Heckscher Playground was included in the original children were actually allowed to…play. At 3 acres it is also the largest playground and the only one located in the southern area of the park. The playground offers a range of play equipment including 14 swings, seesaws, and a wooden suspension bridge; it also features its own restroom facilities. The ball fields are also equipped with bleachers for the convenience of spectators.
The Playground was named for August Heckscher Sr. (1848-1941)–real estate magnate, financier, philanthropist, and grandfather of August Heckscher III (1914-1997), Parks Commissioner under Mayor John V. Lindsay (1921-2000). Heckscher was born in Hamburg, Germany, the son of the German Minister of Justice. He studied in Switzerland, apprenticed at an export house in Hamburg, then moved to New York in 1867.
The original installation of Heckscher Playground was bitterly fought over. As it has been since its inception Central Park has been the center of an ongoing debate concerning its purpose. Is it to be used for recreation, is it to be a quiet, pastoral retreat from bustling city around it or is it to display the more formal aspects of traditional parks in Europe. Happily this debate has usually ended in compromise that benefits all the users of the park.
Location: Seventh Avenue & Central Park South from 61st to 63rd Streets
Details: Restrooms are located within the playground
Hours: Playgrounds open every day at 7:30 a.m. and close at dusk
About Central Park
Find all the information you need to enjoy your visit to New York City’s iconic Central Park.
Attractions
Central Park features 843 acres filled with classic architecture, gorgeous statuary and up to date sports, educational and performance facilities. Besides all of this there is the world famous Central Park Zoo and Wildlife Center and the Children’s Zoo.
Things To Do
From The Philharmonic on the Great Lawn to Shakespeare in the Park to SummerStage, Central Park offers an endless array of things to do, see, hear – and, with two full service restaurants and several cafes, taste. You can visit The Shakespeare Garden, take in a performance at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater, take a ride on the Carousel – or just sit and people watch at Bethesda Terrace!
Contact Us
Contact Info
5th Ave.
New York, NY, 10028