The Central Park Conservancy was founded in 1980 by a group of dedicated civic and philanthropic leaders. They were determined to end Central Park's dramatic decline in the 1970s and restore it to its former splendor as America's first and foremost major urban public space, as envisioned by its 19th-century designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Today, the Conservancy's mission is to restore, manage and enhance Central Park, in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of present and future generations.