Providence’s Award-Winning Waterplace Park Covered in Graffiti

Providence’s Award-Winning Waterplace Park Covered in Graffiti

Maybe nothing else was a greater symbol of the Renaissance of Providence at the turn of the millennium than the construction of Waterplace Park.

It was heralded locally and nationally.

In 1999, the New York Times wrote, “Today this half-mile swath bears a new name, Waterplace Park, and with its new outlook hints of a Venice in New England. Much of the credit goes to the architect William D. Warner, who, though he didn't exactly part the asphalt, has created a model of urban revitalization, turning what was once a desert of hardtop and highway into a canal and promenade.”

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At the time, the new waterfront walking park reinvigorated Providence from a gloomy city -- much like Gotham City -- to an urban explosion of arts, tourism and redevelopment.

Waterplace allowed for events like WaterFire — Barnaby Evans’ award-winning visual sculpture that has brought millions of tourists to Providence.

“With its waterway, park space, esplanades, restaurants and bicycle and walking paths, the project has begun a transformation of the city's downtown. Inspired by the success of Waterplace Park, the city recently began the next phase of renewal: a $270 million 10-year project that will complete the waterway's passage to the ocean,” wrote the Times.

Then came the architectural award, when the American Planning Association named Waterplace Park a national success.

More than a decade ago, Evans told the American Planning Association, "By design, there is no point where you can see the whole installation at once, so you mingle with other citizens was you walk. It is designed so people can interact with each other, with the artwork and with the urban environment."

After 20 years, the state turned over the maintenance of Waterplace to the City of Providence and the trouble began.

 

Hundreds of Graffiti Tags

Today, Waterplace has broken benches and lights and the park is covered with graffiti.

The transformative redevelopment of a focal point of the city has turned into another visual eyesore.

There is spray paint and marker graffiti almost everywhere — on nearly every banister, wall, and piece of signage.

Even the plaque -- a tribute to Warner -- is layered in graffiti. Warner, who was the creative force behind the park, died in 2012.

 

Elorza Administration’s Explanation

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza claims that the graffiti has built up due to the pandemic.

“The City's Parks Department has been removing trash and graffiti for most of the last year,” Elorza’s spokesperson Ben Smith told GoLocal.

Smith said that in addition to the Parks Department doing maintenance, the City of Providence contracts to "state agencies" to do additional work.

“The state agencies normally responsible for maintaining Waterplace were unable to return to their regular duties due to COVID-19 regulations. They resumed their regular schedule of operations on April 26, 2021,” added Smith.