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San Diego parking spaces turned into parks for the day

Posted at 6:16 PM, Sep 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-15 21:16:48-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - On Normal Street in Hillcrest Friday, things were anything but normal.   Tim Henderson and his colleagues were checking email in the street.

"Just a minute ago, we had a meeting out here," he says while pointing to an assortment of chairs.    He and his co-workers at KTUA, a landscape architecture and planning firm, set up a little home office in a spot usually occupied by 3 to 4 parked cars.   The space was decorated with plants and patio furniture.

Welcome to “Park(ing) Day 2017,” billed as a worldwide event where artists and designers transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks.    The event ran Friday from 9AM – 3PM, with several downtown businesses also taking park.

"We're in a ‘car-centric’ world, we always have to supply places for cars,” Tim explained.  “We're making a statement: during some part of the year, you can come out into a space not  being used for cars -- and have a park!"

Henderson and his work buddies barbecued in the parking spots and even roasted s’mores.

Parking is at a premium in Hillcrest, but Henderson said nobody seemed to mind them taking up the spots.    In fact, he said drivers had been slowing down to catch a glimpse at the “front yard” they created on the street.

“They love it,” he said.