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“HONORING GEORGE REDMAN” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S5528 on May 19, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING GEORGE REDMAN
Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to George Redman of East Providence, RI. The Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island, the Ocean State Bike Path Association, and the Narragansett Bay Wheelman are honoring George tonight for his ``Spirit, Dedication and Commitment to Rhode Island Greenways.''
George is an active neighborhood volunteer, an avid bicyclist, an amateur genealogist, historian, and sailor. His extraordinary service during World War II aboard the USS Mississippi began a career of service to his community and country.
He has dedicated much of his life to the revitalization of the East Providence waterfront, beginning with a shoreline cleanup that he organized as an Assistant Master of a Boy Scout troop. His efforts continued with his work as chairman of the Fort Hill Waterfront Park Committee, the East Providence Beautification Committee, the East Providence Shoreline Committee, and the Narragansett Bay Commission Advisory Council.
I would especially like to commend George for his vital role advocating for the East Bay Bike Path. This 14-mile trail, built on an abandoned railway connecting East Providence to the coastal towns of Barrington, Warren, and Bristol, has been hailed as a national example of the benefits of recreational trails. In the early 1980s, George headed a petition effort that received more than 4,200 signatures and spurred the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to complete the path in 1992. His bike path advocacy has earned him recognition in the Christian Science Monitor, the Providence Journal, Rails to Trails Magazine, and other local media outlets covering bike path and waterfront-related issues.
Active for many years in local politics, George was elected a delegate to the 1986 Rhode Island Constitutional Convention. He has received numerous letters of appreciation and recognition from past Governors and Federal, State, and local officials. It was my privilege to take a bike ride with George last August on the newly constructed Washington Secondary Bike Path that runs from Cranston to Coventry, RI. As I said at the time, if the East Bay Bike Path had not been built, there would not have been the momentum to go forward with other trails.
George has been married for 53 years to his wife, Adeline, and they have two children, Paul and Mary, and three grandchildren.
George Redman's success in pushing for the East Bay Bike Path affirms the notion that members of grassroots organizations can partner with state and federal agencies to improve the quality of life in their communities. I am delighted to join in recognizing his achievements, and his passion for the environment and public recreation.
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