A recreational center and outdoor ice rink at Warwick City Hall that Mayor Frank Picozzi agrees is a “passion project” of his has begun to take shape, as city and state leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday to inaugurate the project.

Flanked by Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Picozzi thanked the senators for helping secure a $5 million earmark grant.  The city administration set aside an additional $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the project although all of that may not be needed now. 

“This event center will not only provide a tremendous recreational facility to the people of this city, but will also be the impetus for a long-desired revitalization of Apponaug Village,” Picozzi said. “It’s a simple formula; City Hall Plaza will draw people to the area, and the people will draw businesses to the area.”

Sen. Reed shared Picozzi’s enthusiasm, saying that the project “took very underutilized space and it’s going to turn it into a community center for all seasons of the year, from skating in the winter to dancing and pickleball in the summer.”

“It’s going to be a very exciting place for community togetherness and for memories to be made,” Sen. Whitehouse said.

The plaza, soon to become the Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza after the credit union won a $300,000 naming rights bid, will be constructed by Bentley Builders, LLC after they won a $6.7 million contract. It will serve as a community event space hosting farmer’s markets, concerts and “family fun nights,” among other events. The groundbreaking comes after an arduous bidding and rebidding process that saw a dispute between Bentley Builders, LLC, and the City of Warwick after the City Council voted to award Tower Construction’s original $7.2 million bid.

“They sharpened their pencils and we saved half a million dollars. There was a little confusion, but it all worked out,” Picozzi said. “The residents of Warwick benefitted by getting half a million dollars lessened, and that’s more money we can put into the project.”

Beverly Wiley, Director of Parks and Recreation for Warwick, expanded on the potential of the plaza. “We can set up farmers markets, we can set up pickleball courts, or someone can essentially rent it out for a wedding reception or a prom,” Wiley said. Wiley clarified, “There probably would be an admission cost for some of the events, or rental cost, just like now if someone wanted to rent a pool for a birthday party”.

As for what they’re excited about the most, Wiley spoke of a renewed Apponaug, stating her eagerness to see “something for this area of the city”, while Picozzi stated that he’d love the idea of a “restaurant night” to bring local cuisine to the village and roller skating on the plaza’s future rink.

The project is expected to be completed in about 12 to 14 months, not in time for skating in 2024 but 2025 looks promising.