The renovated pavilion at Maho, above, is just about complete and will be available with a VINP special use permit.
This new Maho pavilion is available for use on a first-come basis.
Virgin Islands National Park contractors took advantage of clear skies late last month to finish pouring concrete walkways at the new facilities at Maho Bay beach.
Renovations and construction at the new facilities at Maho Bay are expected to wrap up this month. The project, which cost VINP a total of $429,000 and was contracted to Florida-based OTAK Group Inc. — and local sub-contractors — includes new vault toilet comfort stations, a large open air pavilion, renovations to the existing pavilion at Maho Bay and new head-on parking spaces all connected via accessible poured concrete pathways.
VINP’s facilities manager Keith Macneir collaborated with Inclusion By Design principal Rosanne Ramos to ensure the new facilities meet Americans with Disability Act requirements and to make sure the island’s most accessible beach remains open for mobility impaired sun seekers.
Ramos, who also worked with Friends of VINP on the accessible trails at both Francis and Cinnamon Bays, last week lauded VINP’s project at Maho Bay as an inclusive design.
“It’s great to finally see some significant work happening here in a short amount of time which will improve access to Maho,” said Ramos.
A pathway leads to the comfort station, above.
Four head-on parking spaces and one accessible parking space were poured last week as well as the accessible pathway leading to the comfort station and pavilions.
“They utilized a really low slope path which will make accessing the pavilion really easy for all users,” said Ramos.
Maho Bay Campground helped make the concrete pathways environmentally friendly as well by supplying contractors with recycled glass for the walkways, Macneir explained.
“We’re also installing recycled glass counter tops in the renovated pavilion,” he said.
Several new picnic tables have already been installed under the open air pavilion and Macneir expected the last few pieces of equipment for the vault toilets to arrive last week. Three barbecues are slated for Maho Bay beach too, Macneir added.
One will be located on the beach side of the comfort station, another will be placed close to the sea grape tree near the old picnic tables and the third will likely be situated on the far side of the renovated pavilion, according to the VINP facilities manager.
The comfort station, as well as the renovated pavilion, will not have running water or electricity. Waterless hand sanitizers will be available at the comfort station, and VINP officials decided to remove the electrical and water capacity at the existing pavilion, explained Macneir.
“We had meetings about the water and electrical use at the new facilities and it was determined that it’s too hard to control the water usage,” said Macneir. “We can’t buy water and it’s difficult to regulate who uses how much. So there won’t be any electricity or water at the facilities.”
The renovated pavilion boasts a new roof, new wooden decks, fresh paint and refurbished concrete walls. The existing pavilion will be available for use only with a VINP special use permit, while no permit will be required for use of the open air pavilion.
Once the counter tops and final pieces of equipment arrive on island, the facilities will be open to the public, Macneir explained.
“I don’t want to put an exact date on it because things often change, but we should have everything in place in the next few weeks,” said the VINP facilities manager.
Across North Shore Road at the east end of the beach, VINP officials have made progress on the new parking area. Officials are moving the entrance to the parking area away from the corner of the roadway and should finish laying driving surface this week.
The biggest part of the project remains removing the old trailer at the parking area, which should be going out to contract soon, according to Macneir.
Once the parking area is complete, VINP officials will no longer allow any parking on the beach side of North Shore Road at Maho Bay, Macneir explained.
“There will be enforcement action on all visitors who elect to park on the beach side of the road,” he said.
The roadway itself along Maho Bay will also be looking different soon, the VINP facilities manager added.
“There will be more traffic arrows and we are discussing installing a speed bump and rumble strips,” he said. “We’ll have a lane delineator which will make it clear that parking on the sand is not allowed.”
The new and improved facilities at Maho Bay are a boon for the entire island, explained Ramos.
“It’s great for the island to have a successful accessible project,” Ramos said, who added that the next accessible project will be extending the walkway at Francis Bay to the beach.