NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Outside the Wilburn Street Tavern in East Nashville, something other than cars lined the street.
"Parking Day is a global event that's all about advocating for more pedestrian public space," said Communications & Advocacy Manager for the Civic Design Center, Veronica Foster.
It's a day the Civic Design Center has celebrated for ten years in Nashville, but this year brought a new idea.
Foster said, "this is the very first parklet that has gone through the permit process."
The parklet is a structure designed to re-purpose part of the public right of way for pedestrians.
"It could be a patio for a business, it could be just seating for the community," said Foster. "Some cities all over the world they just put out parklets just for benches, just for people to sit and for the public space."
This structure was selected as part of a competition hosted by the Civic Design Center.
Ron Yearwood and his team built the space in just four weeks. "We really drew inspiration from the mountain aspect and a lot of the interior decor," he said.
His design beat out several other submissions, but it's a project he hopes to do more of in the future.
"That's the whole point of Parking Day is really to get this idea out there," said Yearwood. "We can do so much more in our public space, this is a public right of way."
Now that permitting is available, he hopes other businesses in Nashville will do the same.
