LATEST NEWS VERI | WATERMAN ASSOCIATES AWARDED RIDEM CONTRACT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ROCKY POINT STATE PARK MASTER PLAN The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) has chosen Veri | Waterman Associates to develop a Schematic Master Plan for a potential waterfront State Park on the former Rocky Point Amusement Park property in Warwick Neck, Rhode Island. The 41-acre shoreline of Rocky Point is owned by the City of Warwick for public access, and RIDEM holds a conservation easement on the city-owned property. The remaining 82-acres of the Rocky Point site are currently owned by the US Small Business Administration (SBA), which is marketing the property to prospective buyers. RIDEM and the City of Warwick are partnering to fully investigate the acquisition and future use of the former amusement park. Recently, RIDEM received approval from the State Properties Committee to formally continue activities at the site, including appraisal, survey, title search and negotiation of the acquisition of the remaining 82-acre portion of the site from SBA. “We are at a unique time, and our failure to exhaust all efforts in reviewing the acquisition would be a missed opportunity.” said RIDEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, PhD. “This is a special place on the landscape and in the memories of many Rhode Islanders, and I look forward to a continued partnership with Warwick Mayor Avedisian, the city council, federal delegation and other partners in this effort.” “This is an exciting development in our ongoing, cooperative efforts to preserve all of Rocky Point,” Avedisian said. “As we continue to work with RIDEM and other partners to secure the remainder of the property for public use, it makes sense to work on a comprehensive plan for its future. A mix of passive recreation and appropriate facilities would be a permanent reminder of the unique, rich history of the property while offering new opportunities for Rhode Islanders to enjoy Rocky Point.” Veri | Waterman Associates, who have retained Newport Collaborative Architects to serve as architectural consultants, will develop a Master Plan to contemplate the development of a new, state of the art state park at the property that will set the standard for sustainable design and will become the jewel of the Rhode Island state park system. The waterfront park is intended to have an open space feel and sense of Rhode Island folk history. The original Rocky Point Amusement Park dates back to the 1850’s, and the site holds a significant place in Rhode Island recreation history. The VWA plan proposes to combine many of the remaining artifacts of the former amusement park with three critical elements of sustainability: ecological sustainability, environmental sustainability, and economic sustainability.