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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesTOWN MEETING TO ADDRESS CRUZ BAY'S FUTURE

TOWN MEETING TO ADDRESS CRUZ BAY'S FUTURE

June 12, 2001 – St. John Administrator Julien Harley and V.I. National Park Supt. John King will co-host a community meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday on the third floor at The Marketplace.
The meeting is "to inform the community about some of the major projects under way that will change how Cruz Bay looks, feels and functions," Harley said.
While the two officials will focus on the Enighed Pond project, improvements to Cruz Bay Park and construction of a new vendor plaza and parking facility, they also will address beautification projects, the Post Office, the sewage treatment plant, the Water and Power Authority water barge and road paving projects.
According to a release from the park, Port Authority officials will be present to discuss the Enighed Pond project, including which ferries and commercial users will or will not be moved to the pond, the schedule for permit approval and construction, programs to mitigate the impact on coral reefs and other marine resources, and opportunities for public comment.
The Good for St. John Committee will share its plans for improvements to Cruz Bay Park, including landscaping, repaving, seating, and signage. Committee members also will explain their program for private funding to carry out and maintain these improvements.
Administration representatives will show renderings of designs being considered for a two-story vendors plaza and parking facility to be built across from the car barge dock. Public input will be sought regarding the preferred type of facility, the uses for it and free vs. paid parking.
Ideas will be sought for beautification projects on both public and private property in Cruz Bay, including landscaping, signage, "pocket parks" (small areas of green space) and cleanups. Funding for projects on public property will be sought from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission, the Keep America Beautiful/Great American Cleanup Program or other sources. Projects on private property will be pursued in cooperation with the owners and funded through private contributions.
The meeting is being sponsored by the Gateway Planning Council, recently created by Harley and King to lead community efforts in planning for the future of Cruz Bay. The group's purpose is to advise and assist the territory and the National Park Service in cooperative planning for the improvement of downtown Cruz Bay as a community that serves as a "gateway" to the V.I. National Park.
Key functions of the council include short- and long-range planning, information sharing and the coordination of activities by public and private groups involved in projects affecting downtown Cruz Bay.

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