Kennedy Plaza is modern Providence’s main hub for transportation — as many as 69,000 people move through this site daily. Created as Exchange Place in the 19th century, this plaza has always served transportation needs. Thousands of people stood here to see President Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Houdini, and presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. Today Kennedy Plaza remains a gathering place for the community, anchored by three city parks, including the BankNewport City Center & The Providence Rink, which features ice skating, recreation, music and arts.