Park(ing) Day to turn parking spots into mini-parks

Downtown Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti are among the cities around the world making parks out of parking spots later this month.Park(ing) Day encourages people to make a mini-park out of a metered spot for one day — Sept. 17 this year — to celebrate public spaces with friends. It’s being organized and promoted in Michigan by Sean Mann, founder and program coordinator of Let’s Save Michigan, a project of the Michigan Municipal League.Mann points out that with graduates fleeing the state, oftentimes what they’re looking for is a better quality of life above jobs — and that quality of life includes public places. “It’s a fun way to highlight bringing people together, to show they can create those places,” he says of the day. “Our whole campaign is about moving Michigan forward.”Park(ing) Day has taken off in Grand Rapids and other big cities across the nation and world. Some other communities in Michigan, including Pontiac, Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City, will likely be participating in this quirky day of awareness. There’s still plenty of time to sign up, and parking spots don’t have to be made elaborate. A couple of lawn chairs and a potted plant will do.The day, taking place at the end of summer, also allows for one last (hopefully) warm-weather celebration before Michigan gets cold and dark. Click here to learn more or to sign up.Source: Sean Mann, Let’s Save Michigan founder and program coordinatorWriter: Kristin Lukowski