2013 Friends of Corliss Park Annual Report

2013

TOMAS AVILA FRIENDS OF CORLISS PARK

9/21/2013

FRIENDS OF CORLISS PARK ANNUAL REPORT

2013 Friends of Corliss Park Annual Report

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Contents Introduction Letter ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Friends of Corliss Park Annual Report ............................................................................................................... 6 Corliss Park History ................................................................................................................................................ 6

About Friends of Corliss Park .......................................................................................................................... 6 Fiftieth Anniversary of Park Recreational Facilities ................................................................................... 7 Health and Fitness Vision ................................................................................................................................. 7

Overview of Activities ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Earth Day Cleanup .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Free Zumba .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Music in The Park ............................................................................................................................................... 8 PC Basketball Youth Clinic .............................................................................................................................. 8 City of Providence Offers Free Summer Lunch ........................................................................................... 9 Whole Foods Kids Day of Service .................................................................................................................. 9 Free and low-cost exercise classes to be offered in City parks throughout the summer and fall. ...... 9 About Family Day ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Corliss Park New Beginning ......................................................................................................................... 10 Basketball Reconstruction .............................................................................................................................. 11 Playground Reconstruction ............................................................................................................................ 11

Partners/Collaborators ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Parks and Recreation ....................................................................................................................................... 11

Neighborhood Parks.................................................................................................................................... 11 Recreation ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Partnership for Providence Parks ............................................................................................................. 12

Mayor Healthy Communities Office............................................................................................................ 12 Councilman David A. Salvatore ................................................................................................................... 12 Providence College .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Whole Foods Market University Heights ................................................................................................... 13 Sherwin Williams ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Walgreens .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Sodexo ................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Corliss Park Assets .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Wanskuck .......................................................................................................................................................... 15 George Henry Corliss ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Volunteers .......................................................................................................................................................... 17


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Accomplishments ................................................................................................................................................. 18


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Introduction Letter Building a Vibrant and Active Corliss Park 2013 was a transformative year for Corliss Park. We expanded our reach beyond the traditional community partnership scope of programming and community building to partner with, support, and work to inspire the Wanskuck community in new ways in the 21st century. Our sponsors are partners in all that we accomplished. It is fitting, then, that at the heart of this annual report are stories of our newest partners – a widely diverse group who share a common spirit of giving and giving back. From the City of Providence, Mayor Angel Taveras, Councilman David Salvatore, Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, Department of Parks & Recreation, Partnership for Providence Parks, Mayor's Healthy Communities Office, Mayor's Substance Abuse Council, Whole Foods University Heights, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sherwin Williams Paint, Walgreens, City Arts, YMCA, Providence College, Sodexo, our sponsors are the engine that fuels the Friends of Corliss Park work. The children, families, neighbors and organizations utilize the park are equally valued partners. We make sponsored the following events: Earth Day Cleanup, Music in the Park, Providence College Basketball Friars Youth Clinic, Celebrate Providence, Family Day In the Park, Whole Foods Kids Day of Service, playful Providence and Yoga Party. As you review our 2013 activity report, note the transformational work of our park. From our brand new basketball courts, remodel playground, new murals, information kiosk, the upcoming upgraded softball field, these dynamic improvements address our neighbors’ recreational, health and wellness needs. Friends of Corliss Park success is inextricably tied to the success of Corliss Park. That is why we take so seriously our role as a trusted leader in the community. And that is why we acted decisively in 2013 to launch a number of projects designed to create positive momentum in the Wanskuck neighborhood, and adjacent neighborhoods even though the weather did not collaborated. Thanks to Councilman David Salvatore for his commitment and investment into Corliss Park and his unconditional delivery to our Wanskuck neighborhood, Lori Mello for her partnership, Robert McMahon for his great leadership and support to all the initiatives this year, Wendy Nilsson, Bonnie Combs, Barbara Wong, Steven Maurano, Obed Papp, Hilary Grace Duffy, Joey Laplante, Jorge Cardenas. We are inspired by a tremendous desire in the community to re-energize the park, and the neighborhood. Our new undertakings are a natural outgrowth of our 12-year history as a coalition of concerned residents and local organizations. Weaving together our core activities and new initiatives, we stay true to our mission to be a philanthropic and community who have a strong commitment to our neighborhoods and understand the value of thriving green spaces in our community to define its structure and its role with regular meetings and a more long term plan.

