PROVIDENCE – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza joined congressional and state leaders to open the Roger Williams Park Gateway Center on Monday.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the $5 million project that transformed the blighted lot at 1201 Broad St. into a gateway for the park, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, and event space for the community and surrounding neighborhoods.
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Upgrades included a new visitors center, restrooms and play areas.
“Design elements of this project reflect the vibrant businesses right here on Broad Street, weaving the Gateway into the fabric of this beautiful neighborhood,” Elorza said. “Turning these formerly vacant and abandoned lots into a state-of-the-art destination promotes inclusivity for our parks, beautifies the community for its residents and introduces new visitors to our neighborhoods.”
The project cost was supported by the state-funded Acquisition and Revitalization Program overseen by R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp., along with financial support from the Providence Redevelopment Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, said Carol Ventura, executive director of R.I. Housing, a self-supporting public agency created in 1973 to support affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families.
Post-construction, R.I.’s congressional delegates helped secure $700,000 in Community Project Funding, which will be used to support the continued activation of the space, including Gateway Center operations and community programming.
“Roger Williams Park has been a Providence treasure for 150 years,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. “Congressman Cicilline and I were pleased to deliver funding to support this inviting modern gateway and visitor’s center at the Park’s Broad Street entrance. I’m committed to continuing to reinvigorate Rhode Island’s public parks and green spaces.”
Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., added that the project “transformed a blighted area and will improve green access, support recreational activities, and ensure that our neighbors can enjoy this park to the fullest.”
