Parking Lot Repurposing

[Twog]

A New York Times article from the sunday edition today is highly relevant to the Transition Movement. Michael Kimmelman writes about parking lots and other parking spaces as holding potential for much more democratic uses than enabling consumers to find convenient access to marketplaces, and dwellings to have spaces for tenants.

This is relevant to Bellingham and Whatcom County. Recently I was out Guide Meridian where the new Value Village store is, and found delight in the fact that these big buildings and lots were empty. Personally I was not exited to see these places get built in the first place. Now there appears to be wonderful opportunity to repurpose these spaces. There are businesses in town that have been doing just the kind of repurposing that seems relevant here. Terra Organica transformed the old Tube Time space into a hub for community- multiple businesses providing coffee, groceries, books, and more, as well as a community atmosphere and serving as an art gallery. Allied Arts has taken unoccupied spaces and turned them into arts and crafts shows during the holiday shopping season. O'Donnell's Bellingham Flea Market has been inhabiting various spaces around Bellingham, transforming abandoned space into usefulness.

I will allow myself to dream of new ways to make spaces such as parking lots into community uses, I hope you allow yourself to dream too!

-Kyler Boyes