Corrected
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Wait, it’s better than that sounds! Called “parklets” elsewhere—the phrase “people spots” is a Chicago bureaucrat’s invention—they’re repurposed parking spaces with greenery and a few places to sit down. People seem to be pretty attached to them, if the triumphant reaction from a San Francisco native I know is to be trusted. There are more than 30 in that city, where the idea was born, and they’ve spread to other cities, like Vancouver and Philadelphia.
Another “people spot” opened on Friday in Lincoln Park, and two more are planned for 47th Street. Want more “people places”? You’re in luck. The city has a Make Way for People program, aimed at making “People Spots,” “People Streets,” “People Alleys,” and “People Plazas.” Plans listed online remain vague in what that will mean, beyond holding block parties.
