Office of the Mayor

WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND

City Hall P.O. Box B Woonsocket, RI 02895

Telephone (401) 767-9205 Fax (401) 765-4569 E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 24, 2018

Contact: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: 401-767-9205

CITY AWARDED $300K GREEN BOND INITIATIVE GRANT

FOR CONTINUING CASS PARK IMPROVEMENTS

WOONSOCKET, RI: Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt is pleased to announce that the City of Woonsocket has been awarded a $300,000 grant for continued improvements at

Cass Park. The award was announced by RI DEM Director Janet Coit at a ceremony in Central Falls earlier today along with Governor Gina Raimondo in attendance as well as other state dignitaries.

The award is the maximum amount granted by RI DEM under this program through the State’s Green Bond Initiative. The Grant application was prepared and submitted in October 2017 by the Department of Planning and Development under the direction of former Director N. David Bouley.

On a personal note, the Mayor recognized the efforts of N. David Bouley on the development of this grant application.

"I am certain, even now, N. David is enjoying sharing in our success," she noted.

"The announcement of this grant represents a substantial step forward in my plans to redevelop Cass Park which will greatly benefit all Woonsocket residents," said Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. "I would like to thank the voters from the City and State of Rhode Island who supported the Green Bond Initiative which has made this grant possible."

The work being performed under this Grant is projected to include the construction of a girls’ softball field including installation of a retaining wall and removal of the obsolete play equipment and replacement with new play equipment along with numerous other improvements.

The Master Plan for this ambitious Cass Park Project was prepared by the current Planning Director Joel Mathews who will also be overseeing the work as it progresses in the upcoming construction season. Director Mathews will partner with Director of Public Works Steven A. D’Agostino and members of his department for the construction of City Hall P.O. Box B Woonsocket , RI 02895Telephone (401) 767-9205 Fax (401) 765-4569 E-Mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.2

much of the work to be performed at the softball field. These in-kind services will count as the City’s 20 percent match.

Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt recognized that Cass Park originally constructed in 1890 has over the years been considered "the jewel in the City’s parks system" and looks forward to its future revitalization.

The Mayor closed by saying that she looks forward to the implementation of these and continued improvements to Cass Park to make the facility one that all city residents can feel proud of.

-30-     

Opening statements are expected Monday in former President Trump's criminal trial in New York. The six alternate jurors have been seated and the 12 jurors are already in place. The former President is accused of falsifying business records in order to cover up payments allegedly made to an adult film star just prior to the 2016 election.       New York police say the man who set himself on fire outside the Donal Trump trial drove from Florida to New York City earlier this week. The man had some papers with him that detailed conspiracy theories involving local politics. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.       President Biden is taking jabs at Donald Trump while rallying union workers in Washington, D.C. Biden delivered remarks at an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers conference on Friday, where he said some people, including Trump, "learned the best way to get rich is inherit it." He also said those people " learn that paying taxes is for working people, not the super wealthy."        The House is expected to vote for final passage of House Speaker Mike Johnson's foreign aid package over the weekend. The House approved a rule vote today to begin debate on individual bills to provide military aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. In an unusual move, Democrats voted with Republicans to advance the legislation as many conservatives voted no.        The FAA and United Airlines are investigating a video that appears to show a Colorado Rockies staff member in the cockpit during a flight. The incident happened during the team's April 10th chartered flight from Denver to Toronto. In the video posted on social media that has since been deleted, an unauthorized person appears to sit in the pilot's seat. United Airlines says at least two pilots have been removed from the job.       Horror film "Abigail" is looking to take the top spot at this weekend's box office. It's expected to make between 12-million and 15-million-dollars in its first weekend. "Abigail" is expected to just beat out last week's winner "Civil War" for first place.