FREE PARK(ing)

Posted on May 4, 2011 in Planning Updates | 1 comment

When I originally thought to bring PARK(ing) Day to London last year it was for a number of reasons. I was looking for a way to bring attention to some of the prevalent urban issues in the city, I wanted to contribute something to my community in a creative way and I was trying to keep myself from going crazy on a daily basis.

Unfortunately this year circumstances are different. Now with a full time “day” job, a small business, a new family member, and other community commitments, I find myself with much less “free time” than I did when I was unemployed (go figure) and because of this I cannot put into PARK(ing) Day what I did last year, physically or mentally.

While I will admit most of the work that made last year’s event the success it was came from those creating the spaces themselves (all of these people/organizations/businesses), the planning and organizing before the big day was taxing for a single person.

With that said, I tried to rally a small group of individuals who would wanted to share the load for the organizing of PARK(ing) Day London 2011, but with only with a couple of interested parties the load was still going to be too heavy for myself and those who expressed interest, given commitments that they already have and individual circumstances.

Because of this I must announce that the 2011 edition of PARK(ing) Day London will take place in a different manner than it did last year. Not because I personally don’t have a lack of passion or energy in general, simply because I have other commitments that must take priority.1

What I plan on doing as far as PARK(ing) Day London 2011 is concerned is the following:

  • Put up online all of the resources that I created and used last year for anyone to use in a manner they deem fitting.
  • I will license the PARK(ing) Day London Logo, the resources and the content on this site under the Creative Commons License so that anyone may use it for their own PARK(ing) Day Installation.
  • I will provide resources, guidance and will field inquiries as to how things were planned and organized last year on an individual inquiry basis.
  • I will, for the sake of some type of organization, put together a collective map on this website for PARK(ing) Day 2011 for anyone who plans on creating a space and sends me the information.
  • I will, in some capacity, do some type of PARK(ing) Day installation this coming September. What this may be, I do not know, but no matter how large or small I will do something.

Beyond what I have listed above I cannot commit to more.

To some this may come as a surprise, but given the requests that I have made and the openness at that it shouldn’t be news. And for those who may think I am quitting I see it being the furthest thing from the truth. As listed, I will do what I can to support those who still want to take this forward and I myself will be doing something in some capacity.

Cheers,

Kevin Van Lierop
www.kevinvanlierop.com
me [at] kevinvanlierop.com

  1. One of these is another event being planned for the same day that I am obligated to organize. [↩]

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