Woonsocket Charter School Students to Give City Park Some TLC

WOONSOCKET, RI—Costa Park in Woonsocket is about to get some love and attention thanks to a partnership between the city and Beacon Charter High School for the Arts.

Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt said that the talks between the city and the school have been ongoing for almost a year.

Over many months, the mayor and Beacon’s CEO Michael Skeldon discussed “the energy that could be brought to Costa Park” and the plan slowly took shape.

With assistance from the Department of Public Works, Beacon Charter will help spruce up and maintain the park and over time, will “look to ‘reimagine the concept of the park as a neighborhood center,’” Baldelli said in a city news release.

“This is a great project for these talented students and an innovative approach for this compact City neighborhood,” Baldelli-Hunt said. “Bringing new energy to this Park is something that is very appealing to me. Dr. Skeldon jumped right in and got excited about the idea.”

Skeldon said the effort fits with the school’s focus on community service. Since the school opened, possible community partnerships have been sought to connect student artists with the community.

“Beacon values community service and we have been looking for ways for our student artists to give back to our host community,” Skeldon said. “Costa Park is an important resource for the City of Woonsocket and the Fairmount neighborhood.”

Students from the school will get started cleaning and fixing up the park this spring.

Baldelli-Hunt said that there already has been neighborhood interest in the project, even before the collaboration between the city and the school was announced.

“We are already seeing people in the neighborhood volunteering to help,” Baldelli-Hunt said.

Costa Park is nestled next to a bend along the Blackstone River off Olo Street and is home to two basketball courts, a playground, a baseball field and a gazebo.

The peaceful park was founded by locals in the early 90s who banded together to build the park in a weekend.

Photo: Gary Mercure