Urban Couch Potatoes
Just a short a distance from the main drag of the Allentown Art Festival I found these couch potatoes sitting around in order to prove a point. The residents of the Nickel City Housing Co-op (corner of Elmwood and North) had removed a section of their living room in order to install a sort of 'park where you live'... I mean... 'live where you park' demonstration. The installation (if you would be so kind) was geared towards showing people that parking is more of a luxury than anything else. Over the years many Buffalonians have grown accustomed to being able to park just about anywhere they want. If there is not a parking spot available in front of a driver's destination, then there is a parking problem.
The demonstration was called 'More living - Less Parking'. Many of the residents of the co-operative are avid bikers and consider the over-abundance of urban parking a luxury... while others refer to it as a necessary evil. Car culture can be creepy burdensome. The statement was 'driven home' in order to make passer-bys aware that parking should be reevaluated on many levels. The street performance (third year in a row) is an effective way to signal the need for a lifestyle change by many. Some people stopped to learn more, and others just cruised by to get to the festival. How important was that one spot to festival-goers who had to park as far away as Lexington Avenue? I guess it all depends on the individual. What I do know is that a lot of people walked a lot of blocks this weekend - not just in and out of booths, but also in and out of neighborhoods.
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kelly
I don't understand why so many festival visitors insist on driving. The metro lets you off what, two blocks from the start of the festival?? Is it even that far? Yeah, much better to spend $20 in gas driving up and down Elmwood looking for a spot than pay $3 round trip for metro. Craziness.
I think my annoyance is showing, though, because my driveway was blocked. not "a bit of overhang" either, I mean flat out straight in front of the driveway both front and back door over the curb cut couldn't be anything but intentional blocked.. My roommate and I don't have cars, but we'd offered the space to local friends without on-street parking so they could use their own cars over the weekend.
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curmudgeon
Maybe someone could have parked in the space occupied by these guys instead of blocking your driveway? Just kidding! :-)
I love the no-driving Nazis of Buffalo... reminds me of Vancouver... god I miss that place!
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MisterChips
I am all but jumping up and down and cheering at my laptop. Go, Nickle City! I wish I had seen it!
If public parking spaces can be used to temporarily store some kinds of private property (vehicles), then they can be used to temporarily store other kinds of private property. Like couches, coffee tables, and so on. Seems to me if you put your quarters in the meter, you ought to be able to do anything legal with the space.
Here's how activists do it in San Francisco.
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Auburner
Our next President, Mayor Michael Bloomberg would applaud!
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JBooth
Great Job Nickel City!
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STEEL
This is how you save parking spaces in Chicago after you have shoveled it out for 2 back breaking hours.
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Auburner
David This is done during any winter in a Northern City... You could get shot in Boston for sneaking into a parking spot in the North End, same as NYC's Greenwich Villiage... I would not mess with this lot...
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Sal
Nickel City Housing Co-op is an interesting community-living concept. One day a week you can go and eat with the residents if you bring a dish to pass. (I learned the difference between vegan and vegetarian there.)
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mr_charles
Want to learn more about co-ops? Come to our Wednesday night potluck, 7pm, 208 North St.
We are also accepting new members! Go to http://nickelcitycoop.org for more information.
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