Yearlong Shutdown Of Iconic Fountain In Central Park Planned

CENTRAL PARK, NY — Bethesda Fountain, one of Central Park's most iconic landmarks, will be closed off for a year beginning this August to undergo a careful restoration, Central Park officials said Wednesday.

Starting in early August, the fountain will be turned off for roughly one year while crews repair and restore it from the inside out.

Bethesda Terrace itself will remain open throughout, so visitors can still walk through, sit, and take in the view; only the fountain will be off and enclosed for construction.

The fountain — topped by the bronze Angel of the Waters statue — is one of the most iconic proposal sites in the city, and has been around for more than 150 years.

The fountain, along with the construction on the Conservatory Water and its model boathouse, represents a combined $37 million investment in modernization and restoration efforts.

"There's a reason people propose at Bethesda Fountain and bring their children to sail model boats at Conservatory Water. These are the places where the beauty of the Park becomes personal," Betsy Smith, the president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said. "That's exactly why the Conservancy is making this investment."

The project will replace the fountain's aging mechanical systems with modern equipment that will keep water flowing more reliably and improve the water's circulation.

At the same time, conservators will recreate missing historic sculptural details of the fountain and its statue.

"Bethesda Fountain is the heart of Central Park," Amy Tarr, Bethesda Fountain restoration donor, said.

Work on the fountain will begin in early August.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.