Are you a local business?
Restored Prospect Park Lakeside to Open Friday
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 11:16AM 
Back in 1867, Prospect Park designers Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmstead designed a formal lakefront landscape in the northeast corner of Prospect Park. Meant to provide a tranquil area for families and musicians, it included a small cove with a little island near the edge of the Lake, surrounded by esplanades. Because musicians would row out to the island to provide entertainment to those out for Sunday afternoon strolls, it came to be known as Music Island, and the area surrounding it was called Concert Grove.
Then came Robert Moses. In 1959, he had the island bulldozed, filled in much of the cove, and built an ice skating rink in its place, below. What was left of Concert Grove and its ornate pavillions fell into a state of disrepair. Slowly, though, it began to come back. The pavillions were restored in the late 1980s, and on Friday, thanks to a $74 Million restoration, the restored Music Island, lakefront esplanade, and Concert Grove will open to the public once again. The ribbon-cutting will include the dedication of the Chaim Baier Music Island and the Shelby White and Leon Levy Esplanade, which will be open on weekends.
In order to return Music Island to Olmstead and Vaux's original vision, nearly 10,000 cubic yards of dirt had to be removed, and over 3,000 cubic yards were brought in to rebuild it, according to the New York Times. Below is how the area looks now, with Music Island at center. And this is only Phase 1: next year two skating rinks and a 25,000 square foot facility will open nearby.
Photos via Prospect Park Alliance
Prospect Park, Renovations in History
Reader Comments (4)
No comments on this, but so much arguing as to the meaningless hours of whatever new food spot half these people won't walk to the other side of the neighborhood for. Sad indeed. Prospect Park is our jewel.
Are they gonna have a FROYO place here??!
God knows we need another one....
Well I for one am looking forward to the Lakeside opening. It's good to see that part of the park getting some major attention. Maybe we'll all be tempted to move to Prospect-Lefferts.
It's about time. I've been watching the changes and chomping at the bit to get in there. Hopefully people won't immediately trash the new area like the rest of the park with food litter and broken bottles.