Tomás Ávila


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Friends of Corliss Park Annual Report Corliss Park History The original land encompassing present-day Corliss Park comprised more than 195 acres on the north side of the city. Described as a beautiful tract of rolling hills, a winding stream, woodland and two ponds, it served as a respite from the ever expanding city and its nearby industrial developments. George H. Corliss purchased the land about 1875 and he appointed a caretaker to protect the trees and shrubs “from mischief makers.” A small group of workmen also worked to maintain the parklands. In 1898 Edward M. Harris acquired the land from the Corliss estate. Growing interest in recreation and concern over the effects of growing urbanization led the State of Rhode Island to authorize the creation of the Metropolitan Park Commission in November 1904. Between 1909 and 1917 the commission acquired more than 1,200 acres of land around the state to be used, as “reservations” for recreational purposes among the lands acquired in 1916 was the 195-acre parcel in the North End, which became known as Corliss Park. The commission maintained the park until it was abolished in 1935. Ownership of Corliss Park however remained with the state and was placed under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Conservation. In May 1963, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed and appropriation of $10,000 for the development of recreational facilities at Corliss Park. By the late 19160s, the state expressed interest in transferring the park to the city and on August 14, 1972 the Providence City Council passed Resolution 312 formally requesting the acquisition of the park by the city. Just over two years later, on December 10, 1974, Providence Mayor Joseph Doorley accepted the 195-acre park from the State of Rhode Island. Source: Providence City Archives About Friends of Corliss Park Founded in 2006, Friend of Corliss Park is a coalition of concerned residents and local organizations that works with Providence Parks and Recreations department toward preserving and improving Corliss Park. The mission is to work towards the revitalization of Corliss Park through programming, events, capital improvements, horticultural activities, clean-ups, fundraisers, crime prevention activities, and special projects with Parks and Recreation. Our commitment to the park is very strong and drives us to work to build a coalition with people who care for Corliss Park together with the businesses, non-profits and schools who have a strong commitment to our neighborhoods and understand the value of thriving green spaces in our community to define its structure and its role with regular meetings and a more long term plan. The ultimate goal of Friends of Corliss Par is to become a community hub for outdoor programming, health and wellness fitness, structured and unstructured play activities and neighborhood gathering and to transform Corliss Park into a citywide Health and Wellness destination.


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Fiftieth Anniversary of Park Recreational Facilities 50 years after the Rhode Island General Assembly passed and appropriation of $10,000 for the development of recreational facilities at Corliss Park in May 1963, the renaissance of the park continues this year with the finishing of the basketball courts, joining the playground rebuilt April 2012 and will continue with the complete renovation of the baseball field later this year.

Health and Fitness Vision Research has shown that modifying the living and working environment by creating or enhancing access to places where people can be physically active, along with providing related informational outreach activities, is an effective intervention to help people incorporate healthier behaviors into their daily lives. The Corliss Park Wellness Initiative plans to partner with established local organizations such as Providence Parks & Recreation, Providence College Basketball, Providence College Cross Country, Providence College Track, Providence College Women Tennis, Shapeup RI and others to provide an opportunity for Wanskuck residents to engage in physical activity, and improve the health of Corliss Park residents by increasing physical activity and developing healthier quality of life to the neighborhood residents. Among the initial wellness activities being consider: Corliss Park Healthy Walk is for everyone with an interest in walking for health, particularly those who take little exercise or who live in areas of poor health. Offer information, support and encouragement to complete beginners, existing walkers and health and leisure professionals. A 12-week Lose to win weight loss challenge offered several times during the year, providing neighborhood residents’ opportunities to learn about and participate in physical activity and wellness sessions.

Overview of Activities Earth Day Cleanup

As part of the City of Providence first annual city-wide celebration of Earth Day, a day dedicated to cleaning up green spaces and neighborhoods and celebrating the community groups that make Providence’s public spaces vibrant, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, a group of volunteers joined to clean and beautifying Corliss Park

Providence Earth Day 2013 is planned in collaboration with Serve Rhode Island, the Partnership for Providence Parks, the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program and Roger Williams Park Conservancy and will highlight the important role that volunteer groups have in making the city’s parks and neighborhoods great places to play, gather and explore.


