Last year, PARK(ing) Day landed on kind of a drizzly day, but it didn't stop the Ballard News-Tribune from playing Battleship with quirky local Marcia Wiley on 22nd Ave NW outside of the Ballard Starbucks.

But besides the Battleship/snack station, Ballard didn't really have much in the way of PARK(ing) Day participation. That can change this year.

PARK(ing) Day, which will take place Friday, Sept. 20, gives locals the chance to convert a couple of on-street parking spaces into a temporary mini-park. No cost. You just need to bring your ideas and register.

Started in 2005 by San Francisco design firm Rebar, PARK(ing) Day has become an annual event and an international sensation. In 2012, community groups, residents, businesses, designers, and artists in over 160 cities in 35 countries participated in PARK(ing) Day to encourage a sustainable urban environment. This will be the fifth year that Seattle has participated.

The Seattle Department of Transportation is accepting applications under a single free Street Use permit, and there are some easy-to-follow guidelines on its updated webpage. You can propose a park either in two mid-block parking spaces on an arterial street or in one mid-block space on a residential street. To ensure the park meets some basic safety standards, you will need to submit a site plan and location description no later than August 30. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be an architect, engineer, or artist to draw it. All application materials can be sent via email to jennifer.wieland@seattle.gov.

For additional information about Seattle PARK(ing) Day, including application requirements, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/seattleparkingday.htm

Follow Ballard News-Tribune on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ballardnewstrib

And Twitter at http://twitter.com/ballardnewstrib