The roller coaster ride that Rocky Point Park has been on since the amusement park closed in 1995 reached new heights Friday with the state’s reopening ceremonies.

Kicking off a two-day celebration of the first public access to the park in nearly 20 years, city and state officials met on the state owned section of the park, consisting of 83 acres acquired with a 2010 bond issue, to celebrate their successes.

“It’s very exciting. It’s rewarding,” said Lisa Primiano, Deputy Chief of State Land Conservation and Acquisition Program at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), of the reopening. “This was a lot of hard work by a lot of people, so it’s certainly a good feeling to see the end result here.”

Primiano, who recalls visiting Rocky Point in its heyday with her grandmother and two sisters to swim in the saltwater pool, was instrumental in the efforts to open the park to the public.

“I really like the fact that we kept some of the historic elements of the park,” she said. “When you pull into the park, for many of us who grew up here, we still can feel the memories, alive, on the property even though it’s very different.”

The Rocky Point Foundation, a non-profit formed by concerned citizens who advocated for public ownership of the park, successfully lobbied for the funds used to purchase the state portion of the park. Warwick resident George Shuster, a founder of the organization, reflected on the ride taken to save the land.

“The founders of the Foundation were sitting down around this time five years ago talking about if it would be possible for this portion of Rocky point to be preserved for public use in perpetuity, and now we’re standing here five years later and we’ve met that goal,” said Shuster.

“There’s been a lot of work in the meantime, a lot of commitments both financial and otherwise on behalf of Rhode Islanders to preserve this property. But we’ve had great success, and when you look around at what this property has now become, it’s fantastic.”

Now that the park will again be open for all to use, the Foundation figures to maintain their involvement in possible future park developments.

“We’re continuing to work with the city and the state in terms of figuring out what this property will look like, what it will be used for, and frankly how it will be maintained, so that we not only have a great property today but that we continue to have a great state park for the future,” said Shuster.

Rocky Point’s official owner, DEM, will play an important part in the continued development of the cleaned up park. In an interview prior to the opening ceremony, Janet Coit offered her thoughts on the day’s events and the progress made on the demolition of what remained of the former amusement park.

“When I took the position of DEM director, the governor asked that we secure this property, clean up this property and that we make this property available to the public now and forever,” she said. “I feel like DEM delivered and that today is a very significant day for the Chafee administration and for the future of Rhode Island.”

There were corkscrew like twists and turns in the cleanup project, such as requesting and securing appropriations, going through the purchasing process, with a competition on the park cleanup bid for services. There was also much more cement on the property expected. Still, the cleanup occurred on time.

“I know that people are excited,” said Coit. “There’s really not an issue I’ve worked on that garners more excitement and engagement than this. Every place you go, people have memories, connections, they think it’s something that’s being done for the right reasons for the public.”

Coit also laid out the department’s immediate plans for the park.

“Our first priority is going to be hiking trails, some nicer composting toilets so there won’t be Port-A-Johns, the remaining fence coming down and gaining access to the water, which we’re very excited about,” she said. “We have plans to reestablish a pier. So from my perspective, that’s the next year, is having it a place where people can picnic, fly a kite, hike and develop a place where you can throw a fishing line into the water or come here by boat.”

Demolition crews have also left portions of a former parking lot available, which will be fixed up, but it will not be used every day of the year. The plan is to use available city parking and expanding on those facilities.

“When there are concerts, if there’s the philharmonic or if there’s a festival, or a big event we want to have a parking pad that can have thousands of cars on it,” said Coit.

Longer-term park plans, while still uncertain, are starting to take shape.

“I know that there’s interest and it is appropriate to have some kind of facility, and there’s been a lot of ideas thrown out there so I don’t want to pick one, but there is an opportunity for food, there’s an opportunity for weddings and events,” explained Coit. “I think there’s other amenities that will fit well, such as tasteful structures that can accommodate events all year round.”

DEM expects to create a master plan, which establishes an overall vision of the park’s future. While funding for such projects remains problematic, DEM envisions a private public partnership to attain those goals. This, too, would require a competitive process and more planning.

