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Park Context - Merino Park in the Hartford Neighborhood
Hartford is located on the westernmost edge of the city; it shares its western border with the town of Johnston. The population of Hartford is 6,300, and is 45% White and almost 50% Hispanic. The median family income in 1990 was $30,018, a little higher than the city's average of $28,342. The Woonasquatucket River winds through the northern portion of Hartford, and therefore the neighborhood possesses two of the several river-side parks in the city - Merino Park and Buttonhole Golf Course (once Dyerville Park). In addition, there are several school grounds, and the large, multi-facility Neutaconkanut Park, although not technically in the neighborhood, abuts Hartford's southern edge. Click here for a map of all of the open space in Hartford. Look at the Providence Plan's Hartford Neighborhood Profile: http://www.provplan.org/nprof/hartford.html Park Overview - Facts and Issues Merino Park was renovated and reopened a few years ago, after remaining neglected and unused for many years. It was officially closed after a shooting occurred there during an adult soccer match, and dangerous illegal-dumping activities were found to be taking place. It now contains a well landscaped soccer field, new playground equipment and benches, lighted basketball courts, as well as a walking path spanning the park perimeter. The park is used heavily by the Capital Youth Soccer League, which is a low-cost soccer program targeted to the youth in Providence. In the fall of 2000, 200 boys and girls were enrolled, many of them residents of the Hartford Avenue and Manton Avenue areas. During the summer, the WRGP organizes a basketball league for 8 to 15 year olds. In addition, the River Rangers program, which coordinates neighborhood youth to act as stewards for the river, and involves park clean ups as well as recreational and educational activities, operates in Merino as well as in Donigian Park. Merino is a large and greatly improved park located in a densely populated area. However, due to several unique features, it is quite isolated from the people it can potentially serve. There are three access points for the park - a stairway leading from the Hartford Projects straight down into the park, the pedestrian bridge coming in from Manton, and a side driveway that connects the park to Hartford Avenue. The driveway was closed off until recently, as it used to be the site for illegal-dumping activities, and authorities were concerned that this situation would re-occur if the gate was opened. This restricted all direct automobile access into the park; anyone who wanted to drive in from another part of the city had to park in the projects, and then walk down via the stairway. Not only did this situation discourage people unfamiliar with the area from coming to the park, but also inhibited people who wanted to carry things into the park, such as picnics, strollers, or even small children. Only the Capital Youth Soccer League was permitted to open the gate for the driveway, for the purposes of delivering bulky soccer materials and transporting the children. The stairway entrance up in the projects lacks any signage indicating the presence of a park; when standing at the top of the stairs, there is no way of seeing into the park due to the abundance of trees and vegetation. These two features - lack of access from Hartford
Avenue, and unadvertised and unclear access from the housing projects
- have constituted a challenge in terms of getting people into Merino,
and improving people's perceptions of the park (which were obviously damaged
due to its bad history). Lisa Aurecchia, the Program Coordinator of the
WRGP, and her colleagues have been actively working to promote casual
use of the park. She has managed to convince the Parks Department and
the Providence Housing Authority to open the gate of the driveway during
daylight hours, and have the Providence Housing Authority Police Department
regularly patrol the park and the driveway area. Furthermore, she is pushing
for signage that will publicize the park and delineate the park's hours,
as well as rules for its use. |
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