Where We're Headed

Let's talk about us, about PPL:

First, Park(ing) Day is looking better every day. Last night we had the first organization meeting and many great ideas were bounced around. Our grant writer is optimistic that we will receive a grant large enough to cover the required insurance, pay for some advertising, and to allow us to offer some prize money for the best parks.

Prize money? Yes, prize money.

Though we have yet to choose an actual tagline for the theme of the parks, it will revolve around the idea of "activating vacant spaces." Maybe you're an architect (ahem, Pb Elemental and Castanes, you're both invited) and have a grand idea for temporary living units and you want to display it in your park. Or perhaps you're an artist and a gardener (ROW Garden organizers, I'm looking at you), and your park is surrounded by conceptual sketches of ways to garden in a dim alley. Or whatever (SVR, you and your backyard chickens come to mind). The point is, if we win the grant, funds will be available to help reimburse some of creators of the best parks for the time and materials they put into their space.

And that's not all.

I'm meeting a gentleman in the morning who wants to run a design charette for a future community center as an event during Park(ing) Day. More details later, but, in general, we will likely set up an event where people can share their ideas about what such a center would provide, like copiers, computers, and large scale printers for local activist groups.

We're also talking music.

And maybe a movie as night falls.

Street food could arrive at lunch time, because even occupying an empty space burns calories.

I envision some temporary gardens to add some greenery to our space. Where will these gardens end up afterward? Maybe that's a whole new project in itself.

Another idea is a free yoga session in the morning as everything gets going, similar to Equalityoga at Pride.

And speaking of yoga...

We've also been talking to the owner of the Oddfellow's Building about offering community yoga in the old Seattle Running Company retail space on the corner of Pine and 10th.


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As with all our events, money for insurance and a little rent is the main hurdle, but we're working on finding some. One option is that the instructors will put up the money and we'll hope to recoup it through donations (hint hint). Another is that we'll obtain umbrella coverage as an arts organization, but that entails lots of paperwork. Wanna be our sugar daddy/momma?

More updates coming soon. Get in touch if you have any questions, comments, or donations (wink).