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Did you know today is national Parking Day.

Yes, such a thing exists and it’s being celebrated here in Asbury Park, where like most Jersey Shore beach communities, a limited amount of supply has yet to meet the growing demand.

So, if you happen past Cookman Avenue’s art block that houses Parlor Gallery and The ShowRoom, you’ll see a preliminary vision of what the downtown could look like if parking was temporarily stalled for say a Friday or Saturday evening.

Sitting in front of Cookman Creamery is a parklet – a park within a parking space; reutilized as a temporary public amenity, the City’s Director of Planning and Redevelopment Michele Alonso explained.

Alonso, who successfully executed the concept in Newark as a community volunteer build effort, enlisted the aid of members of the City’s Department of Planning and Redevelopment, Public Works, Planning Board, Environmental Shade Tree Committee [ESTC], Asbury Park Complete Streets Coalition, and B2 Creative to bring the concept to fruition. It took them 2 1/2 days to execute the design. 

“Sit, relax and enjoy,” she said benched structure lined with plants. “Have a drink or some food if you desire. Chat with a friend. And you don’t have to feed the meter.”

And while there is no proposal to do away with street parking stalls along Cookman Avenue, Alonso said when more parking is created to service the downtown, the stalls could be retooled on a temporary basis for creative uses, thereby transforming the downtown into a more walkable corridor. Be it pop up art installation, live music, family friendly activities or even extended seating and display for the downtown venues, the possibilities are endless.

B2 Creatives Founder/Creative Director Songan Brunner said the temporary structure was built using sustainable materials like refurbished pallets.

Materials for the project were donated by  US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Standard Supply Company, Sherwin Williams,Landscaping, Lowes, and Guaranteed Landscaping.

The parklet will remain in front of Cookman Creamery through the day’s end. It well then move to Lake Avenue in front of the ESTC AP planting at the base of the footbridge at Emory Street, and will make another debut during the Oct. 14 [rain date Oct. 15] Better Bock Asbury Park planned in the Springwood Avenue corridor.

That event is being planned to promote the growth of a healthy, vibrant, and liveable westside through a glimpse of what the neighborhood could become. It will be a collaboration of city organizations and groups presenting not only health and wellness offerings but an array of food popups and farmer’s market, art installations, music and family friendly events. More details to come…

In the meantime, Alonso said there will also be a community volunteer day to help build more pallet furniture for the October event.

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