NYC's Central Park hosts ribbon cutting for new Davis Center at the Harlem Meer
A ribbon cutting was held Friday for a brand new community center located at Central Park's northeastern-most tip.
Advocates say the $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is not just a new facility, it's also a step to bringing more investment and opportunities to a part of the park that some in the community felt was overlooked.
The Davis Center will be a home for different activities, depending on the time of year. In spring and fall, the space in front of it will be a turf field, which can be rolled back to reveal a swimming pool that can hold up to 1,000 swimmers during the summer. In the winter, it will transform into a skating rink.
The center also features a panoramic green roof, a new public oval for events, and free or low-cost programming for families all year.
The Davis Center replaces the old Lasker Rink, a facility built in the 1960s that was rundown.
"Chronic flooding plagued the facility," Central Park Conservancy president and CEO Betsy Smith said. "We responded to the city's request for help not with a Band-Aid but with a completely new vision."
For decades, the community says the northern section of the park received less attention and investment than the southern end.
It's deeply personal for City Councilmember Yusef Salaam, one of the "exonerated five," who was wrongly convicted after the infamous 1989 case that took place near where the center is located.
"The unveiling of the Davis Center isn't just about a pool, a rink or a stunning architectural accomplishment. It's a homecoming for me. It's a healing for me. It's a restoration for our community," Salaam said. "Just steps from where I grew up, this stretch of Central Park once stood as a paradox, beautiful yet scarred ... For many of us – especially young Black and Latino boys like I once was – this place right in our backyard became a place that we could see but not really safely touch. The shadow of injustice loomed large here."
Salaam said he was hesitant to ever return.
"Filled with PTSD, nervousness about being back in a space where even if I put my foot in here, will that same type of unreal nightmare that I experienced 36 years ago be heaped upon me again? But to be back here, to know that this is a place of reimaging, restoration," Salaam said.
Salaam said he now sees it as a place of hope for the next generation.
"A joyful and deeply meaningful day"
McKenzie Lewis, 10, got to test out the ice skating rink as it was being built during the winter.
"The ice was amazing to test out. And then I'm like, 'Ooo, I love this. I can't wait to come here again,' and here I am," she said.
The center will bring activities and opportunities to the area, families say.
"I believe it's important to some people. They don't have outlets," parent William Lewis said.
"I talked about, like, a lot of kids in poverty, they can, like, make it out and do better things," 11-year-old poet Kayden Hern said.
"Keep your mind active, something to look forward to," grandmother Jackie Hern said.
It opens to the public Saturday at noon with a free community celebration.
The Central Park Conservancy says it's the largest, most complex project in the park's history.
"The opening of the Davis Center in Central Park is a shining example of what makes New York City more livable and the best place to raise a family," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. "With a $60 million investment from the city and $100 million in private support, we're creating spaces that bring communities together, support our families, and make our city stronger for generations to come."
"Today is a joyful and deeply meaningful day for Central Park and for New York City. 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. What once was a beloved but aging facility is now a beautiful, welcoming place that celebrates Central Park and welcomes New Yorkers to swim, skate, learn and connect – all year round," Smith said.
"The opening of the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is a powerful step forward in our city's commitment to community investment, promoting equity and access here in the heart of Manhattan. With $60 million in funding from the City of New York, this re-imagined space reconnects the Harlem community with this beloved park while providing a vibrant, year-round hub for recreation and education," said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue.
"The historic Harlem Meer is one of Central Park's greatest gems, so I'm thrilled that the new Davis Center's programming and facilities will offer endless ways for visitors to connect with the Meer. Between fitness activities, cultural events, and youth programs, the Davis Center has something for everyone, and I'm particularly thrilled that the center was designed with opportunities for the neighboring communities in mind," said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
