BURRILLVILLE – While a battle over whether or not the town should install a synthetic turf field at Burrillville High School dominated public discourse through much of 2025, the year was not without progress for the town in other areas, with changes to both infrastructure and the business landscape, and volunteers working to help others and organize community celebrations.
Planning for and construction on major projects took place in 2025, complimented by the launch of new businesses, and upgrades to longstanding institutions through the attraction of new ownership. Volunteer groups kept residents fed at local pantries, offered services to seniors, and planned for major events to ring in the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
Here’s our roundup of the town’s biggest stories from the past year.
Coffee anyone?
It was a good year for java lovers with the opening of not one but two new options for a cup of joe. The long awaited grand opening of Brewology inside Village Gas finally took place in June, just one month after Fresh Pita began serving up mediterranean food at the Chapel Street location.
And in August, New Leaf Coffee Bar joined the Pascoag business community, bringing high-quality coffee to a space inside Bravo Brewing company.
Dam improvements
A project that would permanently alter the landscape of Harrisville also got underway in 2025, as the town began rehabilitation of the Harrisville Dam in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Construction on the 160-year-old, 140-foot-long, 18-foot-high granite and cement structure had been in the works since 2018, when it was discovered to be leaking and causing sinkholes in the area.
SumCo Eco Contracting out of Peabody, Mass. lowered the surrounding Mill Pond by six feet in July, and locals used the opportunity to clean the shoreline with a search of the area and removal of trash. The low water levels also revealed artifacts from a mill that once operated in the area, believed to be more than 150 years old.
The contractor leading the project, Pare Corporation, has since agreed to build a small plaza showcasing the discovered turbine and wood cradle, and offering a brief history of the area on the grounds of the abutting Assembly Theatre.
Final work and landscaping of the grounds surrounding the rehabilitated dam is now scheduled for spring.
New ownership
Several long-standing Burrillville businesses also changed hands in 2025 beginning in June with the transfer of Uncle Ronnie’s from longtime owners Paula and Ronnie Dumas to town resident Aimee Kyne. Kyne has since added an outdoor area for games to the popular restaurant.
Also changing hands in 2025 were Spritzer’s Cafe, purchased by Trevin Alpaio from longtime owner James Davidge, and Champ’s Liquors, purchased by Khushboo Patel from Denis Deschamps,
In December, the former Mr. Doughboy also attracted a new owner, with John Cianci announcing that he plans to use the Bronco Highway property as a community hub and gathering place for veterans and first responders.
Skate Park planning
The town also made major progress in 2025 on efforts to build a new skate park, hiring Artisan Skateparks Inc. to design and build the new facility at the site of the existing 20-year-old park on Chapel Street. The project will be funded with the help of a $500,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, secured by the Planning Department in 2022, and the Town Council has approved $150,000 in matching funds.
In October, the town revealed four potential designs, inviting the public to weigh in on the project. Concept C, a design featuring a mix of bowls and ramps, as well as rails for more technical maneuvers, was by far the favorite. Plans for the park are now being revised and finalized, to be followed by permitting and the development plan review process.
Construction of the new park is expected to begin in 2026.
Burrillville 250 leads the way
Communities across Rhode Island are planning for the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026, but thanks to an active volunteer commission, Burrillville is ahead of the pack. The town held several pre-celebration events in 2025 including planting of a Liberty Tree in September, and a series of talks and tours focused on Burrillville history through the winter.
The Burrillville 250 Committee also began selling a commemorative coin this year to help fund some larger events planned for 2026 including a parade, fireworks, a heritage day and much more. The lecture series, meanwhile, is set to continue through March.
Haunted house ownership sparks lawsuit
The question of who will own and operate Burrillville’s most famous haunted attraction made national news throughout 2025 starting with the announcement in September that the property would be up for sale in an auction to be held on Halloween. Current owner Jacqueline Nunez had run into legal and other troubles in 2024, leading to the closure of what had become an international attraction in town at a property made famous by the hit horror movie “The Conjuring.”
A few high profile names indicated interest in owning the property, with comedian Matt Rife and his business partner YouTuber Elton Castee expressing interest in the farmhouse on Round Top Round and famed paranormal investigator Jason Hawes launching a GoFundMe campaign to fund the purchase.
The auction was ultimately cancelled following news that Castee had purchased the underlying mortgage. Hawes, meanwhile, continued to express optimism to his fan base about owning the property. In December, it was revealed that Nunez had entered an agreement with an attorney to sell Hawes property when her sister filed a lawsuit against him.
The suit states that Nunez was legally incompetent and not of sound mind when she signed the deal and remains unresolved.
Turf field
An issue that divided town residents for more than a year came to an end in 2025 with installation of synthetic turf at Burrillville High School’s Gledhill Field. Concerns about the health and the environment had led opponents to launch legal challenges delaying construction in 2024.
After months of delays and legal maneuvering, a Superior Court judge ruled in April that the project would need to go before the Burrillville Planning Board, an effort town officials had already started in anticipation of the potential for additional requirements. The board rejected an application for the plan in April, but the town filed an appeal, noting the ruling did not include the legally required findings of fact. A judge agreed, sending the project back before the planning board in October. It was approved on the second go in a 6-3 vote.
Last ditch legal efforts by opponents to stop the project failed and work on the athletic complex resumed in November. Town officials have said the project is expected to be completed sometime in the spring.
