Community Projects

May 2020, worked on clearing an historic cemetery on Springbrook Road and focusing on starting our first walking tour in the village of White Rock. May 2019, figuring out what historic pictures should be put on signs through the North End for a historic walking tour.  Working in cooperation with the Town of Westerly Recreation Department.

We are working on walking tours throughout the North End.  We are currently working on a tour in the White Rock village.  This project began the summer of 2019.

Our committee consists of a former Westerly Director of Libraries, a current Historian for Mystic Seaport Museum, a Babcock Smith historical society officer and a retired Mystic Seaport Museum historical interpreter.

Spring 2017, With the help of Washington Trust Company and the Westerly Sun Publishing Co. we developed a map of the North End businesses.  May 2019, updated the map with 7 historic sites for the 350th Town of Westerly anniversary.

The Oral History Project Coordinators, David Panciera & Carla White, have interviewed 32 longtime North End residents as of October 4, 2009.

We hope to make this into several booklets. Our plan at this time is to give some of these away to community members. The Greater North End Community Development, Inc. is a non-profit organization. This project is funded by the Rhode Island Foundation.

Below are a few pictures brought in by some of the longtime residents of the North End. If you have any pictures of life during the late 1800’s to mid 1900’s in the North End please call Carla at the office for making arrangements for us to borrow the image to make a copy.

The new Bushel Sposato Park on the corner of Lilac and Pierce Streets was made possible by the Sposato Family and a grant from the Westerly Municipal Land Trust is now completed and open for use. Our special thanks to the Sposato family, Town Council, Municipal Land Trust, Town Planning Department, Police Department, Geoff Marchant, Westerly Public Works, Westerly Water Department, and T.J. Landscape Design & Construction.

Our special thanks to David Panciera for designing, planting and maintaining the welcoming garden at the corner of Pleasant and High Streets as well as the one at Canal/Friendship/Industrial. If you would like to help with this on-going project, contact this office.

One of the first buildings to be rehabilitated, this handsome early 20th century brick building was the site of Gencarelli’s grocery store and is now the home of NECWCD, Westerly Police Community Substation #1.

One of GNECD’s goals is the rehabilitation of existing properties in the North End allowing the implementation of an affordable housing program without increasing the density.