By Steve Klamkin and Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) closed on the purchase of the remaining 82 acres of Warwick shoreline Wednesday, which means the former site of the Rocky Point Amusement Park is now state owned.
“This is a historic and exciting day,” said Janet Coit, Director of the Rhode Island DEM, Wednesday morning at Warwick City Hall.
Coit was joined by Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, Warwick native and Congressman Jim Langevin, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, and other local and state officials. Bags of Iggy’s clamcakes, reminiscent of the Shore Dinner Hall, were on hand to celebrate.
Last month, the United States District Court approved the State’s offer to purchase the 82 remaining acres of Rocky Point for $9.65 million, but there was a 30 days appeals period. That period officially came to a close Wednesday.
The path to restore the shoreline land has been a long one for both the city and the state. In 2007, the city successfully purchased 41 acres of Rocky Point and later turned it into a public walking path. But it was a widely favored open space bond referendum that provided the state the funding for the purchase of the remaining 82-acres.
“The people of Rhode Island, they advocated for this,” said Coit. “They loved this place. They get how magical the places are where our land meets the sea.”
The plan now is to turn the remaining land into a state park, which the DEM said will open partially within the next year.
“It’s an exciting day and it belongs to everyone,” said Coit.
