September 12, 2016

We’re Taking Over the Streets!

by Korrea Johnston

This Friday, September 16, local DC artists, designers, residents, and organizations will work together to re-imagine some of our city’s less glamorous public spaces — its parking spaces.

An annual international event, PARK(ing) Day inspires creative minds and organizations to take back the streets and temporarily transform ordinary metered on-street parking spaces into public parks for a few hours each September. Since its inception in San Francisco in 2005, the event has spread to cities around the world, taking place on the third Friday of September every year. PARK(ing) Day also shows just how much of our shared space has been taken over by cars — about 30% of the total surface of our built environment — and how many of those spaces could instead be used to strengthen local communities. The mission is to call attention to the need for more urban open space.

You know goDCgo will be there! We’ll be transforming two parking spots into a commuter spa at 1629 K Street NW, just in front of the Chop’t. Come visit our little spa oasis to enjoy a relaxing space complete with a reading nook (it’s National Literacy Month, after all!), one-on-one commuter consultations, and a professional masseuse to massage your midday stress away. Did we mention these services are FREE?! Don’t miss out!

Come hang out with us between 9am and 3pm. Can’t make it? Find another parklet that may be closer to you at parkingday.org. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what’s in store around the city.

See how goDCgo and Washington, DC as a whole stacks up to other PARK(ing) Day participants around the world by checking out the program’s global map.

PS: Be sure to share your #PARKingDay story on social media!

Here’s the round-up:

Time: 10am to 3pm

Date: Friday, September 16

Location: 1629 K Street NW