Dec. 17, 2002 – The entire Frederiksted Fishermen's Pier and boat access facility is closed through Dec. 24 while work proceeds on demolition of the pilings and the north ramp, according to a Planning and Natural Resources Department release.
Construction will stop on Dec. 24 and the south ramp will then be open from Dec. 25 through Jan. 6.
After that, work is to resume on Jan. 7 and continue through March 14, with the entire facility again closed.
At a Dec. 4 meeting, Frederiksted fishermen raised concerns about DPNR closing both ramps at once without establishing an alternative boat-launching site. (See "Fishermen want an available ear in government".)
DPNR public information officer Annette Morales did not return telephone calls requesting more information on Tuesday.
Planning and Natural Resources Commissioner Dean Plaskett had said at an April 2001 hearing on the project that it would include removal of the remaining pier structure and the design and construction of a 10-foot wide, 80-foot long dock able to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. The project also will see replacement of the broken concrete north ramp with a new concrete and reinforced-steel structure, and extension of the south ramp.
The department received nearly $30,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in April 2000 to rebuild the dock. Plaskett said at the hearing that bid requests were advertised, but perspective contractors turned the project down, saying the money was not sufficient to do the job.
New federal grants totaling $254,000 will be added to the FEMA funding to pay for the dock, the release said.
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