Renovated Central Avenue Park in East Providence draws a crowd

Will be site of 25th Annual Neighborhood Day on August 20

By Mike Rego
Posted 8/18/16

EAST PROVIDENCE — When residents gather in the center of East Providence for the 25th Annual Neighborhood Day Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 20, they'll find an upgraded and renovated Onna …

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Renovated Central Avenue Park in East Providence draws a crowd

Will be site of 25th Annual Neighborhood Day on August 20

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — When residents gather in the center of East Providence for the 25th Annual Neighborhood Day Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 20, they'll find an upgraded and renovated Onna Moniz-John Park/Central Avenue Playground.

Over the past several months the basketball courts have been refurbished complete with plexiglass backboards. A new skate park has been erected. And new children's play apparatus have been installed. There's also improved lighting. The improved aspects of the park became available to the surrounding neighborhood about four weeks ago.

Funding for the project courtesy of a grant from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and a match by the city. The skate park was designed and completed with the assistance of the K-Rob Foundation, the namesake of city native and extreme bike riding legend Kevin Robinson.

"There's one in Pawtucket, but it's not as good as this. It's concrete. This one has more flow. It has a box jump (centerpiece)," John Ramos, who was in city from Central Falls late last week, said of the skate park.

"My sister lives over here. I found out there was a new park, so I decided to shred it. Why not?" said Josh Ouellette, 19 and who is formerly of Tiverton, but now lives in New Hampshire. "There's one in Tiverton off Bulgarmarsh Road, I think. This one could use a little more wax on the rails, but other than that it's pretty good for being brand new."

While about a dozen kids were tricking up the skate park, another handful were shooting hoops.

"It's nice that they redid them for the kids. It allows all of us to play ball, play everyday whenever we can," said Herb Richardson, a city resident and East Providence High School student.

Saturday's Neighborhood Day is free and open to the public. It runs from 9 a.m. to dusk.

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