Marcus Garvey Park

Central Harlem

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Marcus Garvey Park is one of the oldest public squares in Manhattan. Central to the life of Harlem for more than 150 years, it has served as a meeting place for neighbors, a front yard and play area for schoolchildren, and a holy place for members of local churches. Known as Mount Morris Park for more than a hundred years, it was originally part of the estate of Metje Cornelius Kortright. The name Morris became attached to the site by the 1830s; possible sources include Robert H. Morris, elected mayor in 1841, and a family affiliated with a racetrack that once operated nearby. The park was renamed by the City Council in honor of the black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey in 1973. Marcus Garvey Park successfully integrates a historic natural setting into the fabric of the modern city. The Mount Morris rock formation is the last remaining outcropping of a 90-acre wedge of hard Manhattan schist-the bedrock of the island-that ran between present-day Lexington and Fifth Avenues south of the Harlem River. One of the first neighborhoods in Harlem to be developed following the introduction of elevated rail service in the 1880s, the Mount Morris Park Historic District features some of the area's grandest brownstones. Important landmarks and resources in Marcus Garvey Park include The Fire Watchtower, the Acropolis Lookout, the Pelham Fritz Recreation Center, and the Amphitheater, as well as a ballfield, pool, and playgrounds.

Pelham Fritz Recreation Center

Membership Information | Holiday Schedule

18 Mount Morris Park West
New York, NY 10027
Cross Streets: West 122nd Street & Mount Morris Park West
Directions via Google Maps

Located in Marcus Garvey Park

Center Manager: Doris Smith
Deputy Center Manager: Dawn Louallen
Phone: (212) 860-1380
Fax: (212) 860-1391

This is an Accessible Recreation Center.

Pelham Fritz Recreation Center is open! Enjoy state-of-the-art fitness equipment in the gym, the sound system in the exercise studio or a game of pool in the game room.

Since 1910, the Department of Parks & Recreation has provided the most affordable and extensive network of recreational services throughout New York City. Our recreation centers offer facilities such as indoor pools, weight rooms, basketball courts, and dance studios, art studios, game rooms, and libraries. All of our recreation centers offer a range of programs for people of all ages.

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 9:30 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Registration Hours:
Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Parks & Outdoors: Parks Sites & Attractions Parks & Outdoors Central Harlem