Couple releases plans for new park
SARATOGA SPRINGS>> The “first couple” of the SpaCity, John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney, want to give the city a gift for its 100th birthday.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, a proposal on the agenda called for revamping the Union Avenue side of Congress Park with a statue of Native Dancer and improvements to the landscaping and installation of a fountain.
The statue would be built with a marble base, and the entire pocket park, to be called Centennial Park, would be lit at night. Michael Ingersoll of the LA Group is working with Whitney and Hendrickson on the park’s design, and presented the renderings to the council Tuesday.
Plans include a remodeled sidewalk and improvements to landscaping and flowers though specific plants have not been decided upon.
The couple consulted noted equine artist Gwen Reardon, who specializes in life-size bronze race horse sculptures. Ingersoll said at Tuesday’s meeting the winner’s circle-shaped park would ideally be completed next year, in time for track season.
Mayor Joanne Yepsen said the project would not cost the city anything.
Native Dancer was a celebrated thoroughbred and was the first race horse to be made famous through television and winner of the Saratoga Special Stakes in 1952. In the Associated Press rankings of the greatest racehorses of the 20th century, he was ranked third, tied with Citation,behind only Mano’ War and Secretariat. Native Dancer was also featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1954.
“A lot of people assumed Man O’ War or Secretariat but they lost at Saratoga. Native Dancer was undefeated at Saratoga,” Hendrickson said. “It’s going to be beautiful and welcoming. We thought it would commemorate our love and respect for the city.”