The concept of PARK(ing) Day is based on the idea that putting money into a parking meter is like ‘renting’ a public space. It is intended to help people rethink the way we use our streets and creates diverse conversations about how we can make sustainable cities.

The Park(ing) ’spaces’ will be created adjacent to ASU Downtown, on 1st St. between Polk St. and Fillmore St. from 7a.m. to 9 a.m.

Please show up to lend your support, or just to absorb with your morning coffee.

For more details on Park(ing) Day in general, visit www.ParkingDay.org, or follow the event itself on Facebook or Yelp.

Jane is (was) Jane Jacobs, an American-born Canadian urbanist, writer and activist, best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), a powerful critique of the urban renewal policies of the 1950s in the United States that led to the vast unnatural sprawl and isolation that plagues our cities today.

Equally well known for her grass-roots organizing and interventions into poorly thought out urban renewal projects that threatened to destroy neighborhoods, her great strength was not simply critiqueing urban sprawl and blinkered urban planning, but offering solutions and proposing radically new principles for rebuilding American cities.

Jane’s Walk is a series of neighbourhood walking tours that helps put people in touch with their environment and with each other, by bridging social and geographic gaps and creating a space for cities to discover themselves. (www.janeswalk.net)

Jane’s Walk Phoenix joined Anchorage, Boston, Cambridge, Dayton (Ohio), Jackson (Mississippi), Moscow (Idaho), New Orleans, New York City, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Spanish Harlem (New York City), Starkville (Mississippi) and St. Louis on the 2009 list. It drew a healthy and mixed crowd. Organizer Yuri Artibise smartly selected a few locations along the way to stop and talk about related issues or the location’s history, which allowed laggers to catch up.

Mainly, though, the issues, histories and anecdotes flowed naturally through the group’s social interaction, as it snaked its way through downtown. This was no ‘tour’ but rather a series of ambulatory conversations intersecting at the point where people and city merge.

Jane’s Walk Phoenix 2009 descends on Roosevelt Historic Park

Differing opinions, different perspectives. Frustrations, experiences, hopes. Personal observations; who used to live here; where the best coffee can be had. It was also a great reminder of how much fun an ad-hoc community can be, and how easily and quickly one can be created.

And having worked in the heart of downtown for 6 years, exploring it freely, it was personally pleasing - and suprising - to find new interesting places. This city continues to reveal itself, repaying
but a minimal investment: a little shoe leather. Thanks, Jane - see you next year!

Pictures:
Jane’s Walk 2009 (all cities)

Jane’s Walk 2009 Phoenix - I

Jane’s Walk 2009 Phoenix - II

Gas to drive to Bookmans: $2

Nelson Algren’s 13 Masterpieces of Black Humor: $2

Finding the book filed in the African American section: Priceless

For trainspotters out there, here are a few of the locations we’ve identified:

Parking Garage, NE Corner of Van Buren & 2nd Ave

Central Ave & Monroe, looking west

Central Ave, Luhrs Tower in the background

Monroe between 2nd and 1st Ave, looking east

US Bank, SE corner of 1st Ave & Monroe

Central Ave & Monroe, looking south, Luhrs Tower in background

Washington, looking towards Central

Wells Fargo, SE corner of Adams & 2nd Ave

SE corner of Washington & 9th St, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in background

And here is video of the whole sorry thing:

I honestly can’t think of much to say about this video.  It made me laugh and feel sorry I missed the filming – I would have loved to see Shaq running down the streets of Phoenix in a blonde wig and cowboy boots. 

He just seems like a likable guy — a superhero of sorts (although, in my mind the evil villain he fights is Joe Arpaio).  It’s good to see him getting out on the streets of Phoenix to have some fun before it gets hot enough to fuse his handcuffs with his hip.