Students at the University of Georgia turned gravel into green through an initiative to transform parking spaces into a temporary park.

The Georgia Students of Landscape Architecture organization transformed eight metered parking spots into interactive green public park in celebration of the annual “PARK(ing) Day” on Friday.

The event was held at College Avenue, a popular area in downtown Athens taken up by parking lots. The reinvented space was covered by a lawn of synthetic turf and used as a concert venue, lounge area and reading nook.

The “PARK(ing) Day” project came about when the art and design studio Rebar sought to reclaim metered parking spaces in 2005. Rebar initially converted a single-metered parking space into a temporary public park in an area of San Francisco that lacked open public space. The event runs annually on the third Friday in September and is a non-commercial initiative.

The students of GSLA were eager to participate and carry on its mission to promote community interaction. They created the installment to propose different ways to use parking spaces.

“A lot of different faces of Athens came together in this one communal area, and I think that’s something that only really a public park could do. It showed how much people appreciated green spaces,” said Benjamin Gladstone, vice president of GSLA and a senior landscape architecture major.

The park was designed to complement businesses in the area, he said. The installation was set up to symbolize the stages of transforming the plot from a parking space to a public park.

Toward the entrance, the change was minimal. Only tires transformed into planters served as decoration.But the makeover became more extensive deeper into the park, with synthetic turf carpeting the asphalt, outdoor furniture and a stage for live music performances. Bookshelves, corn hole and jumbo Jenga activities were also popular activities among younger participants.

Older audiences sat and read while children played with chalk and students came to listen to music on their way to class, said Stuart Harriott, a general member of GSLA and a senior landscape architecture major.

“Businessmen talked to homeless people about how they were both using the park in the same way,” Harriott said.

Both the members of GSLA and the Athens community were taken aback by how the installment transformed the space, compared to the usual concrete landscape of Athens, Gladstone said. Seeing the park struck them.

Many turned to social media to share their experiences and post pictures.

Mia Bomar, event coordinator for GSLA and a fifth-year landscape architecture major, said the location was crucial to the interaction between students and local community.

The exhibit was displayed next to an intersection with high traffic. An estimated 10,000 people would cross every couple hours. The day also coincided with a football game, which drew many out-of-towners into the park.

GSLA spent less than $150 on the display. The rest was donated through sponsors and sourcing. The organization reused furniture leftover from a defunct program at the university for the event.

Courtesy of Benjamin Gladstone

The group acquired a free permit after working closely with the Downtown Development Authority to secure the coveted parking lot spots from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The main icon of UGA is the arches, Gladstone said. It’s a gateway into downtown, directly adjacent to College Avenue and a predominant landmark of Athens. He said the park was at the heart of it all.

Bomar also said the music was a huge pull to the park. The stage was set up with a guitar and amplifier for musicians to perform on the spot.

“Anyone who wanted to perform came,” said Carolyn Bresnahan, a general member of GSLA and a senior landscape architecture major.

The variety of performers covered all musical bases. Performers ranged from all-girl bands with originals songs to the “Classic City Jazz” group to a local acapella group, Bresnahan said.

Many participants left notes commending the work of the organization.

“People really wanted Athens to get on board with it and make it more of a green space and patio area,” Harriott said.

GSLA confirmed that the park will be built again next year, and said it has plans to grow the park. Many hope that someday soon the park will find a permanent home at the heart of Athens.

Published on September 19, 2017 at 10:49 pm

Contact Rori: rhsachs@syr.edu