“When I think of a public private partnership, we will definitely be working with the Rocky Point Foundation and we can envision a number of roles that they can augment,” said Coit. “When I also think of construction of a facility, we’d be looking for a ‘private developer,’” and I use that word guardedly, for we don’t want to develop this site, but we want to develop amenities that would make this park useful 365 days a year.”

“This is fantastic!” said David Picozzi, Warwick’s Public Works Director. “I started working here at Rocky Point when I was 14 years old washing dishes, worked my way through the Midway and started operating rides and then I worked for the office. I was very close to Conrad Ferla and Dave Cascioli. I love it, I’m so glad it stayed in the public’s hands.”

“We’re in talks now to extend our bike path onto this property, which I’m excited about.”

Governor Lincoln Chafee, a longtime proponent of the park’s preservation, answered questions prior to the ceremony about the progress on the park while complimenting involved parties.

“For decades and decades, people have enjoyed this real estate. Rocky Point is a point that sticks out in the bay, with cooling breezes that sweep up the bay in the summer,” said Chafee. “Whereas Colt State Park across the way, my dad was a main instigator for that, this was more of a collaborative effort. This was the mayor – Mayor Avedisian – it was Save the Bay, the Rocky Point Foundation, Jack Reed and the delegation got the money (a grant for the city-owned 41 acres), this was much more collaborative, and it wouldn’t have happened without those efforts.”

The governor hopes an interstate park ferry service can be created to unite parks around the bay.

“I know what a lot of people have been talking about is a ferry linkage across to Colt, set up the docks, and get youngsters and families out on the bay going back and forth between the parks. I think that would be a project that would hopefully come to some fruition,” said Chafee.

When the ceremony opened up, many reiterated their thanks to all parties involved in the acquisition and offered their own vision of Rocky Point.

“The Midway and the Shore Dinner Hall are gone, but what will remain is beautiful,” said Senator Jack Reed, who procured an earmark in 2003 for $2.2 million to purchase the 41 acres acquired by the city. “This first class park is not only a tonic for the soul and aesthetically pleasing, it’s also good for our economy. People come to Rhode Island because of these views, these vistas, these opportunities.”

Congressman Jim Langevin added, “We are on the verge of seeing a further reopening and re-purposing of this outstanding piece of land that will be a state treasure and is a state treasure, and will be enjoyed by future generations for years to come.”

“I want to thank Janet Coit and the DEM, and specifically recognize Lisa Primiano and Larry Mourajian, who are the staff people who have been on this for so long, making the pieces fit together. They I think exemplify the type of good work capable of state workers at their finest,” added Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

State Senator William Walaska said, “It was sad to see this location which holds such cherished memories closed off to the public. It continues to hold all of the charm as when it was first put to use as a destination for nature lovers. Today, it returns to this use, and a new generation of Rhode Islanders can discover the joys of Rocky Point in a different way.”

“Rocky Point may never again be the amusement park that it once was, but once again it will be a place where family and friends can spend an afternoon and make a lifetime of memories,” said Representative Frank Ferri.

Mayor Avedisian, who has dealt with Rocky Point issues throughout much of his term as Warwick’s longest-serving mayor, expressed his gratitude as well.

“When this whole project started, and when we first went to the City Council, to abate the back taxes on that piece of property, and we went to talk with the Rocky Point Foundation, and everyone started to hear this vision, I don’t think anyone would ever believe that this is what it would look like. I don’t think anyone would believe that the views and the vistas were going to look as spectacular as it does.”

“We have so much to be thankful for in the city today. The state department of Environmental Management has been a driving force in making sure everyone was doing exactly what needed to be done whenever we needed to do it,” added Avedisian. “If it wasn’t for Linc Chafee’s vision and Janet Coit’s determination, we would not be here today. The city owes them a great debt.”

John Howell, President of the Rocky Point Foundation and publisher of the Warwick Beacon, looked to the future.

“What it’s going to look like in five, 10 or 15 years I can’t tell you. But what I can tell you is that there are a lot of believers in this park, and probably just as many ideas as to what it should become,” said Howell. “This is a fresh start to a venue that holds so many happy memories for so many. The future is full of promises, and I suspect clam cakes and chowder will be a part of it.”