Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is an amusement park in Moscow, named after Maxim Gorky. orky Park was opened in 1928. It is located at Krymsky Val and situated just across the Moskva River from Park Kultury Metro Station. The Park was planned by Konstantin Melnikov. During the post-soviet era Gorky Park used to host an amusement park with fun fairs, variousamusement rides. Over the years the rides became decrepit, and the park territory was swamped with cheap attractions and cafes. In 2011 the Gorky Park underwent a major reconstruction. All amusement rides have been removed in order to transform the place into an eco-friendly recreational zone. In March, the city appointed Sergei Kapkov director of the 120-hectare, or 300-acre, Gorky Park. He canceled the entrance fee and cleared the park of outdated carnival rides and junk food stalls, while bringing back the traditional sport activities: aerobics, yoga and salsa dancing taught by educated instructors, along with creating new spaces, such as a pétanque cafe and an open-air cinema theatre. With free Wi-fi, contemporary public art projects, design fairs and a new cafe policy, Gorky Park soon became one of the most popular places in Moscow.[2] A 15,000 square meter ice rink, with separate zones for children, hockey, dancing, and general skating, was officially opened in December 2011.
