DUBLIN’S STREETS LIT up with colour yesterday as parking spaces all over the city were turned into mini public parks.

Yesterday’s Dublin PARK(ing) Day saw car parking spaces turned into public parks, games or art installations.

The project was initiated by art and design studio Rebar in 2005 in San Francisco with a single metered parking space and has evolved into a global movement.

Organisers describe it as “a free, annual, open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into ‘PARK(ing)’ spaces”.

PARK(ing) Day’s mission is “intended to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generosity and play.”

In Dublin, that saw parks placed from Grangegorman to Donnybrook, with many spots based around the southside of the city centre.

Pop-up parks

A temporary pop-up bathroom was created in a parking space on Francis Street. As part of the collaborative effort, Cuckoo Events provided props including a toilet, bunting and link, Oxfam supplied the bathtub and DHR Communications offered tea and coffee to visitors and passers-by throughout the day.

[image alt="IMG_3768" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/img_3768-3-296x197.jpg" width="296" height="197" credit-source="DHR%20Communications" class="alignnone" /end]

“A quiet bathroom is something most of us take for granted in our day-to-day lives. As part of this year’s PARK(ing) Day event, we hope to draw attention to the reality that there are many who are not afforded this small facility,” managing director of DHR Communications, Catherine Heaney said.

“For a large number of homeless people and asylum seekers, the tranquillity and privacy of a bathroom are considered a luxury.”

Meanwhile, MOLA Architecture changed its four car parking spaces into an outdoor ‘WorkOUT’ space, where they held all their meetings yesterday.

[image alt="IMG_3537" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/img_3537-296x222.jpg" width="296" height="222" credit-source="MOLA%20Architecture" class="alignnone" /end]

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mícháel MacDonncha attended the launch of the day on Drury Street yesterday.
https://twitter.com/CreativeQDublin/status/908656401295171584

MacDonncha sat down for some tea and chats.

[image alt="_1390282" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/_1390282-296x222.jpg" width="296" height="222" credit-source="Hugo%20Fitzpatrick" credit-via="Dublin%20Parking%20Day" class="alignnone" /end]

A pop-up music stand, Park Gig, was set up on Pembroke Street.

CycleHackDublin got involved in the event and created a stall on Dame Court.
https://twitter.com/CycleHackDublin/status/908642645580423168

It wasn’t just businesses and politicians who joined artists yesterday, some activity groups took part too, including the Dublin Roller Derby.
https://twitter.com/ParkingDayDub/status/908690424172306434

Organisers said that despite hesitance from motorists, this wasn’t an anti-car event.

“The aim of the event is not to restrict traffic but to extend the footpath and enliven the streets of Dublin. To bring an unexpected piece of fun to an otherwise neglected space.”

Other participants in PARK(ing) Day this year included I Bike Dublin, The Black Sheep, An Taisce and Dublin City Council.

In all, over 35 temporary parklets were installed across Dublin yesterday.

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