Dreams of Depaving

This week I moved from San Francisco to Colorado Springs and among many culture shocks, I'm astounded by the amount of pavement, parking lots, and un/mis-used public space in this town of nearly half-a-million.  

Synchronistically, I recently learned about a Portland-based organization called Depave.  Their mission is to remove unnecessary concrete from urban areas and in those reclaimed spaces, plant gardens. Here's how  depave.org describes the rationale:

The problem is concrete. Paved surfaces contribute to stormwater pollution, whereby rainwater carries toxic urban pollutants to local streams and rivers, greatly degrading water quality and riparian habitats. Pavement also disconnects us from our natural world.

For instructions on how to rip up pavement and clear away parking lots, visit www.depave.org.  I wonder if we could plan a depaving day here in Colorado Springs?