Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, August 8, 2001

THE PATERNO TRIVIUM: WHERE ROADS AND PEOPLE MEET

Trivium is Latin for the place where three roads intersect, and Paterno refers to Dr. Charles Paterno, an Italian immigrant who gave up medicine for architecture. Washington Heights today bears the mark of his enthusiasm for new buildings. A new greenstreet at 187th Street in Manhattan named for Paterno it will capture his fondness for green spaces too. Paterno's Palace, as his home on the Hudson was nicknamed, included greenhouses. The man himself-who would have turned 127 on Saturday-wore flowers in his lapel. And his designs left space for gardens. His most visible legacy may be buildings, but his freshest, will be the Trivium.

Landscape Architect Thomas (Trivium) Navin proposed a greenstreet at 187th Street at least three years ago. He designed it, and his group, the Friends of the Paterno Trivium, adopted the petite, green street through Parks' stewardship program. Having helped usher it into existence they will now provide the regular care-weeding, watering, and noticing-for which neighbors are well equipped. Greenstreets will visit the site weekly to offer additional care. This model, in which institutional and neighborhood resources are joined, has proven successful in hundreds of greenstreets and small parks around the city. Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern thanked the Friends of the Paterno Trivium at a ceremony on Saturday, August 4 saying, "we're very pleased to add another flowering island to the streetscape."

The Trivium is the result of a collaboration within City government as well as between citizens and Government. The Department of Transportation raised the greenstreet from a painted triangle to a sidewalk, and Parks planted the Winter King Hawthorn trees and a ground cover of Cowberry, and installed benches according to Mr. Navin's design.

Carla Paterno Darlington, Dr. Charles Paterno's granddaughter, and other family members were present at the greenstreet's first watering ceremony. She, the Friends of the Paterno Trivium, the Department of Transportation, and Parks worked together to create the 1,725th greenstreet in New York City.

Special thanks to the guests and Parkies present at the ribbon cutting: Stanley (Falcon) Michels, Council Member; Liam (Borokeete) Kavanaugh, Chief of Manhattan Operations; Bram (Dogwood) Gunther, Deputy Director of Central Forestry; Thomas Navin, Executive Director of The Friends of the Paterno Trivium and Architect; Andrew S. Dolkart from the Friends of the Paterno Trivium; Lynn Torgerson from the Friends of the Paterno Trivium; Carla P. Darlington, Dr. Charles Vincent Paterno's granddaughter; Jane (Heather) Schachat, Director of North Manhattan Parks; Maria (Passiflora) Posada, Deputy Director of North Manhattan Park; and Eileen (Funny Girl) Remor, Outreach Coordinator for Partnerships for Parks.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Wednesday, August 10, 1988)

ROCKAWAY LIFEGUARDS NUMBER ONE AGAIN
AT TENTH ANNUAL LIFEGUARDS OLYMPICS

The Rockaway Beach lifeguard team of Queens finished first for the fifth consecutive year at the 10th annual Lifeguard Olympics, held at noon yesterday at Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx.

On the hot and sunny beach day, dozens of sunbathers gathered around to watch the opening ceremonies of the competition. Joined by Parks Commissioners from all five boroughs, Commissioner Stern summoned the teams down to the beach, and onlookers cheered as each group made its trek from the boardwalk down to the water's edge. The event was officially declared open when a ceremonial Olympic flame was lit with a torch atop a lifeguard tower.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"When all my five and country senses see,
The fingers will forget green thumbs and mark
How, through the halfmoon's vegetable eye,
Husk of young stars and handfull zodiac,
Love in the frost is pared and wintered by."

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)

Know Before You Go

Paerdegat Basin Park