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Free Zumba The program provides exercise and fitness activities to help support healthy lifestyles and encourage residents to use and enjoy the Corliss Park. Zumba classes were offered for free this summer and fall and were open to all residents. "Fitness in Providence Parks is an important part of our continued efforts to create a healthier and more vibrant city by providing more opportunities for residents to exercise and spend time outdoors," said Mayor Angel Taveras. "I applaud our community partners for helping residents maintain healthy lifestyles and enjoy the many green spaces that Providence has to offer." Zumba involves dance and aerobic elements and its choreography

incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo, martial arts, and some Bollywood and belly dance moves. Squats and lunges are also included. Zumba sessions are typically about an hour long and are taught by instructors licensed by an organization called Zumba Academy.[6] The exercises include music with fast and slow rhythms, as well as resistance training. Sponsored by the City of Providence, Mayor Angel Taveras, the Healthy Communities Office, Councilman David Salvatore, Department of Parks & Recreation, and the Partnership for Providence Parks, Walgreens. Music in The Park Sponsored by the City of Providence, Mayor Angel Taveras, the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, the Department of Parks & Recreation, and the Partnership for Providence Parks. WE are grateful to our community partners, Whole Foods University Heights, US Fish and WiIdlife Service , Sherwin Williams Paint, Walgreen’s, Walgreens, Sodexo, and City Arts. This project seeks to engage the smaller or newer volunteer park groups “friends” in transforming their neighborhood parks into community hubs for the arts, healthy living, and play. Additionally, families from across the city will be encouraged to sample a selection of activities at a different park each week. This initiative provides park groups and community partners with an opportunity to test the waters, without exceeding their group’s capacity. All participants receive technical assistance and support from the Partnership in areas of recruiting and managing volunteers, organizing and promoting events, and facilitating play. Ultimately, each group will be inspired and prepared by their experience in the summer of 2013 so that in 2014, they will be well equipped to offer additional arts programming options PC Basketball Youth Clinic On July 22, 2013, the men's and women's basketball teams along with Councilman David Salvatore and the Providence Recreation Department hosted a free basketball clinic. The clinic took place between 9:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m. at Corliss Park in Providence, R.I. on the recently installed basketball courts.

The clinic was free for girls entering the ninth grade and younger and for


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boys entering the sixth grade and younger. Members of the men's and women's basketball teams acted as coaches. Throughout the clinic, the participants participated in a series of drills and games.

City of Providence Offers Free Summer Lunch The Providence Parks Department served free, nutritious meals at Corliss Park Monday through Friday, July 1 through August 16, 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. to all kids and teens, 18 and under through the Summer Meal Program, which ensures children receive meals when school is out. The summer meal program allows for meals to be eaten at the meal site only. "Children need good nutrition and healthy foods throughout the year," said Mayor Angel Taveras. "Providing children with nutritious food during the summer months helps ensure they are ready to learn during the school year. The federal program, which is administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Education, serves free breakfast and lunch at 31 area recreation centers, pools, water parks and community organizations.

Whole Foods Kids Day of Service A fun-filled day of service and inspiration as we celebrate healthy communities and healthy eating together! This is an opportunity for customers, team members, and kids to partner together in service to our community. We'll have plenty of tasks and games on-site for little ones whose attention may wander. The best part is being all together! Also, we'll have a magical build-your-own salad-bar for kids and grown-ups, plus all the fixings. Whole Kids Foundation's mission is to support schools and inspire families to improve children's nutrition and wellness. Our ultimate goal is an end to the childhood obesity epidemic. Through partnerships with innovative organizations, schools and educators we work to provide children access to fresh, nutritious meals. We use our voice to help children and families make healthy food choices for life. Free and low-cost exercise classes to be offered in City parks throughout the summer and fall.

Mayor Angel Taveras, the Providence Healthy Communities Office, Providence Parks + Recreation, the Partnership for Providence Parks, Yoga Passport and the YMCA of Greater Providence today announced the inaugural Fitness in Providence Parks program. The program provides exercise and fitness activities to help support healthy lifestyles and encourage residents to use and enjoy the city's green spaces. Fitness classes will be offered for free or at a low cost in parks across Providence this summer and fall. Classes in the


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lineup include Zumba, yoga, Pilates, circuit training and more. Exercise classes are open to all residents and many offer childcare options.

