River Rangers

Twelve River Rangers were hired in the summer of 2008 to help maintain the bike path and three parks along the Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway including Donigian, Merino and the new Riverside Park.

The River Rangers met with city officials learning their roles and challenges they faced to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood. Speakers included the Providence Police Department, Councilwoman Joan DiRuzzo, Providence Parks Department.

Repainting a mural at Merino Park in Providence

River Rangers worked with Nickerson and Joslin Community Centers on the “Riverside Experience,” engaging youth in recreational activities at Riverside Park: included biking on the new bike-path, canoeing on the Woonasquatucket River, nature walks, learning about non-point source pollution, and environmental arts and craft projects. The Olneyville Boys and Girls Club joined the other community centers and the YMCA for a field day event that culminated the Riverside Experience.

River Rangers patrolled the bike path each day, promoted group rides, organized a bike rodeo and worked on physical improvements including mural painting, freshening up benches, tables, painting over graffiti, litter removal, weeding gardens, mulching gardens and tree pits, in-water cleanups, planting shrubs, creating paths, painting barrels, and installing signage in parks.

Over 150 individuals took part in cleanup and planting activities, environmental education, stewardship, gardening, bike and canoe rides. REI mountain bikes helped provide transportation for our Rangers teams move from park to the bike path to complete their tasks.

These small tasks completed on a regular basis along with the "Riverside Experience" project helped increase programming at Riverside Park and made a HUGE difference towards ensuring a well maintained safe, new off-road bike path for the city of Providence and town of Johnston. Visit the Greenway and take a look at the improvements they made…

Funded by the Rhode Island Foundation, the Merck Family Fund and REI.

The outdoor equipment cooperative, REI, sponsored the River Rangers Program in 2008. Thanks!

River Rangers cleaning up the river

A sign painted by the Rangers

River Rangers getting out on the water to learn about and explore the river