Skating On New York’s Conservatory Lake, Central Park
Passing the lake in Central Park a few days ago you could see it was partially frozen. There were no skaters, as skating on lakes is now forbidden in New York City Parks.
No one at the Parks Department is sure as to exactly when ice skating was made verboten on their lakes. In the late 1970s I, along with thousands of others, legally ice skated on the lake at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Before going on a city lake or pond you would call 755-4100 to see if the lake was certified as safe. Don’t try calling that number now – it is an attorney’s office.
The caption on this news photo says:
Ice Skating January 20, 1940
A candid camera fiend gets an angle of his friend in action while he lies down on the warm ice at the Conservatory Lake Central Park. photo: Wallace
While skating is illegal on the lakes in Central Park, skating on Conservatory Lake (a man made pond) is still allowed as long as the ice is thick enough. Conservatory Lake is also known as The Boat Pond where people operate motorized model boats just north of 72nd Street on the east side of the park.
Why aren’t people allowed to skate in the parks anymore?
The official reason – to protect people for their “own good.” Plus the city derives revenue from the official ice skating rinks they lease out and operate where you skate monotonously around in a circle in one direction only with a litany of rules to follow.
The real reason: Our litigious society and liability.
Person decides to skate. Falls through ice. Lawsuit against city.
It’s simpler to just ban it. Great article here
In this story that ran in Gothamist about NYC banning pond and lake skating, a commenter had an idea:
Put out kiosks with tablets that have electronic waivers.
“I _______, will go ahead and skate on the various lakes but no one is going to come save my ass when I fall in. My estate, associates and/or family may not sue the city for my fatal stupidity, having been sufficiently warned of the risks I clearly do not understand”
The two follow up comments:
1) Add in language that the soon-to-be decedent’s estate is responsible for paying to remove their corpse from the water and we’re good to go.
2) Unfortunately, said dumbass can only sign his rights away, not his survivors’. You’ll need a few more signature lines on those waivers.