"Fitness in Providence Parks is an important part of our continued efforts to create a healthier and more vibrant city by providing more opportunities for residents to exercise and spend time outdoors," said Mayor Angel Taveras. "I applaud our community partners including the Partnership for Providence Parks, Yoga Passport and the YMCA of Greater Providence for helping residents maintain healthy lifestyles and enjoy the many green spaces that Providence has to offer."

The Partnership for Providence Parks is a non-profit organization that works with the Providence Parks Department and Friends Groups throughout Providence to transform neighborhood parks into thriving green spaces for community members to enjoy.

"Our parks are great places to work out and build community at the same time," said Wendy Nilsson, director of the Partnership for Providence Parks. "It's great for kids in our parks to play and see their parents and neighbors getting healthier together."

About Family Day Friends of Corliss Park Neighborhood Day was established as an annual day to recognize and reinforce the relationships that are the fabric of our communities. It is a day of simple gatherings of neighbors to re-kindle friendships; welcome new neighbors; catch up on each others' families, interests and needs; and share food, fellowship and fun.

The mission of Friends of Corliss Park Neighborhood Day is to inspire, build, and sustain the neighborhood relationships that provide the foundation for civic action and the building of stronger, more caring and effective community.

The ties that unite a neighborhood help us better tackle and enjoy the myriad of challenges and opportunities we face. The simple goal of Friends of Corliss Park Neighborhood Day is to bring neighbors together and to help enhance neighborhood connections. Neighbors knowing neighbors improves neighborhood connections; connected neighborhoods lead to more effective communities; effective communities strengthen our nation as a whole. This ripple effect from our own neighborhoods to the larger world outside is what Neighborhood Day promotes.

Corliss Park New Beginning Corliss Park, a neighborhood park in the Wanskuck neighborhood of Providence started the process of rejuvenation in celebration of Earth Day 2012 through the grit and spirit of a corps of Providence College, City of Providence, and neighborhood volunteers who united for a major FUSION project on Saturday, April 21 with the complete remodeling of the children playground.

According the City of Providence Archives, in May 1963, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed and appropriation of $10,000 for the development of recreational facilities at Corliss Park, by the late 19160s, the state expressed interest in transferring the park to the city and on August 14, 1972 the Providence City Council passed Resolution 312 formally requesting the acquisition of the park by the city. Just over two years later, on December 10, 1974, Providence Mayor Joseph Doorley accepted the 195-acre park from the State of Rhode Island. The park was last renovated in the 1970s and was in desperate need of attention,the benches


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were outdated, the playground area had fallen into disrepair, and the two basketball courts had huge cracks that fill with water when it rain. The future of Corliss Park is brighter than it has been since it was taken over by the city in 1974, and its original development in 1916 as the second phase of its revival started in the fall of 2012, and completed in the spring of 2013, consisted of replacing the entire asphalt and a new seal coat and the replacement of the hoops and new coat of paint.

Basketball Reconstruction With a grant of $20,000 presented by Joseph Maggiacomo, Coca-Cola's local merchandising sales manager, and made possible through the Sprite Spark Parks project, a program that is refreshing basketball courts in public parks and recreation centers throughout the nation, and $74,500 from the State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) 2012 recreation development Grant awards for Small projects $75,000 or less to refurbish Corliss Park Basketball Court was completed in spring 2013.

Playground Reconstruction Providence City Councilman David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) will led a group of volunteers from Providence College as they built a new play structure at Corliss Park (30 Corina Street) on Saturday, April 21st at 8:30 a.m. Thanks to this great partnership between the City and Providence College, the people of the Wanskuck neighborhood have a new, attractive, and fun recreational area that will encourage physical activity among both children and adults.

Corliss Park was last renovated in the 1970s and is in desperate need of attention, noted Providence City Councilman David Salvatore. The park’s benches are outdated, the playground area has fallen into disrepair, and the two basketball courts have huge cracks.

