Harlem Meer, Lasker Rink Revamp Set To Start In Central Park

HARLEM, NY — A long-planned reconstruction of the north end of Central Park will begin this spring, bringing millions of dollars in improvements to an area of the park that has sometimes been overlooked.

The project will revamp the Harlem Meer and fully replace the Lasker Rink and swimming pool, an aging, 55-year-old facility that blocks access between different parts of the park due to its bulky size, according to the Central Park Conservancy.

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First announced in 2018, the $110 million project has been slightly revised in recent months as it moves closer to construction, which is set to begin in late spring and wrap up by summer 2024.

The hulking, gray Lasker Rink is a "last remaining piece to make this more of a naturalistic retreat for the community, which is what the park is supposed to be," said Lane Addonizio, vice president for planning at the Conservancy, during a presentation to Harlem's Community Board 10 last month.

The brand-new rink and pool will be 26,400 square feet, or about 75 percent of the current pool's size. A new boardwalk will run along the lake, providing new opportunities for fishing and birdwatching, and will be converted into an ice ribbon for skating in the winter.

When it was first announced, advocates described the reconstruction in equity terms, since the park's north end mostly serves residents of Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, rather than the more tourist-heavy southern end.

About 220,000 people use the Lasker Rink and pool each summer and winter, according to the Conservancy.

The latest plans include modest revisions from the original proposal, including changes to the boardwalk and pool deck.

Lasker Pool will be out of commission while construction is being done, but the Conservancy has pointed out that Harlem is home to a number of existing pools, including those at Marcus Garvey and Jackie Robinson parks.

Read more about the project at the Central Park Conservancy.