East Providence's Jones Pond is renamed again

Military memorial focus shifts to Sqantum site

EastBayRI.com · Friday, February 24, 2017 12:13 pm

Vets Committee starts flag fundraising effort

The East Providence Veterans Advisory Committee has announced the start of a fundraising campaign. Among other projects, the committee is working with Tracy Capobianco to put up 120 flags along the parade route.

Each high quality flag set costs around $50. The American Flag is a symbol of freedom and sacrifice the world over. Please consider helping us with a financial donation. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. With a donation of $50 or more you can dedicate your donation to a veteran or current military member. For more info or to make a donation you can contact a member of the Veterans Advisory Committee, Mrs. Capobianco or email epveterans@cityofeastprov.com to arrange to make a donation.

Points of contact for donations are: Jim Miller regiononepresident@gmail.com; Luci Stoddard lucistoddard@gmail.com; Rose Pereira rp0251@aol.com; Karen Rebello hkydad16@aol.com; Rick Lawson ricklawson69@gmail.com; Tracy Capobianco ctino213@aol.com.

By Mike Rego

EAST PROVIDENCE — Barring push back from the national organization, the renovated parcel of land at the rear of Pierce Memorial Stadium will soon be known as “Townie Pride Park at Jones Pond” following a vote of the city council at its meeting Tuesday night, Feb. 21.

The location for the last several months took on the moniker of “Honor Flight Park” following a similar vote conducted by the previously seated council. At that time, the distinction was made in conjunction with grant money provided by the national organization of the same name, which several times a year flies United States military veterans from across the country to visit and tour Washington D.C. The plan was put together by former councilman and current state representative Helder Cunha, in whose district Jones Pond is located.

Last week, at the behest of Mr. Cunha’s successor, Ward 2 councilor Anna Sousa, the new proposal was made. Ms. Sousa’s resolution read in part, the council and city “wishes to celebrate and acknowledge the pride of the residents of the City of East Providence and its heritage by renaming Honor Flight Park to Townie Pride Park.”

In conjunction with the name change there, it was proposed using the Honor Flight donation to help continued construction of the city’s recognized military remembrance area, Veterans Memorial Park at Sqantum Woods, including the creation of a dedicated space at the site noting the Honor Flight group.

The previous council approved the move of East Providence’s official memorial location from land adjacent to the Henderson Bridge off Massasoit Avenue to the Sqantum Woods site back in late 2015. East Providence’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial is currently the centerpiece of the space.

Veterans Advisory Committee members Jim Miller and Rick Lawson along with former councilwoman Tracy Capobianco appeared at last week’s meeting to express their support of the name change and to urge the future focus of military recognitions be on the Squatum site.

Mr. Miller said fundraising efforts are in the works to purchase and install lighting to properly illuminate the American Flags at the location. Also, other military monuments which currently are under appreciated would be moved to the location when possible.

In the end, the council voted 4-1 in favor of the Jones Pond name change and at making Squantum the base of the city’s military memorial, pending approval of the national Honor Flight organization. Mr. Cunha is working with the group on the potential transition. Ward 1 councilman Bobby Britto voted against the proposal, saying he was not comfortable with changing the names of previously dedicated spaces and because no formal agreement between the city and the Honor Flight organization had yet been finalized.