To really appreciate Waterplace and Riverwalk, you may have to have seen the area 25 years ago. But a walk through it (which takes about 20 minutes) is always delightful, even without ever having experienced the stinking ditch full of old tires and refrigerators (and worse) meandering between dirt lots and rusting weed-infested defunct rail lines.If you're a fan of urban parks, be ready for a treat. The design is well-thought out and interesting, the execution flawless, and the materials and landscaping are high-quality. And, even though it is just a few feet from one of the busiest streets in Providence, it's amazingly quiet, being sunken well below the level of the surrounding land.Plan your visit to coincide with a Waterfire lighting. Check the schedule at www.waterfire.com. Be sure to make dinner reservations well ahead of time if you plan to dine downtown on a Waterfire night. For an special treat, reserve a gondola for the hour after sunset, and have a front-row seat for the spectacle.