NEW ORLEANS – The Downtown Development District’s PARK(ing) Day NOLA 2016 will transform metered parking spaces into temporary public parklets on Friday, October 21, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
PARK(ing) Day is an annual, open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into "PARK(ing)" spaces: temporary public places. The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco. Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.
PARK(ing) Day NOLA 2016 designers and concepts include:
• AECOM
Green Infrastructure Exhibit
1515 Poydras St.
A "planted" area featuring native plants that are suitable for use in green storm water facilitates.
• ASLA
Butcher Pocket Park
Andrew Higgins @ Cochon Butcher
A pocket park outside of Couchon Butcher that will showcase the positive effect parklets can have on the surrounding community and local businesses.
• Aunt Sally's
Willy Wonka Oasis
750 St. Charles Ave.
This space will showcase whimsical art works by Andre Juneau as well as bench seating and tasting tables of Aunt Sally's pralines.
Performance by Trinity Episcopal Honors Choir at 10:00 a.m.
• Bike Easy
Bus Shelter Parklet with Protected Bike Lane
400 Loyola Ave.
Bike Easy Claiborne Corridor Ambassadors (CCA), in conjunction with Women's Transportation Seminar Greater New Orleans (WTSGNO), will demonstrate a protected bike lane and bus shelter play space.
• Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
Hula
917 Girod St.
Step in and play in the Hula PARK(ing) Day installation. Dance inside the suspended hoops to the sounds of Birdfoot Festival live music. Take a break to sit and gaze past the colorful moving strings to the open sky above. It's time to Hula!
• Mathes Brierre Architects
What Happens Here?
710 Canal St.
As passersby walk along Canal Street, they are invited to pause and answer the question, "What Happens Here?" The stories collected will tell a larger story of the way we interact with the city around us.
• Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans
Water Bar
625 St. Joseph St.
The Sewerage and Water Board will host a Water Bar where ice cold New Orleans tap water will be served straight up, shaken, stirred, neat, on the rocks or citrus infused. Water samplers and chemist will tend the bar and answer questions about water quality and composition.
• Sizeler Thompson Brown
The Grans Pallet Theater
300 Lafayette St. (S. Peters side)
Providing local residents, neighbors and passersby an experience of a retro outdoor movie theater with stadium seating made out of re-purposed wood pallets.
• Waggonner & Ball
Our Lady of Asphalt
Camp Street/Maestri
A chapel-like place for meditation, where visitors can encounter a new perspective of our city.
View a map of the various installations here
View a video of PARK(ing) Day NOLA 2015 here