Setting a Course for a New North Kingstown

Posters and pictured decked the walls of Beechwood Center Thursday night as the Healthy Places by Design community design event wrapped. Photos of bike paths, unused parks, sidewalks and more adorned the walls, displaying examples of what townspeople do and don’t want to see in their town.

The goal of the months-long project, funded by a $225,000 grant from the Department of Health, was to gather information and feedback from North Kingstown residents on how they would like to see their town become better and healthier. From more bike paths to better sidewalks to more viable community centers and public spaces, residents shared their ideas.

According to town planners, the project could not have come at a better time as the town will begin to rewrite its comprehensive plan – the overarching guide for local officials in a community’s physical, economic and social development – next year.

“This program is coming as a nice kick-start to those comprehensive plan rewrites,” said Doug McLean of the North Kingstown Planning Department. “This really is a crucial time.”

Throughout the process, project managers determined four primary “guiding” principles – walkability and biking, accessibility to healthy foods, public spaces and neighborhoods.

Townspeople and project members suggested better signage, crosswalks and better sidewalks to improve walkability and biking in town. Photos and resident testimony showed that many sidewalks in town are in poor condition, or even nonexistent in certain parts of town.

Improving community centers, including community kitchens where residents could learn how to prepare healthy meals, and emphasizing farmers markets were added suggestions during discussions.

Discussion of village centers, an issue that has garnered spotlight recently with the prospective of changing one of the town’s zoning districts, took up a good portion of discussions. According to planners, improving village centers would augment walkability. During visual preference surveys, residents seem to favor the layout of South County Commons, though on a smaller scale.

One site in North Kingstown that is drawing some attention is Cocumscussoc State Park, nestled behind Stony Lane, Post Road and Ten Rod Road. Underused, overgrown and generally unknown among many residents, town planners and project members are looking into the prospect of reinvigorating this underutilized resource.

Another area ripe for change is Calf Pasture Point, just north of the end of the Quonset Bike Path.

“It’s just waiting to be turned into a bike path,” said Denise Kaplin, Healthy Places by Design YMCA consultant.

With the project coming to a close, members of Healthy Places by Design hope to keep the process alive in North Kingstown. Staff members are seeking project champions (those who would like to become heavily involved in the process and spearhead a specific project), project supporters (those who wish to continue attending meetings) and interested citizens (those who would like to be kept abreast of the project’s progress.) For more information on staying involved, contact Denise Kaplin at dkaplin@gpymca.org.