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It’s official: the massive new pool (and year-round community hub) at the northern tip of Central Park is finally opening, and the first photos are here to prove it’s even more stunning than the renderings suggested.
Tomorrow, April 26, the Central Park Conservancy officially opens the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, a $160 million reimagining of the park’s long-outdated Lasker Rink and Pool—and the first facility of its kind in Central Park history to offer year-round access.
Set into the rolling landscape of the park’s northern tip, the Davis Center is a striking fusion of design, ecology and community intention. Designed by architecture firms Susan T. Rodriguez and Mitchell Giurgola Architects, the new space seamlessly blends into the surrounding greenery, featuring a sweeping green roof and panoramic views of the Harlem Meer.
But the real showstopper? A sparkling new pool that transforms into an ice rink in the winter and a public green, the “Harlem Oval,” in spring and fall.
The new Gottesman Pool, set to debut in June, is a stunner, featuring sleek lines, sustainable design and programming that includes free swim lessons, family swim days and summer aquatic activities for all ages. Inside the center, you’ll find a light-filled gathering space, discovery walks and art workshops. Outside, the restored wetland edge and boardwalks make it feel more like a nature retreat than its Manhattan location suggests.
Saturday’s grand opening kicks off at noon with a free, family-friendly community celebration on the Harlem Oval, where attendees will get to enjoy live music, local food, performances and guided tours of the space.
The pool feels especially important because it’s part of a deeper investment in park equity. The Davis Center is the Conservancy’s most ambitious capital project to date—and a landmark moment for Harlem.
“Today is a joyful and deeply meaningful day for Central Park and for New York City,” said Central Park Conservancy president Betsy Smith in an official statement. “The opening of the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is the result of years of listening, collaboration, and bold belief in what this space could become.”
Get your goggles ready, NYC. The north end of Central Park just became your new favorite spot to swim, skate, bird-watch or just chill on the grass.
