Providence Parks Department

For much of the twentieth century, the Providence park system consisted of the large Victorian-era Roger Williams Park, developed in the 1880′s, and 40-45 small neighborhood parks. In 1982, coinciding with a new City charter, the Recreation Department athletic fields were transferred to the Parks Department. In addition, the City’s Forestry Department and all of the City’s street trees were incorporated under the Parks Department umbrella. In the last ten years, the Providence park system experienced rapid growth, and now consists of 1,200 acres and 112 park spaces: 97 neighborhood park spaces; 11 downtown parks; the North Burial Ground and Locust Grove cemeteries; and Roger Williams Park.