By Anne Levin
Ice skating on Lake Carnegie was a main topic of discussion at the Monday, February 9 meeting of Princeton Council. The recent spate of frigid weather has brought the possibility, which is fondly remembered by many who grew up in Princeton when below freezing temperatures were the norm, to the forefront.
While Smoyer Park and Community Park North Pond are authorized locations for ice skating, it was determined last winter — when temperatures were warmer — that skating on Lake Carnegie was not safe. Skating at Smoyer Park has been permitted in recent days, but Community Park North Pond has jagged, uneven ice that has led the municipality to raise the red flag warning that it is not safe (a white flag signifies safety; red means unsafe).
Assistant Municipal Administrator Jim Purcell reported to Council that he has had several inquiries about reopening Lake Carnegie for skating. Councilwoman Mia Sacks said she had heard from several people about the possibility as well.
“For now, in the foreseeable future, Lake Carnegie is not an option,” Purcell said, adding that the lake was open for skating in 1996 and 2014. In 1996, someone sustained a leg injury that was the subject of litigation, he said.
Sacks said some believed that the decision to not allow skating on the lake was made by Princeton University, but it was the town that made the determination. “I wish that it had come to Council for us to discuss it,” she said, adding that she hoped a compromise could be worked out in which skating is permitted if the lake is sufficiently frozen. Mayor Mark Freda said the decision was made last year “and not hidden from anyone. Also, there was no opportunity to skate. It wasn’t made on a whim or a moment’s notice.”
Council President Michelle Pirone Lambros said there are significant safety issues including skating under the Harrison Street bridge. If skating was allowed on a section that would be cordoned off, “there is a risk of someone going past the cordon. The risk would be to them and to first responders who would have to go after them.”
Councilman Leighton Newlin recalled skating on the lake when he was growing up. “But it’s been many years since it’s been cold enough,” he said. “And guess what? Whoever made the decision made the right decision. When you have to put your rescue workers in harm’s way to get somebody who made a mistake and got caught on the ice, it really is a bad look.”
Riverside Drive resident Chris Sturm was among the members of the public who spoke in favor of skating on the lake, calling it “magical.” People have been out on the lake regardless of the fact that it is not allowed, she said.
“Smoyer Park is nice, but it’s nothing like being out on a lake with 100 people,” she said. “I was surprised that the decision was made without the public.” Sturm added that she is grateful for Council’s attention to the matter, and hopes there is a way to offer the opportunity to skate on the lake in the future.
Resident Seth Mellman said the lake is where his daughter learned to skate. “You just never forget it,” he said. “I just think the Council and town should try to come up with some sort of a compromise. Last night at my Super Bowl party, it was the No. 1 topic of conversation.”
For updates on skating safety, visit princetonnj.gov/877/Ice-Skating.
At the beginning of the meeting, a swearing-in ceremony was held for promotions in the Princeton Police Department. Corporal Ashley Levins, Sergeant Michael Schubert, Lieutenant Daniel Federico, and Captain Thomas Lagomarsino were all sworn in with their families by their sides.
Municipal Administrator Deanna Stockton delivered a summary of the 2025 Urban Forestry Report, noting such highlights as the completion of the urban tree canopy assessment, the community forestry management plan, the planting of 276 street and park trees, and the restoration of 45 acres of forest at Community Park North.
Councilman Brian McDonald thanked Friends of Princeton Open Space and the Friends of Herrontown Woods for their work related to saving trees. He also noted that Princeton is among the few towns that has a full-time arborist [Taylor Sapudar]. While the report is promising, not all the news is good, he warned.
“In the last 13 years, we’ve lost 5.5 percent of the tree canopy,” he said. “We’d be well served to continue to focus on not just stopping, but over time returning the canopy to the level it once was.”
Council voted to amend ordinances and introduce others related to affordable housing, and introduced an ordinance about filming in town. Resolutions were passed related to stormwater management, roadway improvements, and lots on Franklin Avenue being designated a non-condemnation redevelopment area.
The next meeting of Council is February 23 at 7 p.m.