After the 1936 flood, the Park River was channeled into a massive underground conduit (45 feet wide and 30 feet high). An pond was designed and built by the Olmsted Brothers’ firm in 1943 at its present site close to Jewell Street. Today’s pond recalls the serpentine path where the Park River once flowed. With brownstone walls and almost immediate drainage problems, the new pond was plagued with mud and shallow murky water. But, thanks to the support of thousands of New Englanders, work was undertaken by the Bushnell Park Foundation in 1983 to rebuild the pond. A more recent addition to the pond is a stainless steel sculpture gracing the surface of water near the Carousel. The sculpture is the work of Norwalk, Connecticut sculptor Charles Perry. It was donated by the Travelers and formally dedicated and named “Harmony” in September 1990.
Pond Dredging Project Starting in May 2025
Cleaning the pond is one of our most anticipated activities for 2025. As the project progresses, we’ll share more info on our website, newsletter & social media.