By Cleo Vivas-Rojas
This Sunday, I grabbed my scooter and headed to one of my favorite places in New York City — Roosevelt Island. Tucked between Manhattan and Queens, it always feels like a little oasis in the middle of all the chaos. There’s something peaceful about it, like the city noise can’t quite reach you there. And on a sunny day like this, I just wanted to slow down, breathe, and enjoy the view.
A Stop at the FDR Hope Memorial
Before reaching the park, I made a quick stop at the FDR Hope Memorial, a moving tribute located near the southern end of the island.
The bronze sculpture by artist Meredith Bergmann shows President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated beside a young girl with crutches — a powerful reminder that FDR lived with polio and championed rights for people with disabilities. The memorial was inaugurated in 2021, and it adds a deeply human, emotional layer to the island’s already rich history. It’s gentle, respectful, and full of quiet strength.
A Haunting Glimpse of the Past
Down the path, I passed the old Smallpox Hospital ruins — or as some locals call it, “the chicken pox building.”
I’ve seen it so many times, and while I admire its Gothic Revival architecture, I always get an odd, unsettled feeling as I pass by. There’s something eerie about the way it stands — crumbling but proud — as if the past hasn’t quite let go. Built in the 1850s to treat patients with contagious diseases, it’s now a fenced-off shell of what it once was, overgrown with ivy and shadows.
Arriving at Four Freedoms Park
Once past the ruins, I reached Four Freedoms Park, and immediately felt the calm wash over me.
The architecture is clean and simple — rows of trees, wide granite steps, and open views — a perfect place to sit quietly and reflect. It was designed by world-renowned architect Louis Kahn in 1974, though construction didn’t begin until decades later. The park was finally completed and opened to the public in 2012, making it one of New York’s newer but most meaningful public spaces.
At the park’s southern tip, Roosevelt’s words are carved into granite, facing the open sky and river.
The park is a tribute to FDR and his 1941 speech outlining four essential freedoms:
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Worship
Freedom from Want
Freedom from Fear
Views That Steal Your Breath
And let’s talk about the views — because wow. Right across the river, Midtown Manhattan stretches out like a living postcard. The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and rows of shining towers gleamed in the afternoon light. It felt like the whole city was on pause, just for a moment.
I sat for a while, watching people read, nap, have small picnics, or just do nothing — which, honestly, felt like everything. This park doesn’t ask much of you. Just show up, sit down, and enjoy the stillness.
If you ever feel like the city is a little too much, grab your book, your camera and head to Roosevelt Island. Between the history, the skyline, and the peace, it’s one of the best-kept secrets in New York.
Plan your visit: https://www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org
How to get there: Train F to Roosevelt Island. Also, you can take the Tram at 60th Street and 2nd Avenue or Bus Q102.
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All photos by Cleo Vivas-Rojas