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Upper West Side Celebrates (Park)ing Day

By Leslie Albrecht | September 17, 2010 4:59pm | Updated on September 18, 2010 9:58am

By Leslie Albrecht

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

UPPER WEST SIDE — In the battle for control of New York City's streets, cars lost some ground on Friday.

New Yorkers commandeered parking spots and turned them into "human-friendly" zones as part of an international celebration called (Park)ing Day.

The annual event promotes the idea that streets aren't just for cars, but for people and green space too. About 50 parking spots across the five boroughs were repurposed for the event, which was organized by cycling, walking and transit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives.

"It's to remind people that we needn't be a car-centric city; we can be a grass-o-centric city," said Eileen Max, 68, a member of the West 75th Street Block Association, which took over a parking spot on the bustling corner of West 75th Street and Broadway.

Block association president Dee Rieber showed up at 8:30 a.m., when drivers moved their cars out of metered spots, and staked out her territory. She set up benches, card tables and foam flooring tiles to transform the concrete into a mini lounge.

"We're in the middle of a major traffic area in the city," Rieber said, as a delivery truck roared past and taxi idled nearby. "As residents we're contending with all this activity. The idea is to raise awareness that life in the city is about people, it's about neighbors, it's about connecting."

On Broadway and West 113th Street, a group of Columbia University students hijacked 180 square feet of parking space and built a makeshift dorm room complete with a canopied bed, coat rack, table and TV stand.

City Councilwoman Gale Brewer took over a parking spot outside her office on Columbus Avenue and West 87th Street. She set up a table, chairs and umbrella and served coffee, doughnuts and fruit.

At West 75th and Broadway, passerby Joshua Sledge, 35, said he liked the event. Sledge, of Park Slope, said he doesn't drive or use public transportation and rides a bike almost everywhere.

"It's a great way to get some attention to the problems the autocentric attitude of the city causes, like the terrible congestion," Sledge said.

"But it's also a little depressing that this is necessary. There's so many things the city could do to make us less car dependent, but they just don't happen. I hope to see it in my lifetime."

He added, "I didn't imagine this would be the neighborhood where this would happen. I thought it would be more of a northwest Brooklyn thing."