Press Releases

Providence, R.I. – October 2, 2003 – Call it Donigian Day. This Saturday, the developers of Rising Sun Mills are teaming up with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council and others to improve Donigian Park, the riverfront city park near Rising Sun Mills in the Valley section.

And they're asking the public to help out.

Saturday's improvement project is expected to include the installation of electric service, tree planting and brush clearing. Gardens that are supposed to attract butterflies also are to be rejuvenated.

With permanent electric service, it will be possible to install lighting at the park and will make it easier to have certain events, such as the showing of movies in the summer, according to Jennie Pereira, executive director of the Watershed Council.

Rising Sun Mills is the new name of the old mill complex just west of the park, at 166 Valley St., which is to be rehabilitated for apartments, commercial office space and a moderately priced restaurant. The park itself is on Valley Street, west of Atwells Avenue, and already has a softball field, playground and other features.

The developers, Armory Revival Co., of Providence, and Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse, of Baltimore, are calling Saturday's event James W. Rouse Community Service Day. For years Struever Bros. has sponsored similar community service events by the same name in its home territory.

Struever Bros. says it is an opportunity to show the power of partnerships in rebuilding communities.

It persuades its contractors and subcontractors, among others, to donate services and materials to keep down the cost of the projects. In this case, the value of the services and materials is expected to total about $100,000.

The Donigian Park event also has been incorporated into the municipal program called Providence Shines. Mayor David N. Cicilline announced yesterday that Providence Shines cleanup crews will tackle Donigian Park as well as the Broad Street business district.

The city is collaborating with the Broad Street Merchants Association for the cleanup on that South Side boulevard. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9 a.m. at Club Juan Pablo Duarte, 100 Niagara St.

Refreshments, T-shirt giveaways and prize drawings are a part of the Broad Street event.

As for the Donigian Park event, besides the City of Providence, the other official partners in the project are the Narragansett Bay Commission; Friends of Donigian Park; and Puente, a nonprofit group planning an environmentally sensitive incubator for small businesses, especially those that are art-oriented, and other purposes at another nearby mill complex to be rehabilitated by Armory Revival and Struever Bros., at 60 Valley St.

Armory Revival and Struever Bros. have said that they intend to invest about $100 million at 166 Valley, 60 Valley and at other points along that stretch to invigorate what is now a shabby area.

James W. Rouse Community Service Day is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers will be given breakfast, lunch and T-shirts.

Pereira said yesterday that volunteers are welcome to arrive at any time. If possible, volunteers are asked to call the Watershed Council at 861-9046 today or tomorrow to say they are coming.

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