Skaters at Central Park’s two lanes are devastated that their final season will be on the ice this weekend – and angry with Mayor de Blasio for closing the Trump lanes earlier to endorse his political mistake.
The Post announced on Saturday that Lasker and Wollman tracks will close on Sunday, six weeks before their typical closing dates in April.
Last month, Hizzoner announced he would approach the city’s contracts with the Trump organization, claiming that then-President Trump had encouraged rioters to storm the Capitol.
Trump’s business group, run by his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, has been operating the track for more than 30 years.
Skaters who hit the ice on Saturday told The Post that they feel like pawns in de Blasio’s political game.
“The real people who are hurting them are the 2,500 children who benefited from the skating program this season and 250 innocent employees who kept it going for us,” said Lee Krausner, 49, as she saw her two daughters skater.
The Trump organization also posted a letter on Saturday about closing a door at Wollman Rink.
Next to the letter was a notice of a petition to prevent the lane from closing early. The petition, started by art coach Serena Sabet, had more than 1,700 signatures by Saturday afternoon.
“I was so upset. I have literally been skating here since I was 3 years old. …. We all know here, it’s like a second family, “said Sabet, 18, who was on the track on Saturday. “This is our senior year. So many things have been destroyed. ”
Marc Weitzman, who has been teaching figure skating at Wollman for twelve years, told The Post that de Blasio’s decision will affect the young skaters more than Trump.
“I understand politics, I understand it, but I think in this particular situation that is finally hurting, it is the children and all of us who are teaching here,” Weitzman, 44, said.
The parks department is looking for a new concession holder to manage the lanes, but proposals for the work should only appear on March 19th. The city also plans to separate contracts with the Trump organization for the Central Park Carousel and Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point. the Bronx.
The mayor’s office could not explain on Friday why another concessionaire was not found before closing the lane, and did not respond to questions from The Post on Saturday.
‘I wish someone from the city would pick up the tabs. Bloomberg, or anyone, one of the big businesses so that the children do not have to suffer, ”said Francois Ragot (50), whose son has played hockey in Lasker for the past decade.
“It was very sad,” he said. “Last night the kids played hockey and we found out there are no games for the rest of the season.”