In an effort to ease parking conditions around Fountain Square Park in Bowling Green, some downtown business owners are banding together and pushing an initiative they call “Share the Square.”

Kristen Robinette, owner of the downtown business Back Down South and the person leading the effort, told the Daily News the initiative involves encouraging those who visit and work on the square to limit their parking times there, freeing up space for more people to park throughout the day.

“We all know that parking is the biggest issue down here,” Robinette told the Daily News. “It is (a) constant, constant debate, and it has been for many years.”

Robinette said the idea behind “Share the Square” is just that — sharing the square. She said instead of cars being parked downtown all day long, the parking spaces around downtown should be left open more often.

Parking around Fountain Square Park is free 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Nearby, a parking garage next door to the Bowling Green Ballpark contains over 850 parking spots available to the public free of charge.

Robinette said while the garage sits just a block away from downtown shops, many visitors do not want to use it. However, utilizing it and other parking options is necessary in her view.

“We need the best of both worlds,” Robinette said. “We need people who are willing to park in the parking garage and walk … but also, the spaces in front of all these businesses, it would be awesome if there was more of a turnover.”

Signs are currently in place around Fountain Square that limit customer parking to two hours. The Bowling Green Police Department does not enforce this, though, and the city does not employ towing services or ticketing on city property.

Robinette said towing is not being looked at as a way to open up parking spaces.

“Nobody wants to tow anybody,” she said.

Robinette said sometimes, visitors to the square will dine out and then visit some other businesses. She said Share the Square is not meant for these individuals. Rather, it’s meant mainly for those who work downtown and park on the square for work.

“(It’s) so simple, just don’t park on the square if you’re going to be here all day,” she said.

Currently, Share the Square has only had a social media presence. Posts encouraging people to free up space have been shared on social media. A post was made on Downtown BGKY’s Facebook page on Feb. 4, notifying users about the push and encouraging shared usage of downtown parking.

Telia Butler, the city’s downtown development coordinator, said while posts have been shared, the effort is a “grassroots” one among businesses. Still, Butler thinks it’s a “great idea.”

“Share the Square is positive and encouraging,” she said. “It is a truly grassroots thing that the downtown neighbors came up with, and I’m glad that they did and I’m happy to support it.”