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Back in 2021, New York City officials kicked off a $160 million project seeking to replace the former Lasker Rink and Pool by the man-made Harlem Meer lake in the northern part of Central Park with a new center. We're happy to report that the much-anticipated development will likely debut this April.
The novel 11-acre destination, dubbed the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, will be home to the eighth largest swimming pool in New York City during the summer and an ice skating rink in the winter. During the in-between months, the area will be covered in turf.
According to Gothamist, the center "will feature a green roof and new, accessible pedestrian walkways that tie [it] to the natural environment of the park."
The magnitude of the plans cannot be overstated, especially since, as reported by the New York Times, "it is [...] one of the most significant recent public projects aimed at serving New Yorkers in the largely low-income communities surrounding the northern end of the park."
In terms of operations, the Central Park Conservancy will take over supervision from the Trump Organization, responsible for managing the destination before it officially closed.
Built back in 1960, the original Lasker Rink and Pool had been plagued by countless infrastructure issues, closures and overall problems. The renovations have clearly been a long time coming, sure to completely change the area surrounding the project.