The concept of parklets is nothing new, but an international initiative is bringing the idea to the public. September 21 is the eighth annual celebration of PARK(ing) Day, which encourages artists, designers, and regular citizens to transform metered parking spaces into temporary public parks.

The movement started in 2005, when a San Francisco art and design studio decided to rent a streetside parking space for the maximum two hours allowed on the meter and convert it into an inviting oasis for the public. Located in a park-poor section of town, the simple minipark consisted of sod, a potted tree, a park bench, and a chain fence that cordoned off the space from the street. Since then, the initiative has spawned thousands of imitators who have “reprogrammed” single parking spaces into free health clinics, temporary urban farms, free bicycle repair clinics, musical performance stages, and just relaxing “people spots,” where the public can find an unexpected respite in the middle of the day.

According to the PARK(ing) Day, “The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat…at least until the meter runs out!” The 2011 event generated 975 pop-up parks in 162 cities in 35 countries on six continents, and 2012 is forecast to be the biggest year yet. Financial support from various groups including the Trust for Public Land have made it easier than ever to participate and bring small spots of serenity to your community.