1993

To date, the Conservancy's award-winning designers have initiated the restoration of more than half the Park's landscapes and historic structures.

Richard Gilder, a Conservancy Trustee and lifelong New Yorker, offers an unprecedented $17 million challenge grant to restore major landscapes of Central Park. In response to Mr. Gilder's generosity, the City of New York agrees to meet his challenge, pledging another $17 million in matching funds. His gift is finally contingent upon $17 million in private contributions, which are to be raised by the Conservancy during the next three years. This campaign is chaired by Daniel P. Tully.

The challenge is specifically to address: new playgrounds, lawns benches, drinking fountains, and paths on the Park's west side; the Great Lawn; the North Meadow Recreation Center and North Meadow Ballfields; and the upgrading of drainage and other Park infrastructure.

The 11-acre Harlem Meer and surrounding landscape are reopened, with a new wildlife habitat island.

The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, which will provide environmental education programs and activities, and information to visitors, officially opens.

The new Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Terrace adjacent to the Dana Center, offers an informal area for outdoor performances.

New play equipment is installed at the Playground at 110th Street and Central Park West.

A Woodlands Manager is assigned to the North Woods, and the Woodlands Crew increases from two to five people.

The Conservancy reintroduces more than 40 species of native wildflowers, shrubs and trees to the North Woods.

New plantings at Wien Walk and new benches at Wallach Walk.

The reconstruction of the East 85th Street Park entrance.

At 60th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Conservancy restores the Doris C. Freedman Plaza, a setting for exhibitions of contemporary sculpture.

Wagner Cove, on the Central Park Lake east of Strawberry Fields, is beautified with shoreline plantings. The cove is a memorial to the late mayor Robert Wagner.

The restoration of the terrace at Kerbs Boathouse at Conservatory Water includes new benches and fencing, and a restored landscape.

The bronze conservation crew completes comprehensive treatments of five bronze statues on the Mall, the Untermyer Fountain at Conservatory Garden, and three additional bronze statues throughout the Park.

The Historic Preservation Crew repairs the perimeter wall at numerous locations along the perimeter and replaces steps at the Great Hill.

In 1993, 20 Conservancy education programs take place in the Park, serving 20,000 students.

1994

The Conservancy receives three awards for its work on the Harlem Meer and The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center: the 1994 New York City Landmarks Preservation Award, the American Society of Landscape Architects' Design Merit Award, and the Victorian Society's Citation of Merit.

The restoration of Winterdale Arch at West 81st Street includes the reconstruction of the cast-iron balustrades that had been missing for 50 years.

The reconstruction of the southwest corner landscape reconfigures the confusing tangle of pedestrian paths from West 62nd to 66th Street to direct people more conveniently to popular lower-Park destinations.

A new pedestrian entrance is opened at West 63rd Street, lawns planted, and lighting installed.

Restoration of the landscapes from West 106th to West 108th Streets, including a plaza at West 106th Street and a pedestrian entrance at West 108th Street that connects to a path to the Great Hill, as well as new benches, plantings, open lawns, and an improved drainage system.

The perimeter landscape from West 97th to 100th Streets is restored to its historic character, with new pathways, benches, and rebuilt rustic stone fences.

Renovation of the East 96th Street Playground, with colorful new play equipment, a new toddler area and a rubber safety surface.

New plantings and benches at the East 76th Street Park entrance.

Restoration of a picturesque woodland and meadow-like garden at the Sixth Avenue and Central Park South entrance.

The Women's Committee's 1994 Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon raises $690,000 for horticulture, security, and programs for visitors.

The Monuments Conservation Crew repairs the Burnett "Secret Garden" fountain at the Conservatory Garden, so that water flows for the first time in 30 years.

Structural repairs are made to Central Park's historic Carousel and the building that houses it.

Conservancy volunteers log 30,000 hours of service in Central Park.

1995

Restoration of Greyshot Arch at West 61st Street.

Restoration of West 81st Street entrance, establishes an expanded seating area with new benches that embrace a London plane tree.

The relocation of the pedestrian entrance at West 62nd Street to West 63rd Street, better leads visitors to Heckscher Ballfields and other points east.

Pedestrian pathways near Columbus Circle are repaved to create a recreational pathway for pedestrians, inline skaters, bicyclists and joggers, providing access to the Drive

The restoration of Cedar Hill, one of the Park's most heavily-trafficked landscapes, popular with dog walkers and sledders.

The Conservancy's Office of Government & Community Affairs works closely with Park users to create a new flag system to alert parkgoers to wet turf conditions so that visitors keep off the grass when it is vulnerable to damage.

