Photos from the Morley Field Earth Day clean-up

Over 50 volunteers helped to clean-up Morley Field, the only greenspace in Pawtucket's Ward 5, a place the Grebien Administration wants to turn into a parking lot...

Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

Morley Field

The Administration of Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien has been actively working to pave Morley Field to build a parking lot. Advocates for preserving Morely Field spent Sunday morning and early afternoon cleaning the field, removing over 50 bags of litter and construction debris from the site. Over 50 people volunteered for the clean-up effort.

Young people from Roots2Empower - Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

Morley Field is the only greenspace in Pawtucket's Woodlawn neighborhood. The Woodlawn neighborhood (which is just north of Providence, along I-95, west of Pawtucket Avenue) is approximately 74% people of color, 59% people living at or below the poverty rate, and 29% are children. Woodlawn is a working-class neighborhood where most people live in triple-deckers or multifamily units, often with no backyard. Since the 1970s, families in Woodlawn have used Morley Field for little league games, Pop Warner football, picnics, and reunions, and as a place to relax and breathe. For the families who live in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Pawtucket, Morley Field is an invaluable green space and escape from the densely populated corner of the city. Morley Field is also a rare public access point to the Moshassuck River and home to nesting osprey protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

The Grebien Administration has put up fencing to prevent people from using the field and has failed to do any upkeep on the field for years.

Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

Photo by Pawtucket resident H. Philip West, Jr. [Used with permission.]

Over 60 bags of trash and construction debris were pulled out.