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News
Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
| For Release: |
October 23, 2003 |
| Contact: |
Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418 |
DEM AND DOT ANNOUNCE $2.48 MILLION IN GREENWAYS
AND RECREATIONAL TRAILS GRANTS
PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management and the Department of Transportation awarded $2.48 million
in open space and recreational trails grants for a total of 24
projects today at a ceremony held at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in
Middletown. Ten greenways land acquisition and bikeway development
projects were awarded a total of more than $2 million in funds from
the 1998 $15 million Open Space bond fund. Also, 14 recreational trail
improvement and trail equipment projects throughout Rhode Island were
awarded a total of $394,000 in federal transportation grants through
the Recreational Trails Program.
Governor Donald L. Carcieri, who announced his support this week for a
new open space bond referendum for the 2004 ballot, said, "As Rhode
Islanders, we enjoy a tremendous quality of place. Our environment,
our communities, our families, and our economic health are well served
by all our efforts to preserve, yet make accessible, our state's
nature resources. These grants will help improve the quality of life
that Rhode Islanders have come to expect and enjoy. I want to thank
everyone at the Department of Environmental Management and the
Department of Transportation, as well as all of the applicants, for
making possible these grants and these outstanding projects."
DEM Director Jan Reitsma said, "Rhode Islanders have consistently
shown the value they place on open space preservation and greenways
protection. I am very pleased that DEM and DOT are able to offer these
matching grants today, which will further enhance the quality of life
in local communities."
"DOT is pleased to partner once again with DEM on this important
grants program," said James R. Capaldi, P.E., DOT's Director. "The
cities and towns and organizations who received today's awards can all
be proud of their achievement because it is through their efforts that
Rhode Island has become one of the finest places to live and work in
this country."
The greenways grants will provide funding for such diverse projects as
burying overhead electric lines as part of the I-195 Relocation
Project at India Point Park in Providence, to protecting more than 500
acres of coastal forest that abut the Weetamo Woods greenway in
Tiverton. Communities and organizations receiving the grant money
include East Greenwich, Foster Land Trust, Glocester Land Trust,
Newport, Norman Bird Sanctuary, Providence, Scituate, Smithfield,
Tiverton Land Trust, and Westerly Land Trust.
All 10 projects that were selected for greenways grants provide
matching funds for the acquisition, design and construction of local
bikeways and/or recreational greenways. Greenways traditionally
include trails, river walkways, and natural corridors. The areas are
primarily off-road facilities, and they often serve as links between
state and local parks, other bikeways, areas of open space, and
municipal business centers.
The Rhode Island Greenways Council selected the 10 projects that
received awards, and DEM is administering the grants for the Greenways
Council. The Council was established by the General Assembly in 1995
to coordinate state agency greenway efforts, assist local governments
and private groups in greenway creation, and provide information to
the public on the availability and usage of greenways in Rhode Island.
Its seven members represent state agencies, municipalities, and the
public.
Also announced today were 14 grants for trail and trail-related
facilities for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail
uses. Communities and organizations receiving the grant money include
Charlestown, Cumberland, Foster/Glocester Regional School System,
Groundwork Providence (two awards), Hopkinton Land Trust (two awards),
Newport, Pawtucket, Pawtuxet River Authority, Richmond, South County
Bridal Lanes Association, South Kingstown Land Trust, and Warwick.
Authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA-21), the Recreational Trails Program provides funds to the states
to develop and maintain such trails. Both the trail improvement and
trail equipment grants require a local match of 20 percent. All trail
grant applications were reviewed and scored by the state's 16-member
Recreational Trail Advisory Committee made up of recreational trail
users and representatives of DEM, DOT, and the state Department of
Administration. Under an interagency cooperative agreement, DEM
administers the grant program with funds made available by DOT and the
Federal Highway Administration.
A list of the projects receiving grants is attached.
