September 2007

National Park(ing) Day

Talk about "think globally, act locally"!!! Here I am in Brooklyn, only a block from home, singing with the neighborhood preschoolers in a tiny car sized park that was not there the day before. I played concertina while my buddy, Dancing Henry put on a show for the little ones... in a parking spot on the street. How gently subversive is that?

Streetfilms made a great video of the whole thing! My portion is mostly at the end so be patient. Check it out here.



Last Sunday was National Park(ing) Day. “Also known as a "parking squat," Park(ing) is a quasi-legal reclamation of urban street space in which a metered, curbside parking spaces are transformed into urban parkland complete with sod, benches, trees and human beings.

National PARK(ing) Day was a huge hit here in NYC where Transportation Alternatives & The Trust for Public Land organized a of group of motley advocates in liberating parking spaces to open green areas for city residents to enjoy. Last year, NYC had just one spot, but this year nearly two dozen were sponsored across the city - ranging from a mini-gym on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn to a tribal village (complete with tee pee!) on Manhattan’s West Side.


Most amazing was the overwhelmingly positive response the event received. Residents, tourists, commuters, and drivers (yes drivers!) were seen voicing approval. Peds relished the chance to take a seat or diddle their feet in fresh sod.” - Streetfilms