The Parklet Project

The Core Project and the City of Sebastopol are sponsoring The Parklet Project, tomorrow, Saturday, April 29th. The Core Project has been working to bring parklets to Sebastopol and was instrumental in getting the city to adopt an ordinance to allow their development. We have participated in PARK(ing) day several times and sponsored a lecture by Robin Abad Ocubillo from San Francisco’s Pavement to Parks program to introduce the community to the idea and the benefits parklets have shown to have in San Francisco.

For those not familiar with parklets, the idea is simply to convert a street parking space to a space for people. Parklets provide for an expansion of the sidewalk for places to stop, rest and relax. It is one way to reclaim part of the public realm for people.

Sebastopol PARK(ing) Day park on Main Street

The Parklet Project will consist of 3 parklets on Main Street and the creation of a plaza from a strange underutilized section of street for one day. The 3 Main Street parklets will be at The Gypsy Cafe/Sebastopol Cookie Company, Retrograde Coffee Roasters and West County Cycle Services. The blocked street is in front of Screamin’ Mimi’s ice cream shop, Glass Fusion and Pottery Too, and Thrive Yoga.

The Parklet Project Locations

As downtown Sebastopol sits at the intersection of two state highways we applied for and received a Caltrans encroachment permit for the event. We’re hoping that this project will show the community the benefits of parklets and in improving the pedestrian realm which is dominated by cars. And we hope that it makes it easier to get an encroachment for a more permanent parklet from Caltrans in the future.

So if you are anywhere near Sebastopol, come by and check out the parklets tomorrow. Sit, relax, converse, support our local businesses and imagine a more people-friendly downtown Sebastopol.

Standardized Parklet Project Design

The Parklet Project Apple Blossom Festival Parade Entry, April 22, 2017.