Dramatic redevelopment efforts in the 1990s cleaned up the Providence River and created
new footbridges, river walkways and park areas. And WaterFire, a project that was launched in 1994, was seen as the symbol of the riverfront's renaissance. When Tim Ray returned to his city after a long absence, he was amazed at the change: "I remember driving downtown on a Saturday
night in summer and not being able to find a parking space," says Mr. Ray. "That, to me, was the first sign that something was really different here. On a Saturday night in Providence there were
people here? That just couldn't be!"
But it was. And by attracting crowds of
visitors on Saturday evenings, WaterFire has had a huge economic impact on Providence, bringing more than $33 million in business to the city annually. Of the hundreds of thousands of people who see WaterFire each year, Mr. Ray says more than half come from out of state. "They were coming from way out in New England … from New York, Pennsylvania and California. Foreign visitors. People have heard about this phenomenon called WaterFire and if they're
making a visit anywhere to New England, they're making sure to make a stop in Providence if WaterFire is on that night. The effect of fire on water has been so dramatic in Providence that other riverfront cities are considering installing their own public art
displays to light up the night. WaterFire creator Barnaby Evans is visiting several possible sites, both in the United States and other countries, to assess their suitability for the displays.
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