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Friday, September 19, 2008

Today,  suddenly has 30 more parks than it did yesterday. 

They’ll all be gone again come Saturday, alas, but organizers of the event — part of a national push to promote parks — hope the lesson lingers.

About 30 groups are taking over one or two spots each at locations throughout Center City. They’ll be  feeding the meters all day as they roll out sod, bring in bushes, set up benches and otherwise create mini-parks.

The point is “basically to raise awareness of the need for pedestrian friendly and green urban spaces, and not just keep accommodating the car,” says local organizer Pamela Zimmerman.

An architect with Brawer & Hauptman, Architects LLC, she became interested last winter after hearing about the national effort launched in 2007 by a San Francisco art collective.

This year, the national sponsor, the Trust for Public Land, a conservation nonprofit, estimates people will set up more than 400 parks in more than 70 cities.

In Ardmore, evening picnickers and others will take over a parking lot that is slated to become a new park. They plan on having music, a bake sale, bike races and a contest for the best-decorated parking space.

In Mt. Holly, a master gardening organization are inhabiting two parking spaces and offering fact sheets about composting, rain gardens, lawns and more.

Full national information is here.

Philadelphia information is here.

 

Posted by Sandy Bauers @ 11:19 AM  Permalink | Post a comment
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About Sandy Bauers
Sandy Bauers is the environment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where she has worked for more than 20 years as a reporter and editor. She lives in northern Chester County with her husband, two cats, a large vegetable garden and a flock of pet chickens.

GreenSpace - her column about how to reduce your carbon footprint in everyday life - appears every other Monday in Health & Science.

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