Charles King, administrator for the Western District, recently spoke of the challenges involved in such a task.
“One of the problems we have had on the Bayshore Road is the removal of debris from the streets and the removal of the large boulders, which came from the ocean,” Mr. King said.
He commended the efforts of local contractors who “have been doing a good job.”
Mr. King said that in the area of Hepburn Town, officials are placing most of the debris on the waterfront to protect against any high tide coming in.
“As we push up the debris to the waterfront, the loose rocks etc, that came off the ocean, plans are underway to restore and beautify the coastal area in Eight Mile Rock,” he said.
“As we place [debris] on the waterfront, it is our intention to beautify the area by planting some of the trees that the area is known for, Seagrape trees, Coconut trees, Coco plum trees, Buttonwood trees-and we will be planting some grass, and hopefully at the end of the day, when you ride the waterfront of Eight Mile Rock, you will see something completely different.”
He said the trees will be brought in from other islands and the planting should start within days.
But there are other concerns that officials continue to face.
Sunset Village, an important cultural landmark on the coastline of Eight Mile Rock, was home to 20 restaurants before it was demolished during Hurricane Wilma.
It was considered by many to be a significant part of the landscape that exuded a cultural sense of belonging and attracted many tourists for ‘Fish Fry’ and native dishes.
Over 60 persons were impacted, according to Joanna Forbes, vice president of the Sunset Village Association.
Mr. King acknowledged that vendors are anxious for the area to be restored.
“The vendors of Sunset Village are looking forward to the restoration of Sunset Village to the extent where their customers will be able to return,” he said.
“However, there are some things that need to be done in order to reconsider going in and restoring Sunset Village to what it used to be.”
Mr. King said the Ministry of Works and the Department of Environmental Health Services must provide some important infrastructure essential to the redevelopment of the village.
“So I really want to personally say to the vendors of Sunset Village to give us a chance to get it right so that if [a hurricane] happens again we would be in a better position to deal with the situation,” he said.
By: Daphne McIntosh, The Bahama Journal
