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.
Alberto will be deeply missed by me in particular and I suspect many other people who crossed his path in Central Park. He kept me going around the Reservoir since 1980 – and many times I would make an extra loop around the track just so I could see him smile one more time that day or do a hand stand on the bench (which he was able to do in his younger day). His concern and interest in all people that he met will serve as a source of inspiration to me for the rest of my days.
I met Alberto in the 90’s – an amazing man. I count myself very lucky to meet such a charming & inspiring man. r.i.p.
My wife and I had nightly conversations with Alberto….we on a bench next to “hippo park”. …he, at the start in 2004, using a walker….and later in his wheelchair. Even after his debilitating stroke he seemed to delight when we repeated his mantra about breathing the air…always breathing the air. We grew to love him and cherished our nightly chats