Secret section of Central Park reopens for first time in decades

A portion of Central Park that few people knew about is set to be open to the public during the summer for the first time since the 1930s.

The Hallett Nature Sanctuary, an area closed since 1934, remained completely untouched until 2001 when the Central Park Conservancy began work on its restoration, Pix11 reported. Members of the public will now be able to see it for themselves.

Located on a peninsula in the pond near the southeast corner of the park, the sanctuary has new pathways and benches, the New York Times reported. The benches were a gift from Sima Ghadamian and her husband Morad, nearby residents who have contributed to the area’s restoration.

“I thought, ‘How hard it is to be in New York and not have … a place someone could go,'” Ms. Ghadamian was quoted by the Times. “You could pass by there many, many times and never know it’s there.”

The newly restored paths, once overrun with invasive plant species, now guide visitors to waterfalls and vistas, ABC7 reported.

The Hallett Nature Sanctuary is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. until June 30 then, starting on July 1, on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m, Pix11 added.