Park[ing] Day is Coming- Call for Volunteers!

Okay all, Park[ing] Day LA is coming. It's on Friday, 16 September. Last year I went down to LA and had a blast touring the fantastic, creative pocket parks put up by Angelenos in metered parking spaces around their city. (There were also Park[ing] spaces in Santa Monica, Santa Ana and Laguna Beach.) This year, I'd like to bring that message and that creativity home to the IE.

I want to reclaim a parking space in downtown Riverside, somewhere close to the pedestrian mall, on 16 September. I can't do it alone- I will need creative, energetic folks with some free time on a Friday to help. I will also need:

• A painter's drop cloth, large enough to cover the parking space. Other alternatives, such as rugs, carpet remnants, or real or fake grass could also work.


• Cones or some other method of marking out the space.


• Chairs and tables- the better-looking, the better.


• Successful Park[ing] spaces often serve food to passers-by. A grill or ideas for a meal to serve would be welcome- especially if anyone has the recipe for the fantastic macaroni salad dish served at yesterday's Really Really Free Market.


• An EZ-Up, beach umbrella or similar shelter. I'm looking to snag a particularly nice, shady spot in front of the Blood Orange Infoshop/People's Gallery on University. If that doesn't happen, other protection from Riverside's legendary heat will be required.


• Creative, enthusiastic folks willing to help plan and man a Park[ing] space!

So come on, readers, and help take back our city from the car, if only for a day!