The New Saunders Beach

Environment Minister, Earl Deveaux, recently toured Saunders Beach restroom facilities to inspect the $230,000 investment in civic wastewater disposal facilities. The recreational facelift has restored public order to the popular landmark. Landscaping on the roundabout and beach areas was arranged by Four Seasons Landscaping.

“Everyone can see that beach erosion, particularly on the north shore is a seasonal matter, and Saunders Beach has been wonderfully restored in time for the summer,” said Minister Deveaux.

“The tree landscaping you see here came with a little history. These seagrapes and coconut palms came to The Bahamas at a time when we had a severe hurricane and we had to replace many of our lost trees. These were held at the Gladstone Road Agricultural Research Centre for this very kind of activity in the future," he said.

A sign still stands on Saunders Beach informing the public of the development they see before them and as a relic of the emotional public distress it cost others whom protested against the necessary change, taking place in the environment. (BIS Photo / Gena Gibbs).

The contract was awarded to Caribe Construction and the facilities should be ready for occupancy by the end of May 2011. Bruce Lafleur and Associates designed the building and has maintained the Bahamian character as well as the hurricane resistant building standards. It also has accommodations for handicapped persons.

“I’m very, very pleased that the casuarinas have been replaced. We have a stronger vista to the sea, a wonderfully restored beach dune, and we have native plants that are able now to hold the sand in place and the evidence of people enjoying it is there to behold,” said Dr. Deveaux.

Minister Deveaux reviews the restroom facility architectural plans with the contractor to assess the progress in the $270,000 project, which will be completed in May 2011. (BIS Photo / Gena Gibbs).

The Department of Environmental Health will hold the responsibility to staff the restroom facilities daily to maintain the cleanliness and required health standards.

“With respect to the bathroom and landscaping, the Department of Environmental Health will place people here on a daily basis, whose direct responsibility will be to ensure that the bathrooms are kept clean and that supplies are kept in the bathroom”, said Dr. Deveaux.

Deveaux at press conference

“This particular beach is used widely by the public and tourist public. Now that it has a public toilet, I suspect the use will expand because at Goodman’s Bay and Arawak Beach, you have a small toilet at Goodman’s Bay and no toilet, other than private toilets, at Arawak Beach. So this one will increase with use and we plan for staff to be here.”

Landscaping will be low maintenance since the flora and fauna chosen are indigenously natural to the Bahamian environment.

Ministers inspect casuarina benches

“The landscaping is essentially going to be very much self maintained because they were careful to select plants that are coastal in nature and don’t require a lot of watering and feed and that could withstand the harsh weather of the sea environment,” said Dr. Deveaux.

“There will be annual trimming of the trees and daily raking to ensure that we don’t have weed infestation. But in terms of fertility and livability of the plants, they were designed and picked to live in this environment.”

Proposed site sign

After admiring how the casuarina benches, designed by Artist Antonius Roberts, fit into the new environment, Minister Deveaux commented