Heckscher Playground

A design competition was held for Central Park in 1857; applicants were required to conform to several specifications, including at least three playgrounds of between 3 and 10 acres (1.2 and 4.0 ha).

[6]: 392–393 In April 1925, New York City park commissioner Francis D. Gallatin announced that 16 acres (6.5 ha) on the west side of Central Park would be set aside for a play area funded by the philanthropist August Heckscher, who was providing the money through the Heckscher Foundation for Children.

[9] The plans immediately drew opposition from several parties, including those who wanted to preserve the passive landscape of Central Park,[10][11] and several other opponents who called Heckscher's gift "a private memorial".

[12] Yet others said that the mere presence of a children's play area would cause the condition of Central Park to deteriorate.

At the opening of his namesake playground, Heckscher announced that he would start a program to raise $3 million for Central Park improvements.

[17] In 1934, work started on the extension of one of the park's bridle paths through the middle of Heckscher Playground.

However, New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses ordered that the bridle path's construction be halted that May.

[19] A proposal to remove the Heckscher Ballfields and relocate all baseball games to the North Meadow was overturned.

[20] Additionally, August Heckscher paid for a $15,000 memorial to social reformer Sophie Irene Loeb, one of the earliest supporters for a playground in Central Park.

At the time, the New York City Subway's 63rd Street lines were being built, with their planned routes running directly under the south side of Central Park.

[34] Rat Rock, an outcrop of Manhattan schist popular among boulderers,[35][36] is located just west of the play area and south of the softball fields.