Bike Newport Unveils 'Traffic Garden': Innovative Space Teaches Road Safety to Young Cyclists

Bike Newport’s  new Traffic Garden.

Bike Newport is committed to encouraging the switch from cars to bicycles, enabling a more complete appreciation of Newport's beauty. The organization fosters an environment conducive to increased biking for both transportation and recreation. Their efforts are instrumental in transforming Newport into a bike-friendly city through education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Recently, Bike Newport unveiled the Traffic Garden, a vibrant educational space at Miantonomi Park's edge on Hillside Avenue. This reimagined parking lot now features a mini streetscape with painted roadways, where young cyclists learn about road markings, crosswalks, and traffic signs in a car-free environment. This initiative not only improves road safety education but also promotes respect among all road users.

Located near several community hubs, including Pell Elementary School and the Florence Gray Community Center, the Traffic Garden is easily accessible, especially for those without cars or reliable transit.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong highlighted the project's contribution to the city's health, safety, and well-being. He commended Bike Newport for transforming a vacant city space into a valuable community asset.

For more information on the Traffic Garden and other Bike Newport initiatives, visit their website. Don't miss experiencing the Traffic Garden in person!

Free Music Lessons Initiative Launches for Aquidneck Island Students

Photo: Newport Festivals Foundation

The Gruben Charitable Foundation and Newport Festivals Foundation have established a new initiative to provide free private music lessons for up to 80 students on the island in the next year. The initiative will allow students to apply to receive ten, half-hour-long lessons at the Newport Music Shop, located on Bellevue Ave. Students can also rent a free instrument for the duration of their lessons. 

“Personally, I wouldn’t be here today, if it weren’t for playing the piano and singing,”  says Diana Oehrli, trustee of the Gruben Charitable Foundation. “In Switzerland, where I am partly from and lived for many years, the government invests in music instruction for children. Science is finally catching up to what humanity has known for ages. Playing an instrument is one of the healthiest things you can do for your brain, central nervous system, and for the development of minds at any age.”

“Our festivals are known around the world, so we feel a real responsibility to make sure every student in our backyard of Aquidneck Island has access to high-quality music instruction,” said Dan Swain, Director of Programs for Newport Festivals Foundation. “When the Gruben Charitable Foundation approached us with this idea to provide free music lessons, we were thrilled. It’s such a simple, yet effective solution: give kids free private lessons and an instrument. It’s the best way to improve their confidence as a musician, which will make them more likely to pursue music for years to come.”

Students can visit newportfestivals.org/lessons to sign up for lessons and rent a free instrument. Lessons will begin in the fall and be offered in guitar, piano, voice, bass, drums, saxophone, trumpet, flute, trombone, songwriting, and music theory. 

Registration does not guarantee lessons. Applicants will be added to a waitlist. Once a spot opens up, Newport Festivals Foundation will email a code to receive free lessons at the Newport Music Shop located at 142 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI. Lessons will begin in the fall.  

Questions about the initiative can be sent to info@newportfestivals.org