Central Park is Growing!

Hello, Lovers of Central Park!

Spring in Central Park has always been a time of transformation. But this spring marks a season of excitement on an unprecedented scale. It will also usher in a new era in the Central Park Conservancy’s commitment to making New York a better, more livable city.

With four major milestones on the horizon, the Conservancy is not only making major improvements in the Park—we are also taking on larger civic issues like accessibility, public safety, and civility. Because, as the Park gets better, so does New York.

On April 26, we open the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer—our most ambitious project to date is the culmination of more than four decades of renewal in the north end of Central Park. Designed as a year-round hub, the Davis Center features an innovative, state-of-the-art deck system that accommodates swimming in the summer, ice skating in the winter, and a green in the spring and fall—an approach that could serve as a model for other recreational facilities across the City. Beautifully integrated into the Park’s landscape, the Davis Center will create new ways to explore and experience the rustic north end.

In mid-May, we will reopen the Conservatory Garden, a beloved sanctuary that has undergone a complete restoration. Over the past three years, our team has revitalized the iconic pergola and crabapple allées, restored the fountains and furnishings, and modernized the infrastructure. The three distinct gardens—English, Italian, and French—are ready to come back to life just in time for spring.

Then there are our newly re-envisioned Drives! Central Park’s Drives serve as the City’s arteries, carrying millions of pedestrians, runners, cyclists, and skaters in a steady rhythm of continuous—and sometimes chaotic—movement. To ensure a safer, more functional space, we partnered with the City to commission The Central Park Drives Safety and Circulation Study, which identified recommendations to better meet the needs of today’s Park users. Our goal is to set a new standard for how pedestrians and cyclists can coexist in harmony. By May, newly designed safety markings and improved lane allocations will make the Drives smoother and safer for all.

Finally, in May, we will welcome the Conservancy’s Central Park Rangers, a new team that will ensure that all park-goers understand and respect the rules that preserve the peace of this cherished urban space. The Rangers will work alongside the NYPD and NYC Parks in an innovative multi-agency approach to address concerns such as illegal vending, excessive noise, and misuse of the pedestrian paths—once again creating a model for other busy parks.

The Central Park Conservancy invites you to explore the excitement of Central Park in the spring and celebrate the new ideas and initiatives that we hope will make New York an even better city for all.

See you in the Park!

Betsy Smith

Betsy Smith is the President & CEO at the Central Park Conservancy.