Conservatory Water

John Moore — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:59:18 +0000

Conservatory Water in Central Park.

Whether you have a radio powered sailboat or a wind-powered sloop, model sail boating at the Conservatory Water is a delight for participants and observers; be them adults, children or, in one case, a rather notable rodent.

The site is named for a rather massive conservatory that was included in the original plans by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. In the course of its construction city budget cuts forced them to reconsider and instead create an American version the model boat ponds they had seen in Paris. Today radio powered boats as well as uniquely constructed sailboats with large wind driven sails stream across the shimmering waters. A serious sport for many adults it is not uncommon to see little children staring in awe at grown men who have brought their intricate creations to the pond for a sail. The Kerbs Boat House located directly behind the Conservatory Water is a storage house for many large power drive sailboats that can be rented throughout the sailing season.

The area around the pond is home of some of the park’s loveliest foliage. These include Lebanon Cedars, willows, pine and beech trees. It also features the park’s largest display of spring blossoming Cherry Trees, besides the stands on either side of the reservoir. The surrounding benches are the perfect place for either a brief respite from your park site-seeing tour or a more contemplative visit, relaxing while you watch the tiny white sails tacking against the breeze. If you actually hear tiny voices shouting out the commands Lenox Hill Hospital is only a few blocks away.

Nearby you can also find two of the Park’s most popular statues, especially with children. At the northern end is the sculpture of Alice, of Wonderland fame, with all her favorite tea party playmates, and at the western edge a statue of master story teller Hans Christian Andersen.

Conservatory Water is also the staging area for a dedicated group of bird watchers that have been tracking the life of Pale Male and his mate Lola, a pair of Hawks, that have made there home on a ledge on a nearby building.

Location: East Side from 72nd to 75th Street

Details: Kerbs Boathouse Café and Central Park Sailboat Concession (where, if you haven’t brought your own yacht, you can rent one. Blue Blazer is optional)

Central Park’s Most Romantic Places – Conservatory Water

John Moore — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:16:50 +0000

Conservatory Water in Central Park

7. Conservatory Water – With sailboats gliding by in miniature regattas, Hans Christian Andersen reading to his friend the duckling and Alice holding court with the Cheshire Cat, Conservatory Water offers scenic accents both romantic and literary. Surrounded by a group of trees that survive from the original planting, the stately pond lends a sense of serenity to the urban activities being carried out a few yards away. On the western edge, you can usually find representatives of one of New York’s most dedicated fan clubs. They are the birdwatchers that chronicle events in the lives of one of the Upper Eastside’s most celebrated couples, Pale Male and Lola, a pair of red-tail hawks that nest on one of Manhattan’s classic apartment buildings on nearby 5th Ave. They are not the only lovebirds in the area, as the almost constant sight of couples strolling hand in hand will attest to.

The Central Park Blog » Conservatory Water

Conservatory Water

Central Park’s Most Romantic Places – Conservatory Water