[Followup information on the article “South Providence Residents Alarmed Scrapyard Expansion Could Encroach on Their Only Public Access Point,” published December 10, 2025]
The following letter was submitted to Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and the City Council.
Subject: Public Access beach at Public street under environmental threat!
Dear Mayor Smiley, city officials and members of the City Council,
I am writing as a long-time resident of the Washington Park neighborhood to ask that the city move expeditiously to protect the public right-of-way at the eastern end of Public street, an area that for years has been under serious environmental assault by a number of business entities along Allens Avenue.
This area marks the only legal access to Narragansett Bay for a large number of inner-city residents in the South Providence and Washington Park neighborhoods. The latest environmental problem related to these businesses seems to be an oil leak that continues to pollute the bay in violation of DEM regulations.
I understand the metals recycling business currently leasing land from Rhode Island Energy wishes to expand operations into currently unused areas, which would only worsen the negative environmental impact on neighborhoods already suffering higher-than-average rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
It is a shame that what should be valuable and user-friendly access to our fabulous Narragansett Bay is being abused in this fashion, and I urge you to act to protect the environment and the voters of these neighborhoods by expanding their access and developing a public park in an area that is woefully underserved.
Thank you.
Jody McPhillips
Washington Park
To whom it may concern at PVD Eye,
[In response to “The Closure of Roger Williams and Fatima Hospitals Would be Catastrophic for Providence. City and State Officials Must Find a Solution.” By Betty Rawls Lang and Fraser Lang]
It’s bad enough that Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket was allowed to close. It’s additionally bad enough that for purely political reasons, a large Massachusetts based hospital system was kept out of Rhode Island. Now we read there’s a danger that two more much needed hospitals in Rhode Island might be closing. This is from ‘bad enough’ to utterly outrageous.
If the Providence Eye really wants to help prevent this ‘catastrophe in the wings’ from happening you will put the cause squarely at the feet of who’s responsible. Our political leadership. Our governors past and present. Our elected representatives and our Mayor. It really is that simple.
Stewart Martin
East Side
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