On Park(ing) Day, Pershing Square Hosts First Night of Movie Series

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — On Friday, grassroots teams joined with civic and company groups for Park(ing) Day LA, making dry urban space into spots where people could picnic, park bikes, and give dogs sod.

In the evening, Pershing Square joined the fun, welcoming 100 people for a screening of “Blade Runner.” While not technically a part of Park(ing) Day, programming for the park shares many of the same issues faced by those who designed the temporary spaces.

For the last few decades the park has sat on top of a parking garage roof, giving Pershing Square Senior Recreation Director Louise Capone a connection to those who made park spaces out of a single spot. While future development promises to bring a redesign, the park’s landscaping limitations mean that right now, improvements will come through programming.

The “Friday Night Flicks” film series will run for three more weeks, and is co-sponsored by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. A PDF flyer is available on the Pershing Square site.

Before it’s said in the comments, yes, turning off the lights may the best way to not see dry fountains and purple block. It was also a way to watch a film about a futuristic L.A. with the skyline sitting alongside you like a companion on a parking spot, that for a few hours, was an integral part of the city.