Magazine
Forever Young: The Restorations That Help Central Park Thrive
Like any living thing, Central Park is constantly changing. Due to its massive popularity (the Park welcomes over 42 million visitors a year!), lawns, paths, buildings, and playgrounds deteriorate over time, making periodic restoration essential. This ongoing work involves not only renewing the landscapes but also updating the infrastructure and facilities to align with current design standards and codes for environmental sustainability, public health and safety, and accessibility. In other words, the Central Park Conservancy’s job is never truly done.
This year, the Conservancy is overseeing a record-breaking number of restorations. These projects range from enhancing accessibility in a beloved garden to resurfacing a popular running track and expanding the trails in a secluded woodland retreat. Despite their differences, all of these projects share a common goal: improving the visitor experience in Central Park.
Check out a few before-and-after photos from our busy year!
Stephanie and Fred Shuman Running Track*
The 1.58-mile track around the Reservoir was eroded and uneven from heavy use. The renovation improved drainage and resurfaced the track, ensuring a smoother running and walking experience. Conservancy staff also replaced the track’s drinking fountains and upgraded its lighting.
Conservatory Garden’s French Garden
While the Conservatory Garden’s restoration is ongoing, its French Garden was completed in spring 2024. The stairs were replaced by ramps, improving its accessibility. The garden’s distinctive bluestone pavers, walls, benches, and architectural features were restored to refresh its sleek and beautiful look.
Park Perimeter
Central Park’s perimeter is an important part of this greenspace, which means it’s the Conservancy’s job to restore it! We are completing perimeter sections in phases, replacing hexagonal pavers and benches. To maintain the original vision for the perimeter as a tree-lined promenade, the Conservancy is also replanting trees where necessary.
Bow Bridge*
The Conservancy previously restored the missing urns at each end of Bow Bridge, performed structural repairs, and repainted the bridge. The latest restoration replaced its tongue-and-groove pine decking based on historic photographs.
Hallett Nature Sanctuary*
The Hallett Nature Sanctuary has undergone significant transformation since the Conservancy began restoring it from its neglected state in 2001. As part of these efforts, trails were expanded to allow for greater exploration, and accessible trails meeting U.S. Access Board standards were added. Our recent work included replacing the bonded wood carpet and wood edging with a proprietary product known as Bonded Wood Fiber, ensuring a smooth, soft, and accessible surface in line with national trail system standards.
Gothic Bridge
Gothic Bridge, one of Central Park’s cast-iron bridges (along with Pinebank Arch and Bow Bridge) completed its restoration. As seen here, the Conservancy repaired the bridge’s decorative cast-iron elements, as well as replaced the tongue-and-groove pine decking and painted the cast iron and steel to match the bridge’s existing colors.
* While large restoration projects are necessary, they are also costly and take years to complete. The Conservancy’s State of Good Repair program, which these starred projects fall under, mitigates the need for more extensive efforts. This program involves additional maintenance work every five to ten years in between major restorations, helping to extend the lifespan of previous restoration efforts and minimize disruptions to Park activity.
To learn more about all the Park’s past, present, and upcoming restoration projects, click here.
Sarah Rahman is an editorial intern at the Central Park Conservancy.
Unveiling the New Harlem Meer Center
The Central Park Conservancy is overseeing a record-breaking number of restoration projects this year, but the Harlem Meer Center is one of our most ambitious projects yet. This project reimagines the Meer’s surrounding landscapes and brings visitors closer to the natural world. Photo by Timothy Schenck
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