PROVIDENCE – The Department of Environmental Management is advising the public that the headquarters for its Division of Parks and Recreation and the warehouse and service center for the Bureau of Natural Resources have been relocated to 1100 Tower Hill Road in North Kingstown. DEM acquired the 4.12 acre North Kingstown property in March 2012 from Tarbox Realty, Inc. The site formerly housed the Tarbox Motors Jeep dealership and showroom.
The new facility is centrally located and offers an abundance of parking – an amenity that was not readily available at the Division of Parks and Recreation's previous location on Hartford Pike in Johnston. The Division's administrative staff can be reached by phone in North Kingstown at 401-667-6200, and by fax at 401-667-3970.
Members of the public frequently visit the Division's headquarters to obtain disability passes for free parking at state beaches. The Division will continue to issue the photo identification passes for people who are eligible under certain disability rules. Beach parking fees will be waived for any vehicle in which a driver or passenger shows the photo ID. The photo identification pass will also allow disabled patrons to have the greens fee waived when playing golf at Goddard Memorial State Park, although they will be charged for equipment rentals, if any.
All disability passes must be obtained from the new location on Tower Hill Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Individuals are encouraged to contact the office via phone at 401-667-6200 or email at riparks@dem.ri.gov prior to visiting the office to ensure that they have the proper paperwork. All applicants for disability passes must present a valid form of photo identification and appear in person to obtain a disability pass.
The massive flooding that occurred in March 2010 caused the total loss of DEM's warehouse facility located on the banks of the Pawtuxet River in Cranston. Following the flooding DEM used a Department of Corrections warehouse at the Pastore Complex in Cranston, on a temporary basis, for its warehouse operations until a new site could be located. The Department used flood insurance proceeds, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds, and RI Capital Budget funds to purchase the facility for its appraised value of $1.2 million.
A staff list, telephone numbers and directions to new facility are posted on the DEM website, www.dem.ri.gov, under Parks, Beaches and Campgrounds on the left side of the homepage.