View source for Diana Ross Playground

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{short description|Playground in Central Park, New York City}}
[[File:DianaRossPlayground NYC.jpg|thumb|300px|The entrance to the playground]]
{{Central Park map}}

The '''Diana Ross Playground''' is located in [[New York City]]'s [[Central Park]], inside the park at West 81st Street and [[Central Park West]].

== History ==
Diana Ross Playground was built in 1935-36 as one of the park's perimeter playgrounds. It opened as West 81st Street Playground.

In 1969, the playground was renovated. The playground equipment was replaced, and a new water feature designed by Richard Dattner was added.<ref name="planforplay">{{cite web |title=Diana Ross Playground {{!}} Summit Rock Landscape {{!}} Plan for Play |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122190032/https://planforplay.centralparknyc.org/summit_rock_landscape/diana_ross_playground.php |publisher=Central Park Conservancy |access-date=17 June 2024 |url=https://planforplay.centralparknyc.org/summit_rock_landscape/diana_ross_playground.php |archive-date=22 January 2021 |date=22 January 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This water feature consisted of four octagonal concrete pillars, each of which sprayed water into similarly shaped wading pools. Two towers sprayed out a flat stream, while the other two poured out water like a waterfall.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dattner |first1=Richard |title=Design for Play |date=1969 |publisher=Van Nostrand Reinhold Company |isbn=9780442113490 |pages=94–95 |url=https://www.dattner.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Design-for-Play.pdf |access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref>

The recording artist [[Diana Ross]], who lived across the street in [[The Beresford]], gave two free concerts in Central Park on July 21 and 22, 1983 (attendance estimated to be between 400,000 and 800,000 people), and pledged to rebuild West 81st Street playground in Central Park with proceeds from the television rights. However, when a thunderstorm during the first (and only scheduled) concert destroyed all of its memorabilia/merchandise, the performance did not prove profitable, and Ross used personal resources to fund the project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/03/nyregion/city-awaiting-money-for-a-diana-ross-playground-is-told-there-isn-t-any.html|title=CITY, AWAITING MONEY FOR A DIANA ROSS PLAYGROUND, IS TOLD THERE ISN'T ANY|last=Carmody|first=Deirdre|date=January 3, 1984|website=The New York Times|access-date=June 4, 2018}}</ref>

Groundbreaking took place in September 1986, with both Ross and then-Mayor [[Ed Koch]] present. Ross reportedly called the event "one of the most fulfilling aspects of [her] life and career."<ref>Anderson, Susan Heller and Deirdre Carmody (September 12, 1986). [https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/12/nyregion/new-york-day-by-day-start-at-ross-playground.html New York Day by Day; Start at Ross Playground], ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> The playground reopened in 1987 as Diana Ross Playground.<ref name="planforplay" />

== Description ==
The [[playground]] is equipped with sturdy wood equipment, tire swings, a tube slide, a corkscrew slide, sandboxes, rope bridges, and a mushroom-style water feature.<ref>Central Park Conservancy, ''[http://www.centralparknyc.org/virtualpark/thegreatlawn/dianarosspg Diana Ross Playground] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060503094832/http://www.centralparknyc.org/virtualpark/thegreatlawn/dianarosspg |date=May 3, 2006 }}''. Retrieved June 23, 2006.</ref> Open daily from 7:30am to dusk, the space is maintained by the [[Central Park Conservancy]]'s Playground Partners program.

To the north of the playground, the ground rises in a steep slope<ref>A bronze plaque on a boulder along the path commemorates [[Elizabeth Barlow Rogers]]' decades of effort on behalf of Central Park.</ref> to Summit Rock, the highest point in Central Park. To the east, secluded in shrub plantings, is Tanner's Spring, one of two natural springs that remain in the park (the other being Montayne's Spring at [[the Pool (Central Park)|the Pool]]). Its name commemorates Dr. Henry S. Tanner, a proponent of [[Fasting|therapeutic fasting]], who, in the summer of 1880, elected to fast under constant observation for forty days and nights, supplied only by water from this spring.<ref>The fast lasted from June 28 to August 6, 1880, according to [http://www.scientificfasting.com/the-pioneers-of-therapeutic.htm "The Pioneers of Therapeutic Fasting in America"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226210102/http://www.scientificfasting.com/the-pioneers-of-therapeutic.htm |date=February 26, 2011 }}.</ref> M.M. Graff, in relating the story, observed "The legend quite naturally arose that the water of the spring contained some magically concentrated nutrients".<ref>M.M. Graff, ''Tree Trails in Central Park'' (New York:Greensward Foundation) 1970:178.</ref> Before the construction of the park, the spring provided water for the community of [[Seneca Village]], located to the north of Summit Hill, which at the time was called "Goat Hill".

In May 2012, after the ''Diana Ross: For One and For All'' DVD of the concert was released, ''[[DNAinfo]]'' called the playground one of the "best playgrounds on the Upper West Side".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Frost|first=Emily|date=July 12, 2012|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120712/upper-west-side/best-playgrounds-on-upper-west-side/|title=Best Playgrounds on the Upper West Side|website=DNAinfo New York|access-date=June 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216144142/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120712/upper-west-side/best-playgrounds-on-upper-west-side|archive-date=December 16, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Central Park}}
{{Protected areas of New York City}}
{{Diana Ross}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Diana}}
[[Category:1986 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:Central Park]]
[[Category:Diana Ross|Playground]]
[[Category:Playgrounds in Manhattan]]