RideWise Brings Pop-Up Parklet to Somerville for Earth Day

RideWise partnered with the Downtown Somerville Alliance and the Somerville Starbucks on Friday, April 22, and celebrated Earth Day by setting up a pop-up parklet to demonstrate how sidewalks can serve as mini-parks for pedestrians and shoppers. 

Starbucks customers enjoyed drinks and snacks while sitting in the parklet, which was available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The evening saw the parklet filled with people enjoying the music of harpist Patricia Turse. 

“The project intended to show how quickly and easily a parklet can be built using only a small amount of space and inexpensive materials like traffic cones, planters, and benches,” said Donna Allison, Executive Director for RideWise. 

Parklets are bringing about a fundamental shift in how people and communities think about public spaces. This movement aims to create mini-parks into places for art, play, and activism.

The RideWise parklet is available for Somerset County communities to borrow to provide shoppers, cyclists, or pedestrians with a place to stop and rest while enjoying the downtown. 

“It’s the perfect way to test-drive the concept of a parklet before committing to building one,” said Donna. Learn more at ridewise.org/parklets.