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| Photo: Friends of the Triangle |
Friends of the Triangle – a residents’ group hoping to transform a derelict piece of land into a public green space and community garden in Lancaster – are holding an ‘Eat Cake and Have Your Say’ event on Sunday 23rd September between 2 and 4.00pm, at the Aldcliffe Road Triangle (located between Aldcliffe Road and the canal, opposite the end of Regent Street)
Friends of the Triangle formed earlier this year and have been holding regular volunteer sessions to clean up the site and keep vegetation under control.
Members have also researched the past use of the land and started to draw up plans for improvements, all of which will be on display to look at and discuss on the day.
“This is an opportunity to explore the history of the site,” enthuses Councillor Dave Brookes, chair of the group, said, “view some suggestions for the future, and tell us what you think over a cup of tea and a slice of cake to help us raise some funds.”
The Triangle was formed in the 1790s by the construction of the
Lancaster Canal, which turned a piece of land lying adjacent to
Aldcliffe Road (then Aldcliffe Lane) into a wedge-shaped plot, having as
its shorter third side the then newly built Basin Bridge. Designed by
John Rennie of Lune Aqueduct fame, Bridge 98 is one of Lancaster’s two
‘roving’ or ‘turnover’ bridges, built to allow the towpath to cross from
the west side of the canal to the east, avoiding the coal wharves next
to the canal basins.
Horses were backed over the bridge still hitched
to their towing barges, their tow-ropes gliding smoothly over the metal
staples which connect the coping stones on the parapet.
After a long history of different uses, the Triangle was used by boat builders in the 1980s and 1990s, who
constructed and repaired punts that were hired out for pleasure use by
the Navigation pub on the far side of Penny Street Bridge. The building
adjacent to Aldcliffe Road was used as a workshop and the lean-to was a
storage area for the finished punts.
According to Lancaster City Council
the last legal occupier gave up the land and buildings in December
2004.
• Information can also be found on the Friends of the Triangle website at www.aldclifferdtriangle.org.uk.