"Instant Park" appears on Milwaukee Avenue

The Trust for Public Land, Friends of Bloomingdale Trail reclaim local green space

The Trust for Public land celebrated parks and promoted the need for more parks in America’s cities by converting public street parking spots into temporary public parks.

In Chicago, The Trust for Public Land (TPL), along with Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail, created an "instant park" at 1801 N. Milwaukee Ave. to call attention to their work with the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District and other supporters to create more parks and green space for Chicago’s neighborhoods—particularly the Bloomingdale Trail.

“The Bloomingdale Trail is an ambitious project, and one that will bring new green space to many Chicago communities,” said Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd). “The Trust for Public Land is our partner in this initiative because they share the City’s vision of reclaiming outdoor space wherever possible and transforming it into places for Chicagoans to walk, play and enjoy the natural environment.”

“Chicago is known worldwide for its incredible lakeshore parks,” added TPL Chicago Area Director Beth White, “but as Chicago’s neighborhoods grow and change, the need for new parks is obvious and pressing. Projects like the Bloomingdale Trail will link neighborhoods and enrich our lives.”

The Bloomingdale Trail will be a three-mile-long elevated park along the dormant Bloomingdale railroad viaduct on Chicago’s northwest side, midway between North and Armitage avenues. The trail is planned to have eight access points and an extension east under the Kennedy Expressway leading to a nearby bike lane.

“The health of our community depends on how we interact with each other. And parks naturally connect people better than any other means. The Bloomingdale Trail will literally connect us as a community,” stated Julia Kim of the Friends of Bloomingdale Trail on what Park(ing) Day means to residents of Chicago.

There are more square feet of public parking spaces than public parks in America. National Park(ing) Day is an opportunity to reclaim public parking spaces for parks and open spaces – places for people to enjoy. In Chicago, the Near Northwest Arts Council helped to transform five metered parking spaces into a “park” for the day—complete with grass, plants, sculpture, seating and renderings of the Bloomingdale trailhead.

“Park(ing) Day is a fun way to not only celebrate Chicago’s parks, but also to think about how parks improve our urban habitat,” said Tim Mitchell, general superintendent and chief executive officer for the Chicago Park District. “We will continue to work with organizations like TPL to enhance the quality of life for all Chicagoans by protecting and developing our great city’s open spaces.”

In addition to the temporary park created on Milwaukee, Park(ing) Day was also celebrated outside the offices of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation at 9 W. Hubbard St.

“Park(ing) Day demonstrates more efficient and more environmentally friendly ways to fill public land. For every car parking space, 12 no-emission vehicles — bicycles — can fit. In fact, some Portland communities are converting on-street car parking to on-street bicycle and mo-ped parking,” said Chicagoland Bicycle Federation Executive Director Rob Sadowsky.

Community and corporate supporters joining The Trust for Public Land in Chicago’s Park(ing) Day event include the Near Northwest Arts Council, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, Chicago Critical Mass, Columbia College, and Christy Webber Landscapes, among others.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Constance Buscemi
Phone: (312) 744-2976
E-mail: Constance.Buscemi@cityofchicago.org
Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007