Ribbon Cut at Lefrak Center at Lakeside

The moment many Brooklynites have been waiting for finally happened Tuesday as the the Park Department, elected officials and major donors cut the ribbon at the long-awaited Lefrak Center at Lakeside.

The 26-acre, $74-million restoration and redesign of an underutilized section of Prospect Park now features two rinks -- one covered and one uncovered -- for ice skating and roller skating along with a cafe and public event space.

Outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg was in attendance as the first stop on his five-borough legacy tour around NYC. Dec. 31 is Bloomberg's last day in office. 

“This 26-acre restoration of Lakeside builds on the park’s natural beauty – and helps restore the park’s original vision – while also including modern amenities and green infrastructure that will help sustain the park for years to come," he said. "It will benefit the local community and all who use the park from neighborhoods across the city – and all those who come here from around the world to experience the best of Brooklyn.”

“This is a fantastic day for Prospect Park, Brooklyn and our entire City,” Prospect Park Alliance President Emily Lloyd said in a statement. “After years of hard work, our dream to restore the southeast corner of the park into an accessible year-round destination for all New Yorkers that stays true to the original Olmsted and Vaux vision is finally here."

Entry to Lakeside is free and open to the public, with an admission fee for skating and skate rental. Hours, admission and skate prices, educational opportunities and other basic information can be found at www.prospectpark.org.