A Bowling Green State University architectural design student, who is also a bicycle enthusiast, is the brains behind the latest parklet downtown.

Jason Woodcock is a common sight on his bicycle around town.

“I bike except when the roads are covered in ice,” Woodcock said.

His winning parklet design encourages others to travel to downtown Bowling Green by Woodcock’s preferred mode of transportation. A bicycle rack runs half the length of the parklet platform; built-in seating and planters offer visitors a chance to rest.

Woodcock designed the parklet for the new Grounds for Thought Roaster on South Main Street. The expanded roasting location is still under construction and should be completed later this summer.

In addition to the parklet’s bicycle rack, there is storage for longboards and skateboards under the planters.

“Bowling Green is a great bicycle town – and bicycles are a great way for students to travel downtown,” Woodcock said. “I hope my parklet design gets community members downtown to explore by all sorts of different modes of transportation.”

The parklets in downtown BG were built by Ellen Fure Smith, artist and owner of Little Bare Furniture and Parklet Project member, with the assistance of Woodcock and students, faculty and staff in the BGSU School of Art’s Integrated Studio.

“Jason has been involved in all of the new parklet designs this season. He has been a tremendous resource as we convey our ideas and designs to downtown merchants,” Smith said. “I’m so grateful for all of Jason’s hard work. The Parklet Project would not have gotten over the finish line this season without him.”

In April, the city’s three original parklets were returned to downtown in front of the Grounds for Thought shop, Juniper Brewing Company and Kabob It. In May, parklets were added to North Main Street in front of SamBs and Flatlands Coffee, and to South Main Street in front of Novel Blends.

Flowers are popping up in the parklet planter boxes, planted by Sue Wolf and Wolf’s Blooms and Berries.

The Parklet Project is a fundraising effort launched in 2021 to help downtown businesses install the city’s first parklets. Along with support from more than 70 individuals and local businesses, this year’s parklets are being funded by a $50,000 grant through T-Mobile’s Hometown Grant Program. Bowling Green was one of just 25 communities nationwide to be awarded funds through that program.

Anyone wanting to support future parklets can do so by sending a contribution to “Downtown Foundation Inc. – Parklets” c/o Jeff Dennis, PO Box 406, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402 or visiting downtownbgohio.org/parklet-project.