After more than a year of construction, a $2.4 million park renovation project was completed in the summer of July 2016 at Father Travassos Park. An additional $6 million project to create a two-mile rail trail along the Quequechan River was completed in May of 2017. State officials gathered behind the Espirito Santo Parochial School on June 5th for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the two facilities. Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II, Flint Neighborhood Association President Carlos Cesar, State Representatives Paul Schmid and Alan Silva, State Senator Michael Rodrigues, and Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton all spoke at the event. The newly-renovated park includes a new grass soccer field, a dek hockey rink and a computer-controlled splash park. The project is the cornerstone of the Mass In Motion 1422 Project that is working to reduce high blood pressure and diabetes by encouraging people to be more active. Click here for a 27-minute video of the event. Click here for video of the splash park. Click here for the Herald News article. Click here for pictures of the Park taken when it first opened and here for a video of the construction..  For more information, contact Carlos Cesar at 774-526-2221.

(Top rowr) Espirito Santo Parochial School students including Sophia Resendes, Ella Raposa and Addison Botelho, hold flags as EEA Secretary Matthew Beaton is greeted by Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Gateway Cities Parks Program manager Kurt Gaertner and Representatives Paul Schmid. (Row two) With the newly completed soccer field behind them, Mayor Correia, Senator Rodrigues and Representative Silvia greet the students as they gather under the tent for the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the National Anthem. (Row three) Mayor Correia introduces the speakers and then leads the group outside the tent for the ribbon cutting with the children. (Row four, left) Fall River/New Bedford GroundWork Project Executive Director Maura Ramsey talks with Flint Neighborhood Association President Carlos Cesar and Joe Carvalho of Green Futures. (Row four, center) Mass in Motion Fall River Coordinator Julie Kelly shares a laugh with Paul deVillers and Jim Hornsby of Bike Fall River following the ceremony. (Row four) UMass-D Anthropology Professor Andrea Klimt, Ph.D, chats with Neighborhood Coordinator Monica Sousa while Janice Velozo of Mass in Motion Fall River speaks with Narragansett Bay Wheelmen President Ted Shwartz. (Bottom row) Fall River Water Division Forester Mike Labossiere talks with Representative Silvia about maintenance of the Quequechan River Rail Trail as Espirito Santo Principal Andrew Raposo joins second-graders Addison Botelho, Ella Raposa and Savannah Morris at the playground while Isaiah Almanzar, plays with his cousins Nathaniel and Daniel Mosher.