The Heckscher Playground—named after philanthropist August Heckscher, who donated the play equipment—opened near its southern end in 1926, and quickly became popular with poor immigrant families. The following year, Mayor Jimmy Walker commissioned landscape designer Hermann W. Merkel to create a plan to improve Central Park. Merkel's plans would combat vandalism and plant destruction, rehabilitate paths, and add eight new playgrounds, at a cost of $1 million. One of the suggested modifications, underground irrigation pipes, were installed soon after Merkel's report was submitted. The other improvements outlined in the report, such as fences to mitigate plant destruction, were postponed due to the Great Depression.
The Heckscher Playground—named after philanthropist August Heckscher who donated the play equipment—opened near its southern end in 1926, and quickly became ,popular with poor immigrant famili.es. The following year, Mayor Jimmy Walker commissioned landscape designer Hermann W. Merkel to create a plan to improve Central Park. Merkel's plans would combat vandalism and plant destruction, rehabilitate paths, and add eight new playgrounds, at a cost of $1 million One of the suggested modifications, underground irrigation pipes, were installed soon after Merkel's report was submitted. The othe,r improvements outlined in the report such as fences to mitigate plant destruction, were postponed due to the Great Depression.