The playground build was first step in a multi-phase project to improve Corliss Park and revitalize the Eagle Park and Wanskuck neighborhoods. Between 50 and 60 volunteers from PC’s Friars United for Service In Our Neighborhood (FUSION) program installed a new play structure, swing set, benches and a safety surface.

Partners/Collaborators Parks and Recreation Neighborhood Parks The heart and soul of the Providence park system are its Neighborhood Parks. Neighborhood parks are a vital part of every community. Providence is proud to offer a diverse park system that spans over 100 parks in neighborhoods throughout the city. These neighborhood parks offer a variety of open space opportunities from quiet, serene green space; to playgrounds, basketball courts and ball fields; to walking trails, nature conservancy’s, canoe launches and sailing. A variety of monuments, statues, sculpture and fountains also enhance many neighborhood park spaces.


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The City has also partnered with many active neighborhood groups who have helped to expand our open space opportunities even further to include the development & redevelopment of walking trails through nature conservancy’s, several community gardens, farmer's markets and a variety of special events and park programming, keeping park spaces active and strengthening community spirit and bonds between neighbors. Recreation Providence Recreation has an administrative office and ten multi-functional recreation centers throughout the city. Each center offers Providence youth a safe and positive environment for a variety of recreational and educational opportunities. Programs and activities in various sports, arts and special events are offered seasonally to all Providence residents.

Partnership for Providence Parks The Partnership for Providence Parks is a new initiative of the Providence Department of Parks and Recreation to support volunteer groups (Friends) who seek to improve their communities by investing in their neighborhood parks. The Partnership is comprised of these Friends groups, local businesses, Universities, community organizations and The Providence Department of Parks and Recreation. Ultimately, we want to help each group grow their ability to help their park and also become part of a larger network that can pool

resources, share best practices and create phenomenal parks throughout the city.

Mayor Healthy Communities Office In August of 2012, Mayor Taveras signed an executive order expanding the Mayor's Substance Abuse Prevention Council (MSAPC) to create a new Healthy Communities Office (HCO) to serve a platform for Healthy Community policy, systems change, community coordination and financing. With a vision where people live, work, learn and play profoundly influence their health, well-being and behaviors. People living in environments where nutritious food and opportunities for physical activity are available and affordable are less likely to be obese. People in smoke-free environments are less likely to suffer from tobacco-related illnesses. Youth living in environments where healthy positive behaviors and choices are the norm, and harmful substances are not available, are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. Obesity and tobacco use are among the most common causes of chronic disease such as asthma, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Drug and alcohol use have harmful and sometimes fatal health effects and limit youth from reaching their full potential.

Councilman David A. Salvatore David A. Salvatore began his first term as the councilman for the fourteenth ward in January 2011. Since taking office, his primary focus has been financial and pension reform in the city. He was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Pension Sustainability, which issued a report and made recommendations—many of which were adopted—to stabilize the pension system and reduce the system’s unfunded liability. David’s current committee assignments are: Chairman, Special Committee on Ways and Means, Vice-Chairman, Committee on Ordinances, Member, and Special Committee on Education. David is a lifelong resident of the Elmhurst neighborhood in Providence. Growing up, he and his


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family were active constituents in Elmhurst, and continue to make contributions to the prosperity of the community. An alumnus of Providence public schools, David attended Robert F. Kennedy Elementary and Nathanael Greene Middle School, and graduated from La Salle Academy High School in 1993, where he was a member of the Cross Country and Track teams. He subsequently attended Rhode Island College, and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 2000. David is currently attending Roger Williams University and is pursuing a Masters in Public Administration. While he attained his Bachelor’s degree, David began a long and successful career with Staples, Inc. where he held various management positions during his 14-year tenure. He worked in the Office of the General Treasurer from 2007 to 2012, and was responsible for managing 13 staff in two departments. He currently works as a policy analyst for the Rhode Island House of Representatives. David is a member of several civic and professional organizations, including: Rhode Island Government Finance Officers Association (R.I.G.F.O.A); Friends of Elmhurst; Elmhurst Clean & Green; Friends of Corliss Park; District 6 Crime Watch Association (Providence); American Society for Public Administration (A.S.P.A.)-Rhode Island Chapter; and the Wanskuck Branch Library. A Boston Red Sox Fan, David is active with Elmhurst Youth Baseball & Wanskuck Little League, and also enjoys running. He is a parishioner St. Augustine’s Church in Providence. David A. Salvatore is the second child of Natalie A. Salvatore and Ralph T. Salvatore and he is the brother of Ralph T. Salvatore Jr., C.P.A. and Michael J. Salvatore.

