A $600,000 “vending zone” and $133,000 worth of environmental restoration are the latest works planned for Long Bay at Beef Island as government continues implementing its beach management plan for the area.
The vending zone, which is expected to be fully operational at the start of next tourism season, will feature three restaurants and bars along with six vending units, government announced following an Oct. 11 contract-signing ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
The Beacon was not invited to the signing ceremony, but the ministry said afterwards that the contract was awarded to D.E. Property Development after an open tender process.
Contractor and Project Manager Dennis Ricketts signed the contract on the company’s behalf.
Eco-restoration
Also at the event, ministry officials signed for a $133,000 grant from the Sir Richard Branson-backed Unite BVI Foundation to continue ongoing environmental restoration in Long Bay.
The deal will build on a previous Unite BVI grant by funding the planting of more native trees and the creation of a “living outdoor classroom,” among other work, according to government.
Kim Takeuchi, foundation manager at Unite BVI, signs an agreement with government to sponsor environmental restoration on Long Bay, Beef Island. (Photo: GIS)
Also in the works for the area are an entertainment gazebo, a lookout and a hiking trail around the adjacent salt pond.
Premier’s promises
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said in a speech released after the ceremony that the vending zone and restoration works are in keeping with the territory’s National Sustainable Development Plan.
“The Virgin Islands has several beaches that are in pristine or near-pristine condition, and we would like to protect those beaches even as we use them and incorporate them into our tourism product,” he said.
Poor management practices, he explained, can damage the beaches.
“For instance, unplanned development such as haphazardly placed structures can ruin the aesthetics and enjoyment of the beach,” he said. “Structures must be properly and orderly placed.”
He added that beaches must provide the necessary amenities for guests while also protecting the environment.
“This can be achieved by introducing some structure, planning and regulation of how things are done,” he said.
The premier also described erosion of sand dunes as a “major threat” to the territory’s beaches.
“Again, the solution lies in exercising a bit of planning, structure and thoughtfulness in how we go about utilising the spaces at our beaches,” he said.
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley speaks during the Oct. 11 signing ceremony. (Photo: GIS)
Long Bay history
Recounting Long Bay’s recent history, Dr. Wheatley said the government paid more than $5.5 million in 2005 to purchase about 63 acres of land at Beef Island, including the area surrounding the beachfront and the neighbouring salt ponds.
“The vision for Long Bay includes creating a more attractive, inviting and comfortable space for tourism-based commerce; improved accommodations for vendors where they can enhance their products and services; creation of outdoor eating and entertainment areas that will add significant value to the visitor experience and amenities that each vendor can capitalise on as part of their business model; and more,” he said.
The planned changes will also make the beach more resilient to hurricanes and sea-level rise, according to the premier.
Management plan
The Long Bay beach management plan, which is a pilot project expected to be replicated at other beaches across the territory, was finalised in December 2022 after extensive public consultations that included a survey.
Earlier this year, the restoration project funded by Unite BVI removed hundreds of non-native trees and replaced them with seagrape trees and other native species.
The ongoing work at Long Bay is the start of much broader plans for the territory’s beaches under the 2020 Virgin Islands Beach Policy, officials have said.
“We hope that the beach management model that we are developing through this project will help us to have sustainable development at our other beaches and sensitive tourist attractions,” Dr. Wheatley said Friday.
