Nothing embodies the essence of winter in New York City quite like gliding across the ice in Central Park. But did you know that this timeless tradition has a rich history within the Park?
In the winter of 1858, the Lake was the first landscape in Central Park to open to the public. On that memorable Christmas morning, an estimated 8,000 people flocked to the ice. In fact, skating was such a popular pastime that the Lake was originally called the “Skating Pond” in Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s Greensward Plan.
165 years ago, the Lake opened to the first ice skaters in Central Park. Learn how ice skating was the hottest hobby in 19th-century New York City and follow @CentralParkNYC for insight into more Park history. View with audio-description.
This introduction of recreational skating was met with great enthusiasm by New Yorkers, as it was growing in popularity but not yet widely accessible.
An estimated 30,000 people visited the Park daily to take part in New York’s new cold-weather hobby. Ice skating brought together New Yorkers from all walks of life, eager to explore the allure of the new green space and find a moment of peace in the rapidly growing City.
While the Lake no longer freezes sufficiently for ice skating, the spirit of winter lives on in Central Park. Since its establishment in 1950, Wollman Rink has stood as the quintessential destination for NYC ice-skating enthusiasts from October through April. Today, it is one of the most iconic ice rinks in the United States.
Ice skaters on Wollman Rink in 1986
Central Park will gain another premier skating destination with the opening of the new Harlem Meer Center, currently under construction. The Central Park Conservancy’s ambitious project will transform the former Lasker Rink and Pool into a new state-of-the-art facility. This multi-year project is a complete restoration of the landscape to more thoughtfully integrate a swimming pool and ice rink—to accommodate both ice skating and ice hockey—while better reconnecting the north end of the Park to nature.
When the new Harlem Meer Center opens, it will offer a robust lineup of family-friendly and low-cost programming and feature a state-of-the-art ice rink for skating and hockey.
We look forward to welcoming our friends and neighbors in the Harlem and East Harlem communities for an exciting slate of family-friendly and low-cost programming—both during the ice season and throughout the year.
Suggested Reading
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Park History
From the Archives: Winter in Central Park
Go back in time with us to the 1980s and '90s. Some things look very different. But New Yorkers’ love of ice skating in Central Park and the serene beauty of its snow-covered landscapes remain timeless.
Tags: Winter / History / Landscapes
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Park History
The History, Design, and Care of Central Park’s Iconic Benches
There are four distinct styles of Central Park benches, each with their own story to tell about New York City’s urban oasis. Learn about their history, their dedicated plaques, how to identify each design, and how the Central Park Conservancy maintains all 10,000 benches.
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Park History
The Gate of the Exonerated: How the Park’s Newest Named Entrance Came to Be
Three decades after the Central Park Jogger case inflamed tensions and racial rifts in the City, a significant new commemoration in the Park—the Gate of the Exonerated—has brought a marker of healing and history for the community.
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Restoration and Maintenance
Hand-in-Hand with Harlem: The Conservancy's Four-Decade Restoration of Central Park's North End
In the 1980s, the Conservancy turned its attention to the Harlem Meer and went on to address the needs of Central Park’s north end over the next four decades. Throughout all of this work, the communities surrounding the Park have been vital partners in the care and maintenance of their backyard.
Tags: Conservancy Staff / Playgrounds
