LA’ll be getting a whole buncha new parks a week from today — albeit temporary ones. The second annual Park[ing] Day LA — when green space-loving activists turn car parking spots into temporary urban parks — returns Friday, Sept. 19.

Last year’s Park[ing] Day was a fun success — though I sorta missed it due to the rain. I plan to park it this year though!

Find out what parks’ll be popping up near you via the Park[ing] Day LA map. Unfortunately, details are rather scant on the site itself — so I emailed the people organizing the 3 parks nearest me for deets:

>> Global Green and Permaculture will be collaborating on a park with a sustainable landscaping theme. Global Green’ll showcase Cali native plants from Theodore Payne Foundation, and Permaculture will show edible gardens. It all happens in front of the Global Green office, 2218 Main St., Santa Monica from 10 am - 3 pm.

>> David, a LEED AP at the S.E.A. Studio of Environmental Architecture, is actually having a planning meeting starting at 2 pm today! Unfortunately, I can’t make it — but the park itself’ll be open in front of the Studio at 1920 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica for “most of the day.”

>> Carissa of Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners didn’t give me much details, but urged me to stop by the park in front of their offices at 933 Pico Blvd sometime between 11:30 am and 3:30 pm.

I encourage everyone to visit the parks near them instead of driving to far-off sites and searching for parking, which’d pretty much totally defeat the point of Park[ing] Day. Of course, it’s not too late to create your own park! Just register it here so other park-goers can pay it a visit.

In addition to the parks themselves, Farmlab’ll host a FREE noon panel discussion titled Lots Angeles — On Parking in L.A. and Elsewhere about park space and parking in Los Angeles. Speakers include UCLA Planning Professor Don Shoup and Erik Knutzen, author of Home Grown Evolution.

And of course, there’ll be a party! Stop by the A+D Museum for the Park[ing] Day LA Afterparty, with music provided by Little Radio and KCRW and beer by New Belgium Brewery. The event’s open to all — and I’m waiting for info on what time it all starts.

See you in the park –

Update, 9/17/08: More details on the events, including a bike tour and the afterparty.

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