Now That’s What I Call a Sidewalk!
From this [Park(ing) Day]…
To this…
The organizers of Park(ing) Day DC seemed none too pleased with the post I wrote about their event. Apparently, the explanatory tone was not oozing with enough enthusiasm for them, so one coordinator took the time to type out his own version.
Hey, forgive me for relaying that drivers’ actual ability to park on that day was not going to be compromised. I thought that would be a helpful thing to do.
Nevertheless, despite the ca-razy blog drama, Park(ing) Day DC crept back into my head while I was in New York City over the weekend.
The above shot was taken just south of Columbus Circle on Broadway near W 58th Street, a crowded area for pedestrians and cars alike. There was something a tad bit unnerving about plopping down inches from the packed street lane and heavy car exhaust. But the buffer of a giant flower pot is more than you get on most streets.
Can you envision a K Street version? Maybe something up by Union Station?
Top image by JessyeAnne, Flickr Creative Commons; All other images by Ruth Samuelson
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Linked From: October 30th, 2009Top Blog Posts of the Past Week - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper
5:39 pm[...] (3) Now That’s What I Call a Sidewalk! [...]
4:03 pm
It’s not that you noted that there would be parking. It was more that you seemed to not do ANY research on Park(ing) Day at all before whipping up a faux “interview”. All of the great things happening in NYC? That was all there online, with video and pictures.
Your tone from the beginning to end of the post was that Park(ing) Day was some silly thing to do. Park(ing) Day helped raise the awareness to create great livable urban spaces, like on Broadway.
Apparently a trip to NYC made you realize this, but you don’t need to go to New York to be inspired, or to just enjoy a great urban city. We are going to make it happen right here.
4:24 pm
I second Justin. In DC, where public art or cultural projects don’t have as great a chance as places like NYC, it would be nice to see our City Paper supporting smaller efforts a little more.
I appreciated the original write-up – big fan of the CP and always great to share event information! Park(ing) Day will be even bigger and better next year, so be looking for that, Ruth.
4:32 pm
Don’t you wish you could just disable comments sometimes, Ruth?
6:19 pm
Eh, disable comments? That would defeat the purpose of the blogosphere and generating input/commentary from a blog’s readers.
8:51 am
Maybe they should retitle it: Park(ing) Day Northwest. I’d love to see this on Firth Sterling, right in front of Anacostia Metro. I believe most of NW is already pretty ‘livable’ as it is…
3:17 pm
lolivas: actually, it would be nice to see ruth participate in the comments more. having a conversation with your readers is nothing but a good thing, if you ask me.