Providence College Providence College was founded in 1917 through a joint effort of the Diocese of Providence and the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph. Providence College is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts, independent, not-for-profit, Catholic institution of higher education. Committed to fostering academic excellence through the sciences and humanities, the College provides a variety of opportunities for intellectual, social, moral, and spiritual growth in a supportive environment. The College is ranked among the top

five schools in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category among master’s level universities in the North.

Whole Foods Market University Heights Whole Foods Market University Heights where an oasis of natural and organic food awaits you, People love to shop here because we do all of the label reading for you so you don’t have to! At Whole Foods Market we have the foods you love and the standards you value! Our store offers catering with delivery and grocery delivery service too, seven days a week!

We have a large cafe seating area with free WI-FI so you can enjoy our ready-to-eat prepared foods and coffee bar! Be sure to check out our events calendar! Each month you will find plenty of events to keep you and your family well informed, well fed or simply entertained!


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Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. Our founders were John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery. The original Whole Foods Market opened in 1980 with a staff of only 19 people. It was an immediate success. At the time, there were less than half a dozen natural food supermarkets in the United States. We have grown by leaps and bounds since our first store opened.

Sherwin Williams Since its founding by Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams in 1866, the Sherwin-Williams Company has not only grown to be the largest producer of paints and coatings in the United States, but is among the largest producers in the world. Walgreens It all started in a town called Dixon. It would be impossible to tell the story of Walgreens drugstores without telling the story of Charles R. Walgreen, Sr. the man who started it all. Walgreen was born near Galesburg, Illinois, before his family relocated to Dixon, Illinois - a town 60 miles north of his birthplace - when his father, a farmer turned businessman, saw the great commercial potential of the Rock River Valley. It was here that Walgreen, at the age of 16, had his first experience working in a drugstore, though it was far from a positive one. Working at Horton's Drugstore (for $4 a week) was a job he took only because of an accident that left him unable to take part in sports. While working in a local shoe factory, Walgreen accidentally cut off the top joint of his middle finger, ending his athletic competition. Were it not for the accident, Walgreen might never have become a pharmacist, business owner and phenomenally successful entrepreneur. Ironically, his initial experience working at Horton's was itself a failure. Walgreen left after just a year and a half on the job. Still, Walgreen realized that his future lay not in Dixon, but in a far larger city — Chicago. In 1901 Charles R. Walgreen Sr. purchased the Chicago drugstore where he had worked as a pharmacist — and that started the Walgreen chain. His energy and enthusiasm soon led to new ideas and ambitious expansion. For example, he manufactured his own line of drug products to ensure high quality and low prices. To help keep the Walgreens retail network connected to the neighborhoods it serves, the company created a Community Leader position in 2009. These 1,300 Community Leaders now identify and create local events each year. It's throuh this Innitiative that Walgreens Adiral Streetbecomes involved with Friends of Corliss Park and forged a healthy community partnership.

Sodexo Sodexo is the community of its clients, consumers, employees and shareholders. We recognize that the best way to respond to the expectations of all of our stakeholders is through steady growth. We also believe it is important that our work is meaningful to all who contribute to it and thus we remain faithful to our mission, our core values and the ethical principles that have guided us since 1966. Every day, our 420,000 employees across the world work together to: Improve the Quality of Life of all those we serve. We strive to design On-site Services and Benefits and Rewards Services (formerly Motivation Solutions) that improve people’s wellbeing, process efficiency and


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infrastructure reliability and quality. We are also gradually introducing Personal & Home Services. Contribute to the economic, social and environmental development of the cities, regions and countries where we operate. We demonstrate this commitment every day by employing tens of thousands of people locally at our sites worldwide and contributing to their fulfillment and career development.

