On June 10th 2021, Mayor de Blasio announced that Macy’s 4th of July fireworks return to the East River near Roosevelt Island. But RIOC dithering bottlenecks all plans for people hoping to see them.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
UPDATE, June 28th 2021, 11:00 a.m.:
RIOC’s still silent, but the Roosevelt Island Daily learned that RIOC will allow for capacity control attendance in Southpoint Park as well as Four Freedoms. They will offer free tickets via the online system as they have in past years.
When that will happen is unknown, although they’re cutting the time very short with less than a week remaining.
End of Update
“We are finalizing the plan for the Fourth of July and should have the information to share next week,” wrote a state parks representative on June 11th.
And a week later, “We are coordinating with RIOC and anticipate having all the information to share next week.”
But that hasn’t happened, and RIOC, of course, has not told the community anything.
Will there be any 4th of July fireworks for Roosevelt Island?
We don’t know because everything centers around RIOC setting up access to and through Southpoint Park. At a recent committee meeting, RIOC president/CEO Shelton J. Haynes announced hopes for a new platform under construction in the park, maybe ready for the 4th.
It’s a minor feature, but it’s the only signal so far that the state agency is cognizant of the event.
And Haynes left for vacation, according to automated responses from his email address, without any plan in place. Some observers find his absence unimportant, though, as a consensus emerges that the president/CEO is little more than a figurehead with others running the business.
Badly.
Why RIOC’s getting something done matters…
Because access to all areas south of the Cornell Tech campus relies on RIOC arranging for entering Southpoint Park, nothing can happen without their plan. And they, apparently, ain’t got one.
Best viewing is from the grassy meadow in FDR Four Freedoms State Park, but you can’t get there without passing through Southpoint. Thus, RIOC bottlenecks everything, and their failure sours everyone else’s best intentions.
Conclusion:
Macy’s 4th of July fireworks will go on. That’s a given, but with just a week left before fiery explosions fill the sky over Roosevelt Island, there is no guarantee that anyone will watch them from anywhere south of Cornell Tech.
And no word from the absentee landlord who continues fumbling community management, unabated and unmanaged.
Also from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- Queens News Roundup: Public Safety, May Day, and Summer Music Reach Roosevelt IslandCatch up with our Queens news roundup, including public safety updates, labor actions, and summer music events making an impact on Roosevelt Island this week.
- How Citywide Changes Shape Daily Life on Roosevelt IslandDiscover how citywide changes shape daily life on Roosevelt Island, from policy shifts to community safety, events, and local routines.
- How Queens News Impacts Daily Life on Roosevelt IslandHow Queens news impacts daily life on Roosevelt Island, from public safety updates to neighborhood festivals and health care developments. Discover the ripple effects of our neighboring borough.
- This Week’s Roosevelt Island Community Updates Beyond the TramDiscover this week’s Roosevelt Island community updates beyond the tram, from public safety and hospital news to festival highlights and neighborly stories.
- How Queens News Impacts Roosevelt Island Routines and Community LifeExplore how queens news impacts Roosevelt Island routines and community life, from public safety updates and election changes to housing assistance and local celebrations.
The Line That Didn’t Land
I stood in the back of Good Shepherd Chapel on the evening of April 15, 2026, at the Steam Plant Demolition Town Hall, watching people adjust scarves and jackets before the meeting began. Benjamin Jones, President and CEO of RIOC, thanked us for attending and, without a pause, said he was “pleased to host tonight’s town hall on the city’s demolition of its steam plant.” The demolition, in other words, was not up for discussion.
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