The rhode island department of health (ridoh) and the city of east providence are proud to submit this application to RE-designate crescent park beach as a licensed swimmable beach for the residents…

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the City of East Providence were awarded a $300,000 Cooperative Agreement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1 under the Southeast New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program (CFDA 66.129). The 3-year project will enable the re-designation of Crescent Park Beach as a licensed swimmable public beach. The funding will support the construction of ADA-compliant public restrooms, the hiring of lifeguards, and continued water quality monitoring and community outreach. This project aims to restore public swimming access to the beach after approximately a century of non-use due to water quality issues, providing an important environmental justice and climate resilience benefit to the local Riverside neighborhood and the broader metropolitan region. No sub-awards are included in this assistance agreement.

The rhode island department of health (ridoh) and the city of east providence are proud to submit this application to RE-designate crescent park beach as a licensed swimmable beach for the residents of the riverside neighborhood, the city and the metropolitan region. After decades of work by several different levels of government and non-profit organizations, this project will see the return of public swimming to this beach after approximately a century of non-use due to water quality issues. Ridoh and the city of east providence see this project as a significant environmental justice victory, and a way to celebrate the success of cleanup efforts in narragansett BAY. The project will entail the construction of ADA compliant public restrooms at crescent park and the hiring of lifeguards at the beach to enable formal designation as a swimmable beach. These new restrooms will also benefit the community by enhancing the many public events held every year. As stated elsewhere in this application, the project offers several benefits to residents of disadvantaged communities and increases community and environmental resilience. The beach is easily accessible via the east BAY bike trail and public transit, making IT a safe, family-friendly amenity available to residents region-wide. With the increase of harmful effects of climate change, specifically in a community that suffer the effects the most, this opportunity would allow for local residents to have a safe, outdoor recreational space to use during the summer months. Funding request is for $300,000 over the course of a 3- year project period. Activities:task 1: continuation of water quality monitoring and community outreach task 2: permitting and construction of public restroom facilities task 3: onboarding of lifeguards and finalized licensing of a non-profit recreational facility subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:- permitting and construction of public restroom facilities at crescent park. The facilities will be connected to public water and will be either connected to the public sewer system or be a composting toilet facility. - addition of lifeguards at crescent park beach.