Mayor Elorza Announces Citywide Summer Cookout Schedule, Today’s Kick Off Rescheduled Due to Rain

Neighborhood cookouts to be held at recreation centers from 6:00pm-8:00pm throughout the summer, offer free food and family-friendly activities

PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza today joined Providence Parks and Recreation, the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and the Healthy Communities Office to announce the schedule for citywide summer cookouts which will offer free food and family friendly activities and be held in recreation centers on select dates from 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Providence fields, parks, pools, waterparks and recreation centers have seen vast improvements and an expansion in programming in recent years through investments supported by Mayor Elorza and the Providence City Council. This season, city pools will offer new outdoor grills, beach tables and chairs as well as shading structures to enhance the experience of visitors.

Mayor Elorza will join Providence Recreation Director Michael Stephens and staff as well as community members at Zuccolo Recreation Center on Monday, July 23 at 7:15pm to kick off the citywide summer cookouts. Press is invited to join.

The Citywide Summer Cookout schedule is below:

Due to rain, the cookout scheduled for Tuesday, July 17 at Zuccolo Recreation Center, 18 Gesler Street, has been rescheduled to Monday, July 23
Tuesday, July 24 at Davey Lopes Recreation Center, 227 Dudley Street
Monday, July 30 at West End Recreation Center, 109 Bucklin Street
Tuesday, August 7 at Neutaconkanut Recreation Center, 675 Plainfield Street
Wednesday, August 15 at Rogers Recreation Center, 60 Camden Avenue

Last year, the City launched EAT, PLAY, LEARN PVD, a one-stop-shop to provide youth access to engaging summer programming and healthy, nutritional summer meals. As part of the effort, public pool facilities and waterparks also serve as summer meal sites that offer free meals to Providence residents ages 18 and under. City pools are open Monday through Saturday, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm while waterparks are open Monday through Saturday, from 12:00pm to 7:00pm.

Pool locations include:

McGrane Pool at West End Recreation Center, 404 Dexter Street
Almagno Pool at Neutaconkanut Recreation Center, 675 Plainfield Street
Selim Rogers Recreation Center, 60 Camden Avenue
Zuccolo Recreation Center, 18 Gesler Street
Davey Lopes Recreation Center, 227 Dudley Street

Waterpark locations include:

Al Carrington Water Park – at Richardson Park, 64 Richardson Street, corner of Richardson Street and Prairie Avenue
Billy Taylor Water Park, 124 Camp Street, off Cypress Street
Sackett Street Water Park, 110 Sackett Street, across from Sackett Street Recreation Center
Harriet & Sayles Water Park, 375 Sayles Street, corner of Harriet and Sayles Streets
General Street Water Park, 11 West Drive, off Admiral Street
George West Water Park, 1266 Chalkstone Ave, corner of Chalkstone and Mt Pleasant Ave
Fargnoli Water Park, 945 Smith Street, close to Academy Ave
Fox Point Water Park – at Cabral Park, 505 Wickenden Street, next to Vartan Gregorian School
Neutaconkanut Recreation Center Water Park, 675 Plainfield Street, near Killingly Street
Wallace Street Park, 1 Wallace Street
Pastore Park, corner of Knight Street and Tell Street
Joslin Recreation Center, 17 Hyatt Street
Chad Brown Water Park, Chad Brown Street

All Providence youth 18 and under are eligible to receive free summer meals through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (Summer Meals). Last summer over 145,000 meals were served at recreation centers, parks, and in collaboration with youth- serving organizations and programming. No registration is required to participate.

Summer meal locations and hours include:

Elmhurst · Valley · Mt. Pleasant

Fargnoli Park 12:00pm-2:00pm Smith Street (Across 950 Smith Street)
George J. West Park 12:15pm-2:15pm Chalkstone/ Mt. Pleasant Avenue
O’Brien Park 11:15am-1:15pm Corner of Regent Street/River Avenue

Federal Hill · West End

Pastore Park 12:15pm-2:15pm 18 Gesler Street
Dexter Training Ground 11:00am-1:00pm 73 Dexter Street
Wiggins Village 11:15am-1:15pm 207 Cranston Street
Codding Court PHA 11:30am-1:30pm 144 Dodge Street

South Side

Ellery Park 11:00am-1:00pm Ellery Street (Across 84 Ellery Street)
Harriet and Sayles Park 11:45am-1:45pm 199 Oxford Street
Rollins Rec Center/Pool 12:00pm-2:00pm 674 Prairie Avenue
Pearl Street Playground 11:45am-1:45pm Pearl and Providence Street
Jennifer Rivera Park 11:30am-1:30pm 40 Niagara Street
DHS Headquarters 10:45am-12:45pm 206 Elmwood Avenue
Peace and Plenty 11:00am-1:00pm Peace and Updike Street
McGrane Pool(Bucklin Rec Center) 12:15pm-2:15pm 404 Dexter Street
Davey Lopes Rec Center 12:00pm-2:00pm 227 Dudley Street

Charles · Wanskuck · Smith Hill

Father Lennon/Camden Ave 12:00pm-2:00pm 60 Camden Avenue
General St./Prov Recreation HQ 11:45am-1:45pm 11 West Drive
Chad Brown Waterpark 12:15pm-2:15pm Chad Brown Street
Metcalf Field 11:15am-1:15pm Across from 200 Hawkins Street
Corliss Park 11:00am-1:00pm 30 Corliss Street

East Side

Fox Point Park 11:45am-1:45pm Wickenden Street (Across B/G Club)
Billy Taylor Playground 11:30am-1:30pm Camp Street (Across 135 Camp St.)

Olneyville · Hartford ·Silver Lake

Riverside Park 11:15am-1:15pm 50 Aleppo Street
Donigian Park 10:45am-12:45pm Valley Street
Hartford Park 11:00am-1:00pm Across 300 Hartford Avenue
Joslin Park 11:30am-1:30pm 17 Hyat Street
Neutaconkanut Park 11:45am-1:45pm 675 Plainfield Street
Manton Heights 12:30pm-2:00pm 21 Salmon Street
Wallace Street Park 12:00pm-2:00pm Corner of Wallace and Cumerford

For more information and to find the nearest open recreation facility, residents can call the Providence Recreation Department’s main office at 401-680-7300, visit http://www.providenceri.gov/providence-recreation/ or contact the Mayor’s Center for City Services by dialing 3-1-1 or visiting http://www.providenceri.gov/pvd-311/.

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