The Town of Warren was recently named one of 11 recipients in the state to receive funding from $2 million in grants distributed by the State Department of Environmental Management (DEM) in annual awards for recreation-based projects.

Warren’s share of the funding, which is financed by a $50 million Green Bond passed by Rhode Island voters during the 2022 election, amounts to $72,445, and will go towards the creation of a community garden located at the corner of Kinnicut and Schoolhouse Roads.

“We’re looking at around 30 plots to start,” said Parks and Recreation Director Tara Thibaudeau. “I think it’s a little less than an acre that we’ll be starting with, but we can always make that bigger.”

The lot itself is a Town-owned parcel, and Thibaudeau said it had been in the plans for a “while” to turn the space into a community garden. An application process is already live on the Town’s website under the Parks ands Recreations section. However, she said that due to the financial issues experienced by the Town, she feared the project would have to be put on hold indefinitely.

“This will actually help us to make it into an actual project now,” she said on Monday after hearing the grant results had been publicly announced. “I can honestly say we’re ready to go. I’m really excited.”

The description of the grant from DEM describes what the funding will help facilitate, including “Raised beds, fencing, well, storage shed, rain barrels, compost bins, tables, benches, bike rack, parking area, and signage.”

Thibaudeau said that she had already had conversations about students from Mt. Hope high School building a picnic table for the spot, and that they would be able to relocate a shed from Burr’s Hill to be used for storage at the site. She said there would also be opportunities to collaborate with St. Mary’s of the Bay food pantry and the Warren Health Equity Zone to help supply some fresh produce to people in need.

According to the press release announced by DEM, the grants require a 20/80 match from the municipalities. Thibaudeau said, being aware of the Town’s financial situation, that they would be able to satisfy the match requirement through a combination of in-kind work from other Town departments (such as DPW), volunteer efforts of those in the community, and by leveraging another grant received for the project.

If you are interested in applying for a plot, click here.