City of Orlando: One Less Car, One More Park

The City of Orlando hosted the 2nd Annual One Less Car, One More Park event downtown near Lake Eola to showcase the activation of public spaces and green transportation initiatives. Twelve local businesses gathered along Central Blvd to each transform one parallel parking space into miniature parks and exhibits to encourage walking, biking, and other non-motorized forms of transportation.

District Commissioner Patti Sheehan attended the event and awarded the Voter’s Choice winner, Katie Bray Homes, with a recycled parking meter trophy.  The commissioner said, “It’s a matter of using new technology and making us greener, making us healthier and making us make a better use of space altogether.”

Parklets are small spaces that serve as an extension of a sidewalk that provide pedestrian amenities and typically take the form of one or more parking spaces.  Parklets may appear as permanent but are designed for easy removal due to emergencies or shift of location.  Parklets have opened a new means of enhancing both the pedestrian experience and public spaces and have had incredible impact in cities such as San Francisco, San Jose, New York City, and Detroit.

Sheehan noted that Florida has a long way to go and that more funding is needed for green transportation and civic initiatives.  With participation for the event nearly doubling last year’s local firm and voter participation, it seems to be an idea attracting attention and barreling forward.

Click here for Flickr photos

Orlando Business Journal covered the event