Canal Park in Lower Manhattan is a historic park restored and returned to the community in 2005 after spending nearly 80 years as a construction site.
CANAL PARK FROM 1686 to TODAY:
Canal Park has undergone many transformations over the centuries, but its role as a neighborhood green respite and gathering space has remained at its core.
C17TH & C18TH - ONE OF NYC'S FIRST PUBLIC SQUARES: Canal Park was established in 1686 as one NYC's first official public squares, where people would gather to talk and do business.
C19TH - A PUBLIC MARKETPLACE AND PARK: Canal Park served as the site for famous Clinton Country Market and eventually for the city's Flower Market. Eventually, it was taken over by the Parks Department and redesigned by famous landscape architects as a green oasis. The redesign included an interior gathering space.
C20TH - A FORGOTTEN PARK: Canal Park was used as a construction site for the Holland Tunnel, then the West Side Highway, and finally as a parking lot.
C21st - RESTORATION TO PARK: The redesign respects the Park's history, while continuously looking for ways to enhance its appeal to an ever-changing neighborhood.
Please visit our website for a more detailed historical overview, including visuals: http://www.canalparknyc.org/histore/