-30-
| Sponsor/Location |
Grant Award |
Project |
| East Greenwich |
$250,000 |
Acquisition of 47 acres of land along Tillinghast Road for
passive recreation, protection of wildlife habitat, and
preservation of a scenic rural streetscape in a National Register
Historic District |
| Foster Land Trust |
$250,000 |
Acquisition and development of a 283 acre parcel of land for
inclusion in the Land Trust's North Greenway, reaching from the
Connecticut line across the northern part of Foster |
| Glocester Land Trust |
$200,000 |
Acquisition of 126 acres of property referred to as Seldom
Seen Farm for a major part of the Glocester greenway system that
stretches from the Phillips Farm open space area to the Town's
border with Smithfield |
| Newport |
$80,000 |
Development of Sunset Hill Trail. Funds will be used to
acquire 3.5 acres of land adjacent to Miantonomi Park and develop
an urban trail linking the parcels |
| Norman Bird Sanctuary |
$250,000 |
Acquisition of 23 acres of land between the Sanctuary and the
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge |
| Providence |
$250,000 |
Burial of overhead electric lines as part of the I-195
Relocation Project at India Point Park in Providence at the head
of the East Bay Bike Path |
| Scituate |
$250,000 |
Acquisition of 189 acres that will provide a link in the
Potterville Town Forest to connect the Brightman property in the
east to the Audubon Society land in the west |
| Smithfield |
$125,000 |
Construction of the Stillwater Reservoir Pedestrian Path and
Bridge Project to link with the historic Stillwater Village via a
proposed RIDOT pedestrian bridge across the Woonasquatucket River |
| Tiverton Land Trust |
$250,000 |
Protection of more than 500 acres of coastal forest that abut
the Weetamo Woods greenway |
| Westerly Land Trust |
$137,500 |
Acquisition of 14 acres of land along the Pawcatuck River to
provide a critical greenway link from the 600-acre Westerly Town
Forest to the Pawcatuck River for wildlife and hikers |
| Charlestown, South Farm Trail |
$20,000 |
To construct a small parking lot area and pedestrian access
through a perimeter trail for hiking and horses |
| Cumberland |
$49,715 |
To improve and create a defined uniform path of approximately
1.3 miles of existing trail and to construct approximately 350
feet of new trail to Nine Men's Misery Monument |
| Foster/Glocester Regional School System |
$22,000 |
To create a one-quarter mile loop trail specifically designed
for visually and mobility impaired persons |
| Groundwork Providence |
$40,000 |
To build an accessible trail along the Woonasquatucket River
and adjacent to Buttonhole Golf Course |
| Groundwork Providence |
$710 |
To purchase hand tools |
| Hopkinton Land Trust |
$9,600 |
To construct a wetland crossing along the Tomaquag Trail |
| Hopkinton Land Trust, Tomaquag Trail |
$1,720 |
To purchase a brush cutter |
| Newport, Cliff Walk |
$50,000 |
To resurface approximately 3,000 feet of asphalt trail for the
Cliff Walk |
| Pawtucket |
$30,000 |
For a Slater Park enhancement project to reinforce
approximately 1,200 feet of stone dust trails, and to provide new
signage depicting all of the park trails and a series of "Walk A
Mile" routes |
| Pawtuxet River Authority |
$46,000 |
To connect two segments of trail by purchasing a right-of-way
easement, constructing a bridge over a mill raceway, and
constructing a path segment outside the owner's parking lot |
| Richmond |
$100,000 |
To enhance the North/South Trail system by providing an
alternate route to the current system; creating a core trail to
link additional local trails; and transporting hikers across a
landscape with dramatic vistas and ecological significance |
| South County Bridal Lanes Association |
$2,400 |
To install trail markers on equestrian and hiking trails in
South County, where appropriate, to enhance safety and to clearly
identify the trails |
| South Kingstown Land Trust |
$1,724 |
To purchase a trailer and a chain saw |
| Warwick |
$20,496 |
To restore approximately 1.3 miles of the existing old farm
road with appropriate signage; to improve trailhead parking; to
add post and rail fencing, a kiosk, and interpretive signs; and to
install a bar gate at the Dawley Farm property |
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