Billy Johnson Playground

This playground's design was inspired by the landscapes of Central Park.

Constructed in the mid-1980s primarily from natural materials, to replace a Robert Moses-era playground, Billy Johnson Playground, is one of the Park's most distinctive play spaces. Envisioned as a microcosm of the larger Park, it also includes a stone bridge, evocative of the nearby Pond's Gapstow Bridge. Water figures prominently in the design, which incorporated the idea of a stream with stepping stones. The playground's lush plantings create ample shade and divide up the space, creating small play "rooms." Additional features include bucket swings and a small amphitheater, ideal for picnics and other gatherings. The playground's most popular feature is a granite slide set into a hill, scattered with plantings and rocks, making it appropriate for Preschool and School-age children.