Official Name Of Rocky Point Fishing Pier Awaits Statehouse Vote

WARWICK, RI — A man who spent four decades fighting for public access to high-quality parkland in Rhode Island could soon see his name permanently affixed to the brand-new, fully accessible timber fishing pier at Rocky Point State Park.

The $1.8 million public attraction jutting into Narragansett Bay is already informally known as the “Larry Mouradjian Fishing Pier,” but the name will only become official if the Rhode Island General Assembly grants its seal of approval.

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To that end, a group of Warwick lawmakers last month submitted special legislation to name the pier after Mouradjian, who retired in 2018 after 37 years with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Mouradjian, who earned legendary status in the conservation world, started his career with RIDEM as a laborer, worked his way up, and eventually landed the number-two spot as the agency's deputy director.

During his tenure, Mouradjian was a fierce and friendly advocate for public lands, and fought for the creation of the 124-acre Rocky Neck State Park. The City of Warwick and RIDEM collaborated with various partners to assemble the land deal more than a decade ago, and Rhode Island residents later approved a $10 million bond to preserve the sweeping property with its full mile of public coastline access.

Photo Mary Serreze/Patch

The House Committee on Special Legislation recently held a hearing on the naming bill, and several prominent individuals called in to voice their support.

“Before we even signed the ink on that deal, Larry was talking about rebuilding a pier,” remarked RIDEM director Janet Coit. “He worked selflessly and tirelessly for the benefit of the public.”

Coit described Mouradjian as a “super-visionary person” who believed in parkland, fishing, coastal access, and getting people outdoors. She said he "knows every nook and cranny in the state” and had a hand in improving and preserving public recreation areas across Rhode Island.

Topher Hamblett, advocacy director for Save The Bay, said Mouradjian was a “strong, passionate advocate” for public spaces. “Larry may be retired, but we’re glad he can enjoy the fruits of his labor by seeing thousands of Rhode Islanders and visitors alike enjoy the great outdoors at the many places her championed on behalf of all of us,” Hamblett said.

Former Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian said the city in 2008 preserved 41 acres at Rocky Point, and that Mouradjian drove hard to secure an additional 83 acres under the wing of the state. “He pushed and prodded us to make sure we did not take our eyes off the prize,” said Avedisian. “And Larry never lost sight of the vision of reconstructing the fishing pier.”

Avedisian and Coit both have a special interest in making sure the bill passes, because they already let the cat out of the bag. In 2018, at Mouradjian’s retirement dinner, Avedisian made a surprise declaration that the pier would be named after him, EastBayRI.com reported at the time.

Rhode Island State Parks via Twitter

“A few weeks ago Director Coit and I were talking about Larry’s retirement and a fitting gift,” Avedisian said at the dinner. “So, it is my honor to name the fishing pier at Rocky Point the Larry Mouradjian Rocky Point Fishing Pier.”

But it turns out the pier can not be named by decree. Any move to name new state structures in Rhode Island must go through the Permanent Joint Committee on Naming All New Buildings, Bridges, Edifices, and Other State Constructions.

Special legislation to name the pier after Mouradjian was introduced by Rep. Joseph J. Solomon and co-sponsored by Reps. Camille Vella-Wilkinson, Julie Casimiro, David A. Bennet, Joseph M. McNamara, and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi.

"Larry Mouradjian deserves this honor," Solomon told Patch. He said that Rocky Point State Park is a spectacular piece of ocean-front property that's open to the public, but that it also means a lot to him for family reasons. His father, Joseph J. Solomon Sr., was president of the Warwick City Council when the land deal was finalized, and was mayor of the city during the July 2020 ribbon-cutting for the fishing pier.

"A lot of people worked together to make it happen. It was a beautiful day," said Solomon of the July 2020 ceremony.

While Mouradjian did not return a phone call seeking comment, Solomon remarked that Rocky Point, with its sweeping views of the bay, is Rhode Island's newest state park and has historical significance to Warwick and to the people of Rhode Island.

For more than a century, Rocky Point hosted an iconic amusement park. In the 19th century, visitors arrived via train or ferry. The pier was destroyed by hurricanes in 1938 and 1954 but rebuilt. By the 1960s, people happily drove their cars to Rocky Point Amusement Park. The attraction closed in 1994 and the property was sold about a decade later. Between 2008 and 2013, the city and RIDEM worked together to secure title to the property. Rhode Island voters approved bonding for the project. The property reopened in 2014 as Rocky Point State Park. Ruins of the old pier remained, and they were eventually removed with plans — pushed and pushed by Mouradjian — to rebuild.

The new, fully-accessible 110-foot fishing pier with a 260-foot approach includes a shade structure, benches, and aluminum railings. Pier construction began in June of 2019, and last summer dignitaries gathered for the gala ribbon-cutting.

"It's only appropriate that the fishing pier be officially and permanently named for Larry Mouradjian," Solomon said. "We're looking forward to a great summer in Rhode Island."