For several years, Georgia Students of Landscape Architecture (GSLA) designed and installed temporary parklets on College Avenue as a part of National Park(ing) Day. What was at first just a parking spot or two, the installation grew to take up almost the whole block due to its popularity and GSLA’s growing relationship with the Athens-Clarke County Government. Their installations consisted of seating, plantings, live music, games, and public art.

Due to the immense success of Park(ing) Day and the demand for public outdoor space during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Athens-Clarke County Government decided to temporarily close one block of College Avenue to vehicles to prioritize pedestrian connectivity and public social space. This pilot project was slated to last six months but has since become a long-term tactical urbanism installation in Downtown Athens. During this time, the ACC Government also created a Parklet Pilot program that allows local businesses and individuals to submit a permit for a 100-day parklet installation. The prioritization of reclaiming public space for pedestrian use would not have happened without GSLA’s initiative to bring Park(ing) Day to Athens.

With the popularity of the temporary closure of College Avenue, the ACC Government decided to make College Square Plaza a permanent feature in Downtown Athens. The image above shows the preliminary design completed by local landscape architecture firm WLA Studio in August 2021. The design proposes creating “rooms” within in the space using a variety of hardscape materials in addition to increasing the amount of plants in the space. College Square Plaza is a perfect example of how a small tactical urbanism installation initiated by students can lead to long-term change.