When PPS launched the Great Public Spaces website, we knew all along that Central Park would be one of the charter places. Now, in honor of its 150th anniversary, we're delving a bit deeper into what makes it a great place. After all, a park so large is actually home to a multitude of places. Here are five beloved Central Park places that are now Great Public Spaces in their own right.
Beautiful landscapes, formal walkways, magnificent sculpture, and glistening bodies of water all converge at Bethesda Terrace. As you approach the Terrace from the Mall, Central Park's grand promenade, one of Olmsted and Vaux's signature vistas unfolds before you. Below, you see the "Angel of the Waters" or Bethesda Fountain as it is often called, the only sculpture commissioned as part of the original design of the Park. Past the fountain, you catch the first glimpse of the Lake, and the mature trees of the Ramble across the water. Above the trees, capping the whole panorama, rise the spires of Belvedere Castle in the distance.
The draw of the Sailboat Pond is more than just the chance to get your feet wet; it is the combination of elements that attract people and bring the place to life. The place is a huge attraction for the requisite model sailboat aficionados, as well as families, school children, strollers, street performers, tourists, and birders looking for the resident red-tailed hawks. Kids climb the Alice in Wonderland statue and enjoy ice cream on sunny summer days, while adults relax by the cafe and take in the scene. The diversity of users makes this one of the most sociable places in New York.
Probably the best-known of Central Park's many entrances, Grand Army Plaza is a quintessential Manhattan place. The Plaza is the starting point for carriage rides through the park, and the line of horses and buggies is often accompanied by the sight of newlyweds on their honeymoon. Bordered by famed Manhattan institutions like FAO Schwartz and the Plaza Hotel (not to mention the park itself), the setting practically screams "New York!" The northern end of the Plaza features rotating temporary art installations whose snapshot potential invariably attracts passing shoppers and tourists. The abundant benches and shade also make it a popular lunchtime destination for nearby office workers.
The combination of great management and multiple activities makes The Great Lawn a gathering point for athletes, sun tanners, fishers, picnickers, concert-goers, theater-goers, roller bladers, playground users and much more. The place is at its peak in the summer. Wednesday night concerts and Shakespeare in the Park bring New York culture right to the Lawn, making Central Park active and safe at night. But on any given day of the year, whether it be for a picnic or a cross country ski excursion, the Lawn is one of New York's great places to gather.
An 11-acre lake surrounded by a rugged landscape of woodlands and dramatic rock outcroppings, the Harlem Meer (Dutch for "lake") is the idyllic setting of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, one of the Park's four visitor centers and home to a wide variety of the Central Park Conservancy's free family and community programs. The serene naturalistic landscape of the Meer and stunning views of its picturesque surroundings entice visitors in from nearby Fifth Avenue and 110th Street and encourage them to linger, observe, and explore. Add to this the Dana Discovery Center, built in 1993, and you have the perfect complement to the 65-acre landscape: a focal point for information, amenities, and programs.
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