Transforming parking spots September 20
By Staff Writer
Every third Friday in September parking meters throughout the world are temporarily transformed to demonstrate a better usage of public space. This year, Westwood Village will host three different PARK(ing) Day locations.
PARK(ing) Day is an annual event that encourages community members to transform metered parking spaces into public spaces. Since the project began in San Francisco in 2005, parking spaces worldwide have been transformed into unique public places. The event aims to attract residents, office workers and visitors and help them to rethink parking by creating an area for people to gather, relax, work and socialize for the day in an urban environment.
The Westwood Village Improvement Association (WVIA), in affiliation with Ministry of Coffee and Lyft Scooters, will host its PARK(ing) Day activation from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside of Ministry of Coffee at 1010 Glendon Ave. There will be life-sized games, free helmets and swag, and scooter safety education from the Lyft Scooters team members. This year marks the fourth year the WVIA has participated in the event.
“Westwood Village lacks space for pedestrians to congregate. PARK(ing) Day is a great example of how you can transform a space typically devoted to cars into something special for the community. Even if it’s only for one day, the effects can facilitate positive change,” said Megan Furey, marketing and communications manager at the WVIA.
In coordination with the WVIA, UCLA Transportation, in partnership with the Healthy Campus Initiative, will host its first PARK(ing) Day on campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Dickson Court Bridge. UCLA community members can enjoy life-sized games, coffee, tea, light refreshments and other activities throughout the day.
In partnership with Douglas Emmett, the North Westwood Neighborhood Council will host its first PARK(ing) Day at the northwest corner of Le Conte Ave and Westwood Blvd from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Community members are welcome to stop by and bring their lunch, sit down, relax in the shade canopy and enjoy the native plant species provided by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.
The distance between the three events is approximately one mile, which is roughly a 20-minute walk or five-minute bike or scooter ride.
Follow #PARKingDay2019 to see activations around the world.
WVIA is a non-Profit Business Improvement District (BID) Organization. Our mission it is to make Westwood Village a clean, safe and friendly place for the community through maintenance, security and enlivening programs. For more information, visit www.thewestwoodvillage.com.
UCLA Transportation services UCLA, designated as one of the Best Workplaces for Commuters, by providing sustainable transportation programs, commute options, and parking services. For more information, visit www.transportation.ucla.edu
The North Westwood Neighborhood Council is a neighborhood council certified by the City of Los Angeles, whose role is to represent the western half of Westwood to the City of Los Angeles and advise the Los Angeles City Council. For more information, visit www.northwestwoodneighborhoodcouncil.org
