Today, temporary parks are popping up in spots usually reserved for cars. Though the parks won't be there long, they're set up to make an impact: many of them offer temporary amenities for Philadelphians and tourists alike, and some are even interactive. This annual event is called Park(ing) Day, and it's the sixth year that Philly has celebrated unusual repurposing for parking spots.
The idea for Park(ing) Day came from San Fransisco, which held the first Park(ing) Day in 2005. The pop-up parks are meant to promote the creation of more permanent public spaces, by showing what an impact public space can have, even if it's only set up for a day.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority says they're losing about $1,000 in parking revenue by dedicating almost 50 public spaces throughout the city to the creation of temporary parks. Don't worry about pressure on parking spots, though: the parks are spread throughout the city, and there's a rule that each block can only have one park (so as not to eliminate too many parking spots in one concentrated area).
If you're hoping to visit a temporary park (or a few), take a look at the official map.
· Park(ing) Day 2013 Map [Park(ing) Day 2013]
· Parking Spaces Go to the Parks [NBC Philly]