Walk the Greenway

*see note on preparing for heat 6/24 and future walks with high temperatures

Walk The Greenway with Jill Davidson
Tuesdays, 5:30–6:30 PM May to September (weekly except July 1 , August 5, and August 12)
Meet at Riverside Park, Aleppo Street entrance

Join us for a weekly, beginner-friendly walk along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway led by WRWC's Director of Development and Communications (and enthusiastic walker) Jill Davidson and her dog June! Most weeks will feature special guests who can help us learn more about the flora, fauna, history, and evolution of the Woonasquatucket River Greenway. These free walks are open to all ages and fitness levels. Each walk will last about an hour, covering either a scenic loop or a stretch of the Greenway.

Bring your friends, family, and on-leash pups—everyone’s welcome! We will meet at the Riverside Park parking lot (use the Aleppo Street entrance) and walk for an hour.

Registration encouraged, sign up so we know you're coming. Let’s move, connect, and enjoy the Greenway together.

Walk the Greenway Guests (check back soon to see new additions)!

May 20: Alicia Lehrer, WRWC Executive Director, who will share history of the park and her excellent bird-spotting skills! Bring your binoculars if you've got them.

May 27: WRWC's Communications Manager Chris Dalpe and his dog Delmer will walk with us! Chris offers insight into the ways we communicate our mission on the Greenway and Delmer offers first-class canine company.

June 3: Kate Lacouture, Garden Time Executive Director. Garden Time prepares incarcerated & formerly incarcerated men and women for the workforce, equipping a traditionally underserved population with the skills, self-confidence and support they need to successfully transition to permanent employment and a productive life in the community. WRWC's River Rangers work with Garden Time participants, and Kate is also an amazing native plants gardener herself!

June 10: Walk cancelled due to too much rain!

June 17: Renee Stoops, our new Greenway Operations Manager, will join us to talk about what led her to joining the WRWC crew--and much more. Renee will share her vision of what's next for Riverside Park and other Greenway spaces, along with her deep knowledge of what's growing, changing, and happening on the land and in the water.

June 24: Even thought it's hot out there, Tuesday, June 24th's Walk the Greenway is happening, with heat precautions in place. As usual, we will meet at 5:30 pm at the Riverside Park parking lot on Aleppo Street, and we'll head out for 30 minutes rather than our usual hour. Bring water, wear a hat, and even though we're going to stay in the shade, wear your sunscreen. As always, our Tuesday afternoon Greenway walks are free and family- and dog-friendly. Remember water for your pup, too! Stay cool and see you soon. There's no walk next week.

July 1: No walk this week!

July 8: Sadly, cancelled due to thunderstorms.

July 15: It's Birdwatching Week! Amanda Peavey, WRWC Environmental Education Director, and Layla Farahbakhsh, WRWC's recreation guide and River Ranger, will join us for a bird-watching walk. Bring your binoculars (or use ours--we have plenty to borrow) and get ready to hear and see the amazing range of bird species that make their home along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway.

July 22: Adrienne Gagnon, DownCity Design Executive Director. Since Adrienne co-founded DownCity Design, over 3000 participants in our free afterschool and summer design programs have collaboratively built more than 100 permanent amenities for public spaces in and around Providence, including community gardens, outdoor classrooms for public schools, creative play structures for parks, and in partnership with the WRWC in 2024, the Eagle Street Pocket Park.

July 29: RI Representative David Morales, District 7. Rep. Morales represents the Valley, Mt. Pleasant, and Elmhurst neighborhoods. In addition to his impactful work as a legislator, which you can learn about here, Rep. Morales is the Director of Community Action at the WRWC and a professional wrestler competing with Renegade Wrestling Alliance where he is a two-time HYPE Champion.

August 5: No walk this week! Instead, on August 5, please join us at the Big Chill at Gather Cafe! Details coming soon.

August 12: No walk this week! Join us at the Fish Fun(d) at Farm Fresh Rhode Island on Thursday, August 14 for an amazing event of community fun. And instead of getting your steps in, you can join our pre-party bike ride! Fish Fun(d) tickets are here and you can sign up for the pre-party bike ride here.

August 19: Sarah Zurier, Architectural Historian at the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, will walk the Greenway with us. Sarah knows so much about the hidden histories of the public spaces we visit--she will open your eyes to details about Riverside Park's past. And her dog Nessie will be along for the walk! Sarah is also a committed Providence explorer, one of just a few people who has walked every single street in the City!

August 26: For our final walk of the summer, we'll be joined by Tim Shea, Community Planning Manager in the City of Providence's Department of Planning and Development. A Providence native and urban planning expert, Tim will share information about current initiatives including Safe Streets for All, general zoning overhaul, housing investments, and more, all of which impact and are impacted by Riverside Park and the Woonasquatucket River Greenway.