A concept first developed by John Bela, Blaine Merker, and Matthew Passmore in San Fransisco, Park(ing) Day has become a global urbanist holiday. Since 2005, design firms around the world have been turning single parking stalls into mini parks, temporarily reclaiming streetscapes for a day. These temporary installations provide vibrant representation of a city’s culture, while serving as examples of how to test and identify a community’s needs. This year, O2 Planning + Design turned a parking stall into a mini oasis for our canine friends. Bark Park is a prime example of how a dog park can provide more than just room to roam; the space can become both a functional and memorable space for all.
With its unique cloud-shaped border fence, Bark Park is the world’s smallest small dog park concept. The fence also serves as seating and provides a whimsical backdrop for Calgary’s bustling Centre Street. Within Bark Park, the interior space is painted with vivid pops of blue and yellow, a perfect colour palette for your dichromatic pup! The park received a warm welcome from the public, serving as an example of a more inclusive space. It provided an interactive experience for both pedestrians and their pets, sparking a conversation about public space use and the untapped potential of our streets and urban spaces.
O2 has been involved in a number of streetscape pop-up installations around Canada – most recently, our King St. installation was featured in Toronto’s Everyone is King: Design Build Competition. O2 designed the city’s first modular urban green park, showcasing a vibrant place-making “KING ST.” sign when viewed from above.
*Bark Park was donated to O2’s neighbours at the VCA 17th Avenue Animal Hospital.
Image Credits | O2 Planning + Design
