Park(ing) Day L.A. returns to park more parks

Last September, parking spaces all over L.A. turned into temporary parks -- for a few hours. Park(ing) Day Los Angeles brought activists and artists and other open-space-loving people together to take back the city spaces usually reserved for immobilized vehicles. Some environmentalists even towed all the materials for the temporary park -- benches and trees and other fun stuff -- via bike! (You knew I'd get a bike tie-in somewhere; it's still Bike to Work Week!):

And the second Parking Day L.A.'s coming this September -- September 19, to be exact. Put it in your calendar now! Planning's already under way, with the goal "to broaden the scope of Park(ing) Day L.A. and create a successful program of events, which will help celebrate the opportunities for creating public space in Los Angeles."

Want to be one of the happy park people? Then all you have to do is go to the next Park(ing) Day LA meeting, happening Friday, May 16 at 1pm at AIA Los Angeles, 3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800, Los Angeles. RSVP to will@aialosangeles.org.

If you can't make this meeting, don't despair. The Park(ing) Day L.A. group plans to meet the 3rd Friday of each month. Can't make any meetings? Don't fret. Says Will Wright, one of the organizers: "Of course, if you are interested in simply creating a park on Park(ing) Day - then you don't necessarily need to attend all of the steering committee meetings.  Yet, your early participation is encouraged and welcome."

Help shape the Park(ing) Day of your dreams! You have four months to design and figure out how to create your ideal urban park at a parking spot close to you.