance of green spaces, of trying to soften downtown areas so there's not so much noise, traffic;just having some space where people can relax," she said.

Park(ing) Day began in San Francisco in 2005as a two-hour installation on a single parking space. The photo quickly spread online and the experience became a movement adopted in cities around the globe.

In 2006,there were 47 miniature parks created in 13 cities in three countries. And by 2011, there were 975 parks in 162 cities in 35 countries on six continents.

The mission [of Park(ing) Day] is to call attention to the need for more urban open space,to generate debate about how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat, said Matthew Passmore of Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio that started the event.

"The planning strategies that have led to traffic congestion, pollution and poor health in cities everywhere do not reflect contemporary values, nor are they sustainable," he stated in a news release.

"Park(ing) Day raises these issues and demonstrates that even temporary projects can improve the character and quality of the city."

There are eight Park(ing) Day locations throughout Winnipegthis year.