What's the Big Idea, Providence?

At I HEART PROVIDENCE, the PM-sponsored annual lovefest at City Hall on February 9, we asked attendees, “What’s your BIG idea?” There were suggestion boxes in which residents, neighbors and concerned citizens could offer ideas that they feel could improve the city. We agreed to publish the results, unjuried, uncensored and unedited. Here’s what they told us…

So many fairs and festivals happen that aren’t advertised anywhere. I love running into a pow wow in the park or a concert at India Point, but I wish there was a place to find out about everything. Eastside Monthly only has partial, Providence website only has partial, etc. ~Anonymous

Online dog registration (small idea!) ~ Jennifer Luxmoore

A men’s initiative to promote prevention of violence against women. ~L. Rios

“We are Providence” video campaign
1. Students (public, private, charter) are trained to interview adults and record their life stories.
2. Cheap equipment (cell phones, flipcams)
3. Training and editing facilities provided by private universities as part of compromise w/ city services.
4. Mayor’s press office awards showings (interactive cable, YouTube, etc)
~Dave Bloss

To make Providence the L.A. but better! ~Mini Keomeuagn

Make Westminster a pedestrian street. ~ Sheri Weinbergeo

Overnight parking! ~Ben

Fix the roads for better biking ~Erika Nyws

Licensed food truck parking in one of the downtown parking lots similar to Portland, OR. ~Peter Haas

Less cliques. More harmony. ~Anonymous

This is not my big idea but I think we should do something like photo nights Boston where we project photos and/or artwork on buildings. Kind of like the Jeany Holzes work a few years ago. ~Jonathan Beller

Instead of a Governor’s Ball, let’s start to have the City Ball here in Providence! I’ll be the event planner! ~Barbara Lee

A boat parking lot at the waterfront where I-195 once was. People can park their boats and roam around the city. ~Joe Jamroz

Parking! ~Anonymous

Me. ~Jesse Furtado

Coverstock – a music festival of all cover/tribute bands. ~Kevin Bouwen

Tax the rich! ~Anonymous

More free around Brown parking. ~Anonymous

Incentivize nonprofits to merge collaborate (probably more of a statewide need)
Civic solar panel system –use to run buses, municipal power, etc.
Citizen advisory board – demographic representation of city (not city council)
Bike lanes everywhere!
Sponsor portable green space (San Francisco park benches and trees in dumpsters)
Habitat 4 Humanity – type project to supplement crossroads housing.
~Michele Adamo

Seattle has a parking system that would work wonders for Providence’s infamous parking situation; rather than individual meters, the city has meter pay stations spaced every 20-30 feet. The machines take credit card/ debit cards and give you a printed ticket to place on your car’s dashboard. ~Erica Scharn

Open Providence. Make things transparent. We can’t clean up the mess in the dark, open it up, let the light shine. Post minutes online. Video stream of city hall meetings, budget transparency and public online. ~Carmen Recalde

This [suggestion] box is nice. Ideas should always be here. ~Anonymous

To provide equal access to Montessori early education childhood education for all families in Providence regardless of income! I started in my home this winter with 3 students, looking to have a diverse community of children and families to share and grow together. I am looking to become a pillar of the community on the West or South Side of Providence - a center for children to learn during the school day and families to participate whenever possible. ~Amy Borak.

Energy self sufficiency. 1) Like all those people exercising on tread mills and stationary bikes should be hooked up to a generator. 2) a science fair contest on energy storage critical to alternative energy. ~Elainna Brislar

Give the city of Providence more prominent water view. ~Anonymous

More parking! ~Anonymous

Please clean the graffiti off the parking sign at corner of Exchange and Stillman. The F-word has been scribbled across it for months. Thank you. ~Anonymous

State sponsored industry (electric transportation). ~Mark Riendeau

Go to the local colleges and tell out of state students how awesome Providence is and convince them to stay!! ~Kim Ahern

Make Brown U pay taxes on dorm rooms. They use city water, etc… ok if not on school buildings but dorms should be the same as regular residential property. ~Anonymous

Treating music like it is as important as it is. When you cut music and art programming you cut joy and you put musicians out of work. We count too, so do the special needs people we in particular serve. ~Bresler’s

Start a state-wide college tour- one for students to introduce them to RI schools, one for parents to introduce them to the state – wineries, beaches, culture, etc. ~Kristin Howley

Fix the potholes in the street! ~Anonymous

City funding for WaterFire. ~Anonymous

Have unofficial motto – t-shirts, “Providence is random.” ~Anonymous

Mike Ritz for Mayor
A Health Care Cooperative for Providence
~Will Clurman

More parties like I HEART PROVIDENCE that brings neighbors together and celebrates everything that makes Providence unique – art, food, music, and love of all things local! ~Laurie Backall

Stop firing teachers. ~Mike

Less heat in City Hall. ~Anonymous

“Open the front door.” I’ve been here for 7 years now, and it looks like city hall is barricading itself against the city. Cheap! Impressions mean a lot. It’s worth a look into. ~Robert Fournier

Bring more voices into the education system! Students on the school board, a parent organizer for each school, and a way for the community to feel involved! ~Zack Mezera

Bus service until after last call. ~Gray Jones

City-wide composting! ~Anonymous