A new type of tactical urbanism will be on display in Burlington this week, with the installation of a parklet on College Street outside of Onyx Tonics and Deli 126. The pop up project is a collaboration between the BBA and AARP Vermont.
Pop up Parklets are becoming a popular feature of communities around the world. The aim is to add street vibrancy and create welcoming environments for pedestrians in spots that had previously been reserved for vehicle parking. These sites provide passers by a place to sit, relax and enjoy the environment around them. Parklets typically extend out from the permanent sidewalk and create a communal space for people to enjoy.
This type of design is particularly helpful in places where sidewalks are not wide enough to accommodate street life activities. In major cities like Montreal, parklets are key ingredient in designing sidewalkscapes that support a wide variety of uses.
The College Street project will feature a total area of 6′ x 16′ and include benches, tables, planters and even overhead string lighting. All of this will exist in an area normally occupied by two parking spaces. Tactical urbanism projects like this one, are low cost, temporary builds that highlight different potential uses for a space while promoting local businesses. The site will be fully deconstructed on September 27th.
Crews from Ward Joyce Design were hard at work on Thursday building the outdoor deck and seating area. Ward Joyce Design has previously completed parklet projects in Montpelier and Brattleboro. For more information about materials used on the parklet project head to betterblock.org/wikiblock/.
Associated costs for the project are being paid by AARP Vermont and the Burlington Business Association. No Burlington taxpayer funds are involved with the project.