Randall's Island Park

Randall's Island Park encompasses approximately 273 acres on Randall's and Wards Islands in the East River between Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. Connected to Manhattan by pedestrian walkways from the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge and the Wards Island pedestrian bridge at East 103rd Street, the island has been transformed from a neglected institutional landscape into one of the city's premier athletic and recreation destinations.

The island has a complex and often troubled history. From the mid-19th century through much of the 20th century, it housed a succession of public institutions including a potter's field, an almshouse, an asylum, a children's hospital, and various correctional and social service facilities. The island also served as a staging area for immigrants before Ellis Island opened.

The Randall's Island Park Alliance, founded in 1992, has led a dramatic transformation of the island, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in new athletic fields, landscaping, waterfront access, and educational facilities. The island now contains over 60 athletic fields for soccer, baseball, lacrosse, football, and other sports.

Icahn Stadium, a 5,000-seat track and field facility on the island, hosts major athletic competitions and serves as a training facility for local athletes. The island also features a golf driving range, tennis courts, playgrounds, a waterfront esplanade, and the Randall's Island Urban Farm, which grows produce for local communities.

The island's location in the middle of the East River provides dramatic views of the Manhattan, Bronx, and Queens skylines, and its separation from the mainland creates a sense of escape from the city despite being within its boundaries. Waterfront pathways circle the island's perimeter, offering a continuous walking and cycling route.

Randall's Island Park demonstrates the extraordinary potential of institutional land reclamation: a site that was for centuries associated with New York's most marginalized populations has been reborn as a world-class recreation facility that serves athletes, families, and nature lovers from across the five boroughs.