National PARKing day comes to Seaside.

The idea was first hatched in San Francisco, in 2005: Convert a metered parking space into a public park for one day, creating what has since become known as a “parklet.”

Eleven years later, on Friday, Sept. 16, the concept will finally arrive to Seaside. Between 10am and 2:30pm, two blocks on Broadway Avenue – between Calaveras and Hillsdale streets – will be reduced to two lanes of traffic, and numerous parking spaces will be turned into parklets.

The city will be one of many across the globe doing the same, as the third Friday in September has become known as PARK(ing) Day, an annual exercise in reimagining urban public spaces.

Seaside’s participation in the event came by way of Gloria Stearns, an economic development program manager for who started working for the city Aug. 15. A day later, while brainstorming in a meeting, she suggested Seaside take part.

Stearns has since been reaching out to local businesses, on Broadway and elsewhere in Seaside, and has recruited about 10 to join in the festivities.

“They are very happy we’re doing this,” Stearns says, adding that the city will have a parklet with a fish theme. “We’re trying to have fun with it.”

A group of judges will give awards to the most creative parklets, and the event promises to be a preview to the planned revitalization of West Broadway, when the four-lane street will be reduced to two lanes and the street will have bike lanes and wider sidewalks.

Using grants, the city hopes to begin that yearlong project in April 2017.