PARK(ing) Day
“We’re about re-localising food production – get it going in your own back yard”
TWO NELSON growers made a stand yesterday, by taking a seat in Hardy Street.
Nick Kiddey and Penny Olsen transformed a parking space into a back-yard tea party scene to celebrate international PARK(ing) Day.
Originally created by Rebar, San Francisco art and design collective, PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into spaces: temporary public parks.
It is strictly a non-commercial project, intended to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generosity and play.
Prompting Nick and Penny to bring in bales of hay, plants, tools, garden furniture and of course, a tea set.
“We’ve gone for a garden lounge to encourage people to think more about where their food comes from,” said Nick, who has been heavily invovled in the NPA’s Open Orchard scheme.
“We’re about re-localising food production – get it going in your own back yard.”
The pair hired the park from Nelson City Council for $10 and used the space to dispense free gardening advice.
“Some people came up for advice on composting and some others wanted to know about growing kiwi fruit,” Penny said.
They even had potting mix, pots and seeds on hand incase passers by wanted to start their own sunflower plant.
“We’re just trying to promote all the things going on locally that are there to help you grow,” Nick said.
