by Ronald Drenger

The transformation of an unsightly and dangerous traffic island in northern Tribeca into a colorful, tree-filled park is about to begin.

Construction work on the triangular island, covering nearly an acre at the corner of Canal, Varick and Laight streets, just in front of the Screening Room, is scheduled to begin this month. The park should be in full bloom in the fall, with a variety of trees, shrubs and colorful flowers planted by the city’s Parks Department, and with benches, a grassy knoll and possibly a fountain.

The park will be surrounded by a fence, with three entrances near the corners, and it will be closed at night, like other city parks.

The island has long been used as a parking lot, and a resting place for cars that break down in the Holland Tunnel. Lacking sidewalks, the triangle has posed a hazard to pedestrians, particularly those walking along Canal Street, who sometimes are forced to walk in the roadway.

“We’ll have a nice green space instead of that awful, dangerous parking lot,” said Judy Duffy, Community Board 1’s assistant district manager, who worked closely with government agencies on the park’s development. “It’s wonderful. It’s never been anything but a traffic triangle.”

Duffy presented the latest plans for the park at a meeting of CB1’s Tribeca Committee on Feb. 6.

Planning for the park has involved an unusually smooth, well-coordinated effort by multiple city agencies, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and CB1. The Port Authority and the city’s Department of Transportation each owns half of the lot, and both agreed to let the Parks Department create an oasis on the site as part of its Greenstreets program.

The joint effort and divided ownership make for a interesting construction schedule. Starting the week of Feb. 9, the Department of Transportation will do excavation work, digging out pavement and removing cobblestones—which will be saved and probably integrated into the design of the new park. Another city agency, the Department of Design and Construction, will then construct a curb and sidewalk on the Varick Street side of the triangle, which is owned by the city. When they’re done, the Port Authority moves in, adding sidewalks to the other two sides.

Construction will continue through the fall, when the Parks Department hopes to do its planting.

The park was supposed to be constructed in the fall of 2001. On Sept. 6 of that year, CB1’s Duffy and all of the agencies involved met to review final plans. The terrorist attack five days later delayed the project for a year and a half.

A plaque or some other tribute to city rescue workers may be incorporated into the park, according to Duffy.