Alberto Arroyo

The New York City Parks Department and Central Park Conservancy dedicated a plaque to familiar runner and community fixture, Alberto Arroyo, yesterday.   Arroyo spent decades at the Central Park reservoir jogging track. A friend to locals and tourists alike, Arroyo was nicknamed ‘The Mayor of Central Park.’ He showed up in all weather, rain or shine. He stayed put when crime ravaged the city. He notified park officials when something needed to be fixed.

I can think of countless times I passed by him, for a short run, or training for a marathon, circling the water for the tenth time.  He would always nod and smile encouragingly and while we seldom spoke, we acknowledged each other almost everyday for almost twenty years.  I can remember after 9/11, when I  walked up to the park, hoping a run would bring some sense of normalcy to my life.  The park still stank with the acrid smoke of the fires downtown.  I couldn’t seem to get going,  just stood and stared out over the water at the dark cloud to the south.   At that moment I felt a hand on my shoulder, a reassuring touch, without turning I think I knew it was Alberto.  When I did turn I just stared at him, completely at a loss.  He just smiled, pushed me out onto the track and walked along side me.  We didn’t speak, just made a long, slow circuit of the Reservoir.  His spirit will be missed by anyone that has ever received that smile and nod that enabled them to make one more trip around the water.

The bronze plaque is fixed to the South Gatehouse, visible to all runners new and old.