The Central Park Conservancy is breaking decades of neutrality to call for ending horse-drawn carriages in the park, citing safety concerns and infrastructure damage.
Why It Matters: The Conservancy’s opposition marks a significant shift in the debate over carriages that have operated in Central Park since the 1800s, according to West Side Rag. With record park visitation, the organization now views the carriages as a public health and safety risk.
Driving the News: A horse pulling a carriage collapsed and died in Hell’s Kitchen last week, reigniting calls to ban the practice citywide, the West Side Rag reports.
What They’re Saying: “We do not take this position lightly, but… we feel strongly that banning horse carriages has become a matter of public health and safety for Park visitors,” wrote Conservancy President Elizabeth Smith in a letter to Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.
The Big Picture: West Side rag explains that the Conservancy cited three main concerns:
- Public safety risks from horses breaking free – two incidents occurred this year where horses ran uncontrolled through the park
- Infrastructure damage from heavy carriages and steel horseshoes degrading newly paved roads
- Sanitation violations with horse manure left daily on park drives despite cleanup requirements
Zoom In: The Conservancy announced support for Ryder’s Law, pending Council legislation that would prohibit horse-drawn carriages citywide, the West Side Rag notes.
What’s Next: City officials had not responded to the Conservancy’s letter as of Tuesday afternoon.
