Brussels-City to establish four ‘parklets’ in disused parking spots

Brussels-City is investing €144,000 in four ‘parklets’. The new infrastructure will be placed in former parking spaces.

Parklets are popping up in cities across the US and Europe. Taking up the space on a street that once belonged to parking spots, they take the shape of little gardens with picnic tables, play structures for kids or bike parking with benches.

It’s the same concept as the Bûûmparks that popped up on city streets last summer. Brussels-City plans to establish the parklets in former parking spaces that no longer exist – such as in streets that have recently been pedestrianised.

According to mobility city councillor Bart Dhondt (Groen), four different types of parklets will be designed. The municipality has put out a call for projects.

“Residents of our city need breathing room, now more than ever,” Dhondt told Bruzz. “Parklets provide a place to sit, to drink something or just to enjoy a little bit of a greener environment.”

Photos, from top: A parklet in San Francisco, where the concept originated about 15 years ago ©Earthbound.report; a parklet in Ukraine ©Sergiy Palamarchuk/Wikipedia