The ninth annual PARK(ing) Day is Sept. 16 and this year’s spot will be on the 700 block of Central Avenue.

On the day, parking spaces are temporarily transformed into a public park and social gathering space.

“Built with a bit of whimsy, part creative process, it calls attention to the fact that we need more open, public, green space downtown. PARK(ing) Day is meant to create an interesting public space in our downtown. The event has the unique ability to reach people, to cut through the thickets of verbal chatter and visual clutter and to propose – lightly and perhaps with a wink – that change and growth is a good thing,” according to the Great Falls Business Improvement District.

The BID coordinates the event and Steve Tilleraas of Tilleraas Landscape and Nursery is designing the space and providing the materials.

Originally created in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure, according to the BID.