How to advocate for threatened properties: The Heritage Alliance of Pawtucket

The next forum of The Heritage Alliance of Pawtucket will be held on Monday, June 9th, from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Watercolor Society/Potter Casino, at 831 Armistice Blvd, across from the Slater Park Carousel inside the park.

Their primary topic will be how to effectively advocate for threatened properties.

The last forum in February was very well-attended and many expressed concern about the city’s threatened historic sites. Now the group wants to turn identified concerns into action. Pawtucket just celebrated the opening of a new soccer stadium and optimism is high, while at the same time they are watching McCoy Stadium disappear and City Hall be nearly abandoned.

Now is the time to discuss ways that preservation and progress can coexist in Pawtucket. How can Pawtucket’s historical landscape be integrated into future plans? Attendees are encouraged to participate in the conversation, or just come and listen. The group will welcome all constructive ideas and opinions, for the sake of preserving Pawtucket as a place to enjoy living, working, and visiting.

No RSVP required.

The forum will be held in the Potter Casino, itself an historic building suffering from neglect.  Here is some of the correspondence from us and from the RI Watercolor Society Director pleading for the care of this important building.   

Another building on the list of threatened properties is the house at 265 Lonsdale Avenue, which we’re calling the Thornley House. The owners have acquired a demolition permit and now the house is being reviewed by the Historic District Commission.  Part of the June 9 forum will be used to consider whether city ordinances are being properly enforced, or whether they should be changed, to give our historic buildings a fighting chance.