Improved parking lot will greet Stadium when it reopens – Valley Breeze

4/29/2020

The city of Woonsocket was last week in the midst of installing a new asphalt parking lot across from the Stadium Theatre. The brick building at right is Terrys Tire and Auto, on Blackstone Street. (Breeze photo by Tom Ward)

WOONSOCKET When the Stadium Theatre eventually reopens to the public, patrons will find improved parking options at the municipal lot across the street.

Last month, the citys Department of Public Works began improvements to the lot directly across from the theater on Monument Square. In addition to excavating and repaving the existing lot, the project involved eliminating islands, restriping and lowering the level of the pavement to make it ADA-compliant.

In the next few weeks, said Director of Public Works Steven DAgostino, a contractor will be installing LED lighting around the perimeter of the lot.

My hope is to have it nearly completed if not totally completed by the time the Stadium opens, he said.

Cathy Levesque, executive director of the Stadium Theatre, said the timing of the project, which started the week the theater closed due to the COVID-19 measures, was has offered hope to staff members.

My office is on the fourth floor of the Conservatory, so I have been watching Steve DAgostino and his team working daily, she said. Observing their progress on this project has kept our spirits up. It is one exceedingly good thing during an incredibly bad time.

DAgostino said the project will cost approximately $250,000 to complete, a significant savings compared with if the city had outsourced the work.

The renovated parking lot is one of several projects the city has taken on while vehicle and pedestrian traffic is slower due to the coronavirus measures. Last week, a playground supplier began installing new playground equipment at Cass Park. The parks newly completed softball field, said DAgostino, was scheduled to open this spring, but didnt have a chance before spring sports were shut down due to COVID-19.

On May 18, North Kingstown-based T. Miozzi is scheduled to begin resurfacing Park Avenue from Hamlet Avenue to Transit Street. Prior to that, National Grid is expected to begin repaving the upper portion of Park Avenue following a gas line replacement last summer, the final step in a project that caused several road detours last year.

This is a great time to do some work, said DAgostino. The traffic has slowed right down. Its a great opportunity.

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Improved parking lot will greet Stadium when it reopens - Valley Breeze