WARWICK – City officials, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin visited Rocky Point this morning to celebrate the preservation of 41 acres of pristine shoreline at the former amusement park site.
“I am so pleased to be here today with Senator Reed, who was instrumental in securing the federal funds that enabled us to purchase this mile of shoreline property,” Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian said in a statement. “I am excited to move forward to develop our plan to provide public access to the property, so that Rhode Islanders can enjoy walking, fishing, hiking and other activities here.
“Rocky Point is important from environmental, historical and quality of life standpoints,” the mayor added, “and it will also stand as a long-lasting reminder that many facets of federal, state and local government worked together to accomplish something remarkable for our city and state.”
“This is truly a landmark acquisition,” said Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who in 2001 secured the first of two federal appropriations for the project. “We didn’t purchase the Tilt-a-Whirl or the Flume, but the greatest attraction of Rocky Point has always been the view of Narragansett Bay. That view, along with the shoreline and these scenic 41 acres, is what we were able to save and preserve for future generations.”
The property – open to the public for a century and a half before Rocky Point Amusement Park shut down in 1996, and its assets were auctioned off – was acquired for $4.45 million, using $2.25 million in federal funding, $1.4 million from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management and $800,000 from the City of Warwick.
Residents are invited to tour the city-owned portions of the property this Sunday, Oct. 26, from noon to 2 p.m., the mayor’s office added. (The other 83 acres will not be open to the public.) Those who wish to visit are asked to use what was the main entrance of the former amusement park, at the end of Rocky Point Avenue.
“Many people have expressed an interest in visiting Rocky Point, so we felt that providing this opportunity before the winter, and before additional work begins on-site, would be appropriate,” Avedisian said. “I think that people will be very pleased to see the portion of the property that we have acquired.”
“Open space such as Rocky Point is a rarity in Rhode Island,” said Langevin – who, with Reed and the rest of the Rhode Island delegation, helped to obtain federal funding via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program. “I am happy we did all we could to preserve this parcel.”
“There were times when this funding could have disappeared, because of complications within the bankruptcy process and with the future plans for the remaining acres of the Rocky Point site,” Reed noted. “But through hard work, cooperation, and the perseverance of all parties at the federal, state, and local level, we were able to save this land and preserve public access to the shoreline. … I am pleased that we were able to preserve the natural beauty of this place for future generations.”
Originally, Reed’s office noted, “the acquisition of these 41 acres was dependent on the Rocky Point receiver, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other shareholders reaching a simultaneous agreement to sell off the remaining 83 acres of Rocky Point property.
“Unfortunately, each effort to sell the rest of property came up short,” but by working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the senator was able to maintain the availability of that first federal allotment, his office said.
Late last year, with the most recent extension about to expire, he urged the SBA to divide the property, allowing the city to purchase 41 waterfront acres.
The SBA agreed, Reed’s office said – with the contingency that the land sale last December would not be final until the agency had a buyer for the other 83 acres. (READ MORE)
Then, yet another deal for the property crumbled. “In early July, a deal to sell the remaining 83 acres to Leach Family Holdings (READ MORE) fell apart, meaning that the property acquired by Warwick would be given back to the NOAA and that the $2.25 million Reed secured would revert back to the federal government at the end of the fiscal year,” on Sept. 30.
Instead, the SBA persuaded the property’s other preferred shareholders “to accept a buyout, which SBA proposed to finance with the proceeds from sale to City of Warwick,” Reed’s office said. The shareholders agreed, and the deal “was approved by Judge Ronald R. Lagueux in a decision that became final on Aug. 12, 2008.
“Last month,” the office added, “Warwick received a $90,000 grant from DEM – through its Historic and Passive Recreation Development and Rehabilitation grant program – to help with the design, permitting and development phases of the project. Once the restoration of the land is complete, Rhode Islanders will be able to enjoy a wide-range of recreational activities including fishing, bird watching, hiking, canoeing and kayaking.”
Langevin said that, “As a native of Warwick … I was happy to help obtain federal funding for this project through the years.” In 2003, he joined SBA officials in presenting the city with $1.07 million, to cover back taxes and water bills owed by the former amusement park.
“For too long the Rocky Point property has been closed to the public, but with the hard work of federal, state and city leaders that is changing today,” the congressman added. “The acquisition of these 41 acres for public use is a proud moment in the midst of challenging times. I am delighted that Rhode Islanders will be able to come here now and enjoy the beautiful vistas of our most prized natural resource – Narragansett Bay.
“Many of us grew up coming to the Rocky Point Amusement Park with our families to enjoy a roller coaster ride or clam cakes and chowder,” Langevin said. “I cannot wait for a new generation of families to start making new memories on this property for many more years to come.”
For more news and information from the City of Warwick, visit www.WarwickRI.gov.
