PARK(ing) Day is an annual celebration of space that gives artists, designers, businesses and residents a chance to transform metered parking spots into tiny temporary public parks.

This one-day event is meant to inspire creativity, test innovative ideas for reclaiming car-centric spaces for people and promote the importance of public spaces in urban environments.

There are no limits to the ideas and ways to transform a parking space.

Though the concept of a 9’x18’ PARK is simple, the sheer number of options and ideas can often leave you overwhelmed or worse, in over your head.

It’s good to remember that your PARK can be as simple as a place to sit, read, talk or relax or a complex build out that changes over time.

  1. Site Constraints
    Dimensions. The dimensions for a typical parking space are 9 feet by 18 feet. If you are planning two spaces, you should plan for 9 feet by 40 feet. When you are considering ground cover that equals 168
    square feet and 360 square feet, respectively. (*note: If you are planning to use sand, gravel, or other loose materials, you will need to use a liner to allow you to remove these materials easily.)
    Curved Street Surface. The street is not a flat surface. Streets are designed and constructed with a curve to allow stormwater to drain quickly. If your idea requires a flat surface or if you have vertical structures, take the slope of the road into account and plan to bring some material to make onsite adjustments or to allow you to level or anchor your structure(s).
    Curb Height. The curb varies between 6 and 8 inches above the level of the street. A seamless transition
    between the curb and your PARK is not necessary, but it can be used to the advantage of your PARK’s design.
    Barriers. it is highly encouraged to incorporate a barrier between their PARK and the street. And, if your PARK is next to a parking space not designated for PARK(ing) Day, to add a barrier between your PARK
    and the space next to you. This increases your visibility to drivers and helps visitors to your PARK feel safe.
  2. Programming
    Activities. PARK(ing) Day Dallas starts at 11am and ends at 6pm. Plan some type of activity for as long as you plan to have your PARK set up. That can be as simple as providing seating, books, arts & crafts, or board games. Plan for people to use your park and give them something to do or talk about while they are there.
    Handouts. There are restrictions for any signage, food, or promotional materials that can be distributed at PARK(ing) Day. Please contact [email protected] for approval. PARK(ing) Day staff may ask you to stop or remove your PARK.
    Neighbors. Let us know what you plan to do! We have live entertainment lined up for the event. If you do not want your park next to loud noise or if you would prefer to be adjacent to another PARK(ing) Day participant, let us know. We will do our best to accommodate you.
  3. Materials
    Cost. Creating a PARK can take both time and a money. The good thing is, you get to determine how much time and money you are willing to invest in your PARK. Set your budget early, to help you make
    good decisions in the planning and building process.
    Recycle and reuse. Ways to reduce cost and make building your PARK easier are to use materials you already have sitting around, look for salvaged materials, and ask for donations. Since this is a one-day
    event, have a plan for your materials after the event is over. Either reuse the materials or structures for something else, or plan on returning them to the original donors.
    Think light. Large or heavy structures will be difficult to set-up, and even more exhausting to take down.
    We advise only using parts that 2 individuals can lift.
  4. Setting Up Your Park
    Transporting your PARK. To make set-up easy for you and your neighboring PARKs, plan to bring all of your materials in one car/truck load. The street will NOT be closed before, during or after the event and there will be normal weekday traffic.
    Unloading. Do NOT block traffic to unload your materials. Pull into a parking space adjacent to your assigned PARK, and get your materials out of your vehicle as quickly (and safely) as possible. Once everything is unloaded, move your vehicle so that other PARKS can unload as well.
    Assembly. Once your car/truck is stored elsewhere, begin assembling your park. Practice assembling your park before the PARK(ing) Day. This will let you know how many people and what tools you need to
    bring with you.
  5. Taking Down Your Park
    Disassembly. Practice this before the event as well! You should consider incorporating storage for the tools you need to disassemble your PARK into the PARK design so that you have what you need on hand for repairs throughout the day. We have a hard out at 6pm so you should start breaking down at 5:30pm. Please do not break down earlier (unless you have an extensive breakdown).
    Loading. To reiterate, Main Street will NOT be closed to traffic during or after the event. If you are using a vehicle to transport your materials away from the event, you may need to pull into your own parking space to load materials. You can also coordinate with your neighboring PARKs to make loading easy. Do NOT block traffic to load your car/truck.
    Clean-up. Leave no trace of your PARK in the parking space. Bring shovels, brooms, gloves, trash bags and whatever else you may need to pick up after your PARK.
  6. Weather
    PARK(ing) Day is an outdoor event, and will take place RAIN or SHINE. Be sure to watch the weather forecast and take that forecast into consideration.

If you have any questions please contact PARK(ing) Day Dallas staff:

Doug Prude
[email protected]

Jessica Martinez
[email protected]