Providence, RI – At tonight’s City Council meeting, councilors unanimously voted to approve the City’s lease of the WaterFire Arts Center back to WaterFire Providence, and advanced an ordinance supporting the Mile of History project.
“This vote is about protecting the heartbeat of Providence, a cultural event that has become synonymous with the city itself,” Chairwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) shared in a release after the November 5th Finance Committee meeting. “WaterFire is more than a world-renowned art installation, it’s an engine of economic activity, drawing in about $162 million of economic stimulus to Rhode Island annually. This agreement is a smart, forward-looking decision that will pay dividends for Providence residents, businesses, and visitors for years to come.”
Chairwoman Ryan also authored an op-ed published in The Providence Journal detailing the community and financial benefits of investing in WaterFire. Their programming not only brings roughly a million visitors to the city annually, it also supports local artists by offering workforce support and vending opportunities.
Councilors granted first passage to an ordinance supporting the Mile of History project, which authorizes financing for major infrastructure upgrades to Benefit Street, known as one of Providence’s most historic corridors. Benefit Street and its accompanying attractions see 300,000 tourists each year. Nearly 40% of the stretch of sidewalk has been determined to be difficult to traverse, while over 300 feet is considered impassable. The project, if passed for a second time, will repair cracked sidewalks, replace missing bricks, restore tree wells, and ensure ADA accessibility.
Following the final vote tally in the general election for the Ward 2 Council seat, the Council has tentatively scheduled a swearing-in ceremony for Jill Davidson on Wednesday, December 17th, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall.
Due to the New Year’s holiday, the next regularly scheduled council meeting will take place on Thursday, January 8, 2026.