Plans for the renovation of the Maho Bay pavilion are completed, however it could be months before the antiquated building at the popular V.I. National Park beach sees the first signs of its makeover due to a lack of funding for the project.
The project received funding in 1999, but by 2006, no work had been done and the funds were lost, according to VINP Superintendent Mark Hardgrove.
“The funds were withdrawn because we never awarded the contract,” said Hardgrove. “Those funds are only good for five years.”
Hardgrove hopes to get the project funded for the next fiscal year, he added. Public input on the plans, which include preserving and adding to the current historic structure, will be gathered at an open house.
“We’ll have some sort of open house, possibly at Maho Bay, where people can see what we’ve got and what we’re proposing,” said Hardgrove.
At press time, the VINP superintendent was still awaiting word on whether the project will be funded in the next fiscal year.
“We’re hoping to get it approved for 2009 and then request a special approval to bring it back to 2008, which would allow us to award the contract this summer,” said Hardgrove. “We’ve promised this to the community, and we’re working together to get it back on track. It is a priority now.”