Conservancy volunteers spend more than 26,000 hours donating their services.

The Conservancy's Monuments Conservation Crew restores the fanciful Delacorte Clock at the Zoo.

The Conservancy's Monuments Conservation Crew replaces 14 lost bird heads and 23 broken carvings at Bethesda Terrace.

The Conservancy's Historic Preservation Crew replaces all 16 columns on the loggia of Belvedere Castle.

The Women's Committee's 13th Annual Frederick Law Olmsted Luncheon raises a record $1.3 million.

The North Meadow Recreation Center draws almost 27,000 teenage visitors this year. They played basketball or handball, took tennis clinics, or rock climbing classes and played chess and ping pong.

Almost 12,000 people borrow fishing poles at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center.

The Conservancy formally adopts the zone management plan, which divides the Park into 49 zones, each maintained by at least one zone gardener trained in horticulture and responsible for all aspects of the management and maintenance of his or her zone.  The zone gardeners are assisted by specialized Parkwide crews, including tree, bench, and playground care, graffiti removal, monuments conservation, historic preservation, soil and water conservation, and storm water management.  This new system ensures improved cleanliness and productivity throughout the Park.

1996

The successful conclusion of the three-year, $71.5 million Wonder of New York Campaign, which matched the Gilder Challenge. The overwhelming support of thousands of new Yorkers and many corporations and foundations enables the Conservancy to exceed its goal by approximately $5.7 million, raising nearly $77.2 million.

The Conservancy embarks on its single most ambitious landscape restoration and the centerpiece of the Wonder of New York Campaign - the restoration of the 55 acres including and surrounding the Great Lawn and Turtle Pond.

At Summit Rock at West 83rd Street, the highest natural point in the Park, a long-abandoned cement sandbox from the Robert Moses era is replaced by a picturesque amphitheater and rocky overlook.

Naturalists' Walk, a nature education landscape from West 77th to West 81st Street, is completed.

The completion of Azalea Walk, a beautiful landscape along the slopes of Eaglevale Bridge from West 74th to West 77th Streets, with an array of colorful azaleas, rhododendrons, and other native flora.

Renovation of the Adventure Playground at West 67th Street.

The restoration of the West 68th Street landscape - the location of the finish line for the New York City Marathon.

Conservancy volunteers give 35,000 hours of their time to Central Park this year.

The restoration of the Maine Monument at Merchants' Gate - 59th Street and Eighth Avenue, Columbus Circle.

The restoration of the Sixth and Seventh Avenue Park entrances, including the reconfiguring of pedestrian pathways and the planting of surrounding landscapes.

The restoration of Dipway Arch, mid-Park at 60th Street.

Opening of the Henry Luce Nature Observatory at Belvedere Castle, with colorful, hands-on exhibits on the rich variety of animals and plants that exist in Central Park.

The main-floor Discovery Room of The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center is converted into a community gallery for rotating educational exhibits.

Conservancy workers skilled in rustic wood construction recreate a rustic wooden footbridge at Naturalists' Walk, and construct 400 feet of rustic railing at Summit Rock.

Karen H. Putnam becomes President of the Central Park Conservancy, and Betsy Barlow Rogers steps down after 16 years in this role.

1997

The 55-acre restoration of the Great Lawn, Turtle Pond and surrounding landscapes is complete. After two years of construction and an investment of $18.2 million, the 55-acre area features new amenities for sports enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Restoration of Merchants' Gate Plaza. The area is transformed into an attractive and inviting public plaza with decorative granite paving, a low stone seating wall, clearly defined pedestrian entrances and a shaded sitting area with improved lighting.

More than 15,000 young people participated in after-school fitness, recreation and basketball programs at the North Meadow Recreation Center.

Central Park's visitor centers attract nearly half a million people this year.

The Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon raises $1.3 million.

Conservancy crews repair 2.4 miles of benches with the assistance of volunteers.

The Conservancy completes a feasibility study for the restoration and re-installation of the historic Minton Tile ceiling at Bethesda Terrace arcade.

The restoration of the "Safari" Playground at West 91st Street with treehouses and hippopotamuses playing in a safety surface "river."

The Robert Bendheim Playground at East 100th Street is the first in Central Park specifically designed for both able-bodied and disabled children.

Restoration of the Olmsted Bed at the end of Literary Walk.

The Conservancy begins its Central Park Challenge, a professional development program offering leadership and team-building opportunities to the City's corporate community.

Alexander P. Papamarkou donates $500,000 to endow a zone gardener for the Pond in memory of his mother, Margot.

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