On July 4, 2019 my family and I had a picnic in East River Park. The park is located on the waterfront of Manhattan in the neighborhood I grew up in The Lower East Side.The park is adjacent to the East River and across from Brooklyn. East River Park has been a gathering place for the LES community and visitors since it was created in 1939. Growing up I had many fond memories of East River Park. I spent most of my summers in the park enjoying the breeze from the river, playing sports and riding my bike. Friends and family would gather in the park to enjoy concerts, parties, and annual reunions. The park has been an institution in our neighborhood for almost a century.Not long before I sat with my family on that day in July there was talk of renovations and drastic changes to it. As I sat watching children playing and boats moving across the river I wondered if it would ever be the same after all of the changes. I took some pictures and drew what I saw all around me. Later that year New York City decided to demolish the East River Park and replace it with a new park. The new park would be planted on higher ground to prevent flooding. It would also have less greenery and a completely different look. I decided to make a painting of this beautiful place to preserve its memory. I used the sketches and photographs I had taken as inspiration. I worked on the painting for several months because of the details and significance of the park.East River Park will never be the same as remembered it but I will always cherish the joy it brought me and my community.