NEW YORK—Tupper Thomas will retire in January from the dual position she has held for 30 years as president of the Prospect Park Alliance (PPA) and Prospect Park administrator.
Thomas can look back on a long career of passionately rejuvenating a park that once lay in a state of severe disrepair. She celebrated the groundbreaking of her final project on Wednesday—the $70 million revival of 26 acres at the southeast corner of the park along the shore of Prospect Park Lake.
The Wollman ice skating rink, built in 1960, will be demolished and replaced with recreational space that is suitable for all four seasons. When the Lakeside project is completed in 2012, New Yorkers will enjoy two outdoor skating rinks in the winter, roller skating and water features in the summer, and an LEED-certified green building with indoor and outdoor recreation space, café, and facilities.
Some natural space will also be reclaimed. The Wollman Rink was built on Music Island. The island will be reclaimed as a wildlife reserve and used for environmental education. Five acres will be added to the lake and three acres of park land will be opened up.
