Newburgh holds second annual park(ing) day

By Lina Wu
Posted 10/16/19

 

On a Friday last month, parking spots all over Newburgh took on a different image in honor of Newburgh’s second annual Park(ing) Day.

“Park(ing) Day is an intervention of …

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Newburgh holds second annual park(ing) day

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On a Friday last month, parking spots all over Newburgh took on a different image in honor of Newburgh’s second annual Park(ing) Day.

“Park(ing) Day is an intervention of trying to take private parking spaces and make them into public parklets, in an effort to give awareness of the fact that we need more green spaces,” said Cher Vickers, of Newburgh Restoration. Parklets are sidewalk extensions that provide more space and amenities for people using the street.

The Department of Small Interventions, and Newburgh Restorations collaborated on this year’s Park(ing) Day. This year, they collaborated with businesses all over the city. The received a small grant from the Orange County Citizens Foundation to help with the funding for the signs and get the materials out for all locations. Newburgh is one of the many chapters of Park(ing) Day across the nation.

“[We] reach out to different businesses [to organize the event],” said Naomi Hersson-Ringskog, the founder of the Department of Small Interventions. Hersson-Ringskog believes that “the creativity really comes from the participants, the business owners.”

Located in front of Grit works on Broadway was one of the many parklets across the city. The specific parklet was hosted by Newburgh Repair Café, while Grit works provided the space. In partnership with the Repair Café were many organizations like Newburgh Free Academy P-Tech, Foti Flowers, Bleu’s Canine Rescue, The Department of Small Interventions, and Newburgh Restorations.

Orange County Legislator Kevindaryán Luján was one of the organizers of the parklet. Luján was grateful for the help and support of the groups that worked in partnership with Newburgh Repair Cafe. “We wanted to make sure the community felt connected,” said Luján. “That’s why we wanted to be right in front of Broadway.”

Luján’s parklet offered refreshments, games, activities, and two pit-bulls from Bleu’s Canine Rescue. The parklet had individuals of all ages. P-tech students took a few hours off from class to participate in the parklet. “We got to have fun, and play Jenga and chillout,” said Alana Harris, a P-tech Senior.

In addition to being an opportunity for the community to connect, Park(ing) Day was also used as an opportunity for community activism.
In front of Liberty Street Vintage lied a parklet with a more unique look. “I immediately jumped for the chance through Liberty Street Vintage to do a Mad Hatter’s tea party, said Tamsin Hollo, owner of Liberty Street Vintage and member of The Newburgh Clean Water Project. “When I looked at the date, I realized it’s climate strike day. So, I got together with some people and we decided to do the Danskammer house of horrors. “

The Danskammer power plant is a fracked power plant. It’s currently under controversy, because of the calls to stop its repowering by climate action groups. Activists worry about its potential negative impact on the environment.

Hollo partnered with groups like the New York State Democratic Socialists of America, and The Newburgh Clean Water Project.

To Hollo, the parklet was a great opportunity to educate the public. But they still got the occasional heckler. “We had one guy say he really loves fracking,” laughed Hollo. “I tend to think maybe he’s not getting fracked enough, if he loves fracking so much.”

“I definitely want to do this every day, sitting out in the street having tea and cupcakes. This is my first time participating,” said Hollo.

“Absolutely [I will be participating next year] this has been so much fun. I love seeing everyone else’s parking spaces and creativity on display.”