Farms: PARK(ing) Day in Dayton

City officials participated in the third annual PARK(ing) Day event in Dayton, on September 16th. Just outside City Hall, a Ludlow Street parking space (near Third Street) transformed into a mini-park with sod, live plants and themed decorations. The worldwide PARK(ing) Day event inspires artists, activists and citizens to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces. Created in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. The City Hall installation was one of three area PARK(ing) Day locations in downtown Dayton. Five Rivers MetroParks provided plants for the day, and Green Velvet Sod Farms donated sod, which will subsequently be installed at the Garden Station community space on Wayne Avenue. Since 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement. More information regarding PARK(ing) Day can be found at www.facebook.com/GardenStation, and www.parkingday.org.