By Kate R.
Posted on Sept. 22, 2009. Listed in:
Car parking spaces in Wellington and Auckland were taken over last week as part of Park (ing) Day. The cars were replaced with paddling pools, swingball sets, musicians and more in an attempt to highlight just how friendly our major cities could be.
Over a hundred cities across the world have done the same for International Park(ing) Day as part of a growing movement for cities to be designed around people, not just cars.
In NZ organizations such as Intersect, 350 Aotearoa and the Sustainability trust were all part of the collaboration, which highlighted some of the important ingredients for a people friendly city, such as; great areas for walking, bike friendly facilities, plenty of open spaces and areas for people to gather.
The point being, cities are not just concrete squares in which to park cars!
“Park(ing) Day is just the ticket for creating better cities,” says Megan Hosking, Trustee of Intersect. “We can all play a part in creating spaces that we love to be in. Life is not a drive-through.”
Nick Potter of Intersect also noted "The playful nature of the event encouraged lots of interactions between people who don't usually have conversations with one another.
"People who joined us in the space included babies, boy racers, backpackers, new immigrants, mothers, elderly people, labourers, men in suits... and we all found something in common to relate to. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces - we made much better use of those spaces than a few cars!
"Living in a couple of carparks for a day actually made me much more sensitive to how much of our urban space is currently consumed by cars."
One of the key messages Intersect tried to promote was that 'People-friendly cities can also be climate-friendly cities'.
Transport options like walking and cycling, are inherently climate-friendly and open spaces can be used for absorbing carbon through growing trees and plants.
Potter said (Park)ing day is also a useful way to explore how good design can encourage friendly interactions and connect people with the wider environment.
Take a look at some more photos of the fantastic Wellington event below...
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Note: Photos supplied courtesy of Nick Potter.
