Holiday Ball
The Partnership for Providence Parks, along with the
Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, Art, Culture + Tourism and the Providence Parks Department, was thrilled to bring visual artist
Nina Bovasso to the annual City Tree Lighting festivities at The Providence Rink at the Bank of America City Center on Saturday December 7. Thank you to all who helped to make this event wonderful!
Partnership Awarded Robbins de Beaumont Foundation Grant
We are so grateful to Carol and Max Massoni from the Robbins de Beaumont Foundation for visiting Playful Providence and the Partnership in September. The foundation recently awarding us a grant to bring a community garden and Parkour to Father Lennon Park. Thank you!
The Wild Place on RI Public Radio
On December 18 on RIPR, at 6:35am, 8:35am, and 5:45pm, there will be a broadcast of Diana Jackson reading a piece she wrote about The Wild Place on "This I Believe." The station is located at 88.1 on your FM dial. If you cannot listen to it at this time, you can locate the reading of the essay by going on their website,
www.ripr.org, then click on "This I Believe" and look for
Diana Jackson. Also, the Wild place has a new website
www.friendsofthewildplace@weebly.com
New Group At Waterplace Park
Congratulations to Friends of Waterplace Park Gardens for establishing a Friends group under the leadership of Paul Salesi. We welcome you!
Play on!
Linda White (Aka Linda Pinda) along with our JWU volunteer, Gabriella Pulley and friends, created opportunities for free and open play at the Power of a Healthy Community: Movement, Play and Nutrition event at the Sackett Street School.
Urban Refuge Update
April Alix, Conservation and Education Coordinator
In November, I had the privilege to attend the Volunteers and Community Partners for Providence Parks & Trees Thank You event at the Botanical Center where I met many of the folks who make Providence such a wonderful city! I've been visiting quite a few of the parks in Providence and have already had some wonderful encounters with nature at its best. At one of my visits to Neutaconkanut Hill Park, I watched as a hawk swooped down from a tree to hunt some prey a mere 30 feet from where I stood. While at Donigian Park, I observed a Great Blue Heron perch on a log; patiently awaiting fish to pass in hopes of snatching up lunch. In Merino Park, a beautiful Northern Flicker hopped from tree to tree before taking off over the new bike path. At Roger Williams Park, a plump muskrat scurried off and swam across the pond at the sound of my footsteps. What a great city to live in! I look forward to meeting with more partners and community groups this month to establish some wonderful programs and opportunities to get everyone out for these fun nature experiences!
1st Annual Volunteers & Community Partners for Providence Parks & Trees
Thanks so much to all who joined us for the
1st Annual Volunteers and Community Partners for Providence Parks and Trees event at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center on November 14
th. The evening was a huge success as we were able to celebrate the volunteers and community partners that care for and activate our green spaces and plant the trees that make Providence thrive. The food was amazing! We are so grateful to the generosity of our sponsors:
Cozy Caterers, Costanino's Venda Ravioli, Ocean State Rental, and the
The Johnson and Wales Honor Society Volunteers Extraordinaire. Also:
East Side Market
Julians
Local 121
Narragansett Creamery
New Harvest Coffee
Nice Slice
Olga’s Cup and Saucer
Rasoi
Seven Stars Bakery
Silver Star Bakery
The Sandwich Hut
Whole Foods Waterman Street
For playing
Wait! Wait! Don't Tell me: The City Hall Chicks, and the Park Veterans
We are also grateful to: Heather Manning, Richard Riccio and the Botanical Center Staff!
New Office/Resource Center for Partnership
The Partnership Resource Center just received an extreme make-over. Thanks to a generous donation from the Brown University Facilities Department and Factory Carpet Outlet, we have meeting space and storage for all our artful and playful stuff. Please let us know if you would like to schedule the space for a meeting, or come on in for a visit.
Save the Date for Earth Day Spring Cleaning 2014
On Saturday April 26th, our city will come together for the 2nd annual event. Look for information on mini grants, resources and materials to help with your event in the January/February News
.
Waterman Street Dog Park Meeting with Bob McMahon
Winter/Spring Parks Academy 2014Registration will be live on January 6th for this year's sessions. Thanks to our grant from the National Environment Education Fund, Capacity Building grants are available to groups who attend workshops to
take and do an idea from the workshops. Please inquire with
wendy@providenceparks.org if you are interested. Workshops will include:
- Creating or Updating a Vision for your Park
- Transform Your Vision into an Action Plan
- Accessing and retaining volunteers
- Using Social Media and the Web: What is new and what is relevant?
- Oral Histories of our Public Spaces
- Fund Development
- From Darkness to Light (sexual predator awareness)
- Fitness in your Park
- Planning and Promoting a Performing Arts and Play Event in Your Park
- Promoting Play in your Park
- Community Gardens
- Urban Refuges
Save the Date for Our Quarterly Friends and Community Partners Meeting
Wednesday, March 5th at the PC Annex at 231 Douglas Ave. We have so much to talk about...Earth Day, Playful Providence, Fitness Classes, Conservation, and more.
