A part of Central Park that hasn’t changed much since the Lyndon Johnson administration is about to get a facelift.
The area around Lasker Rink and Pool, just below the 11-acre Harlem Meer in the park’s north end, will be getting a whole new look as the Central Park Conservancy unveiled plans on Wednesday for massive renovations slated to be the largest project in the group’s history.
The revisioning of the area includes replacing the Lasker Pool — with its aging structure beyond repair — with a new facility more integrated into the surrounding greenspace. The goal is to build a place that can be used by visitors year-round and allows for better access to the north end of Central Park between the North Woods and Harlem Meer, the group says.
In addition to the new facility, there are plans for a new pool and outdoor splash pad, a seasonal ice rink and a boardwalk in the Harlem Meer that converts to a skating ribbon in winter, which can be access from an open-air pavilion on the shoreline.
The group also aims to restore the waterway that runs from the Ravine into the Meer, which currently goes underground once it hits Lasker Pool.
The project is slated to cost $150 million, according to the Conservancy, $50 million of which will come from the city.
Once the renovations are complete, a slate of year-round recreational activities and programs, such as boating, fishing, nature walks and wildlife observation, will be available to the public, the Conservancy said.
The project is slated to begin in spring 2021 and finish up in time for the pool season of 2024.
Photo Credit: Central Park Conservancy
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