Tea Pavilion

Designed by Clinton L. Vivian and Arthur Gibb and originally built in 1895, the Tea Pavilion once served as the welcoming point for visitors to the park, and was the last stop on the popular trolley ride to Renwick Park from downtown. Over the past century, this open-air pavilion has been moved several times within the park to highlight certain attractions, landing in its current location in the 1950s when the playground and Carousel were installed. By 2011 the building had fallen into disrepair and the City of Ithaca considered tearing it down. With Friends of Stewart Park’s encouragement, in 2016 the City of Ithaca and its Department of Public Works rebuilt the pavilion to its former design. It now serves as a popular location for open-air gatherings throughout the summer, reserved frequently through the Ithaca Youth Bureau.

As you make your way to the next stop, take a moment to look out along Cayuga Lake. Are there any sailboats out today? Do you see any rowers? Spectators have been enjoying crew races from this location for over 125 years. Nowadays kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards can be rented from the Stewart Park inlet from June through September.