Corliss Park Assets Corliss Park Community Assets: RI School For The Deaf, San Miguel School, Wanskuck Boys & Girls Clubhouse, E3 Academy, Saint Edward Catholic Church, Sophia Academy, Times Square Academy, Veazie Street Elementary School, Wanskuck Library, Esek Hopkins House, Vincent A. Cianci Head Start Center, Chad Brown Family Community, Chad Brown Health Center, Rudolph S. Tavares Community Center, City Of Providence Police Academy, Providence Police District 7, Providence College Smith Center Of The Arts, Providence College Schneider Arena, Admiral St. Providence Fire Department.

Wanskuck Wanskuck is one of two neighborhoods that comprise the North End, an area in the northern part of the city roughly divided by Route 146 and the West River Valley. The Wanskuck neighborhood is bounded by the Elmhurst neighborhood to its west, Smith Hill to the south, Charles to the east, and the town of North Providence to the north. Two major north-south thoroughfares are Douglas Avenue and Admiral Street, which run from the center of

Providence through the Wanskuck neighborhood and eventually to the town of North Providence. Prior to the 19th century, the North End was a sparsely settled rural area with only a few farms and houses. Until the completion of the Wanskuck Road (now Branch Avenue) in 1706, the North End lacked a major road or highway. Largely unconnected to the developed areas of Providence, the North End was annexed to North Providence in 1765. It was during this period (1756) when Esek Hopkins, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, built his house on Admiral Street. In the early 1800s, industry first came to the area with the establishment of a small cotton mill on Wanskuck Pond. Soon thereafter, the first village in Wanskuck developed around the mill. As in many surrounding areas, substantial settlement followed industrial growth in the various river valleys in and around Providence. Just after the mid-19th century, corporations began arriving in the area of the North End seeking to capitalize on the natural resources of the West River and its clear-watered ponds. The Wanskuck Company, established in 1862 in the North End, began as a major manufacturer of woolens for the Civil War, and was the driving force in the physical and social evolution of the Wanskuck neighborhood. The textile company constructed several two-family dwellings south of Branch Avenue in order to house its workers. Furthermore, the company's need for labor brought skilled English workers and mostly unskilled Irish and French Canadian workers to the area. As the Wanskuck Company grew increasingly successful over the next 50 to 60 years, residential and commercial growth followed in the developing village.


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By the turn of the century, the North End had grown to have an extremely diverse population of Irish, English, German, Scottish, and Italian immigrant families. Italian residents, in particular, became a large part of the community, numbering in the thousands by the first decade of the 20th century. The growing immigrant population, combined with the rapid development of the area, served as the major factors behind North Providence's decision to return the North End to the city of Providence in 1874. Neighborhood growth continued into the 20th century, spurred mostly by the extension of streetcar service into the North End. Trolleys running on Branch Avenue by 1895 and on Douglas Avenue by 1908, fully connected Wanskuck to the rest of the city for the first time. By the 1930s, the North End was a densely settled working and middle-class area for residents working both in and outside the neighborhood. With the close of the Silver Spring Bleaching and Dyeing Company in 1939 and the Wanskuck Company in 1957, the North End was no longer a site of major industry.

George Henry Corliss George Henry Corliss (June 2, 1817 – February 21, 1888) was an American mechanical engineer and inventor, who developed the Corliss steam engine, which was a great improvement over any other stationary steam engine of its time. Corliss moved to Providence, Rhode Island in 1844 with hopes of finding funding to perfect his sewing machine. In Providence, he found work in the shop of Fairbanks, Bancroft & Company as a draftsman. However, he soon abandoned work on sewing machines to focus on a new endeavor, the improvement of the stationary steam engine, which at the time was generally regarded as a rather inefficient or supplemental alternative to water power.

The Corliss engine is widely considered one of the more notable engineering achievements of the 19th century. It provided a reliable, efficient source of industrial power, enabling the expansion of new factories to areas which did not readily possess reliable or abundant water power. [1] Corliss gained international acclaim for his achievements during the late 19th century and is perhaps best known for the Centennial Engine, which was the huge centerpiece of the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.


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Volunteers

• Tomás Ávila • Lori Mello • Steven Maurano • Wendy Nilsson • Robert McMahon • Beth Charlebois • Bonnie Combs • Hilary Duffy • Joey Laplante • Jennifer Goff • Christy Clausen • Jennifer Spaziano • Obed Papp • Peter Asen • Ralph Seavey • Jorge Cardenas


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Documents

2013 Friends of Corliss Park Annual Report