Great Skate #39: Wollman Rink, Central Park, New York City

When I had the opportunity to come to New York for a conference this week, I was very excited to be able to take my Great Skate Project international. I researched the rink options, circled them on my map, and made room in my luggage for my skates.

Skating in Central Park was high on my list. I didn't realize at first that there are actually two rinks in Central Park: the Wollman Rink and the Lasker Rink. Wollman was closer to my hotel, so I headed there in the evening of January 11. (And I only got a little bit lost on the way.)

Unsurprisingly, skating in New York City is a more commercial enterprise than in Toronto. The Wollman Rink admission fee (in U.S. dollars) is $12 from Monday to Thursday, and $19 from Friday to Sunday. (It's cheaper for children). A locker rental is $5 with a $6 refundable deposit, and you can rent skates for $9. A snack bar sells everything from sandwiches to cotton candy.

I think it's worth it. How often do you get to feel like you're skating in a movie set?


The Wollman Rink almost closed in the 1980s due to underfunding and mismanagement. Then a businessman stepped in to bankroll the rink's reconstruction.

Who was this benefactor who was so keen to support a project for the greater good?

The answer might surprise you.


Yep, that guy.


Location: Central Park, New York, NY, USA

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