Look at those happy faces! Imagine what it felt like to finally see your dream realized. Beginning in 1979, the couple began the proposal process to the city of New York. Several administrations later, Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave the approval, and The Gates were installed in February 2005.
There is a terrific documentary that chronicles the journey. First aired on HBO, it is available on dvd through Amazon, and can be streamed with Amazon Prime, or on Hulu.com. More information can be found on Maysles Films.
Preview, showing some footage of Christo before he was gray: