Prospect Park scales back "Lakeside" project

Back before everyone's money disappeared, we posted about Prospect Park's neato plan for re-envisioning our corner of the park: replacing Wollman skating rink with a larger, eco-friendly rink/family center; adding green space; and restoring wildlife habitat. Alas, the Lakeside Center project has gone the way of other City ambitions... which isn't to say it won't happen, just not as planned.

For one thing, construction has been pushed back and won't begin until 2011 at the earliest. For another, the center itself has been scaled down to one story from two. The original plan called for a fancy green roof that park-goers could traverse, but apparently that feature added too many millions to the budget.

On the bright side, according to Prospect Park Alliance president Tupper Thomas, most of the money for the project has already been raised: $45 million is in the bank; $15 more is needed for completion. And the plan to move the entrance for motorists from Parkside to Lincoln Road — to redesign access to the parking lot — is bound to make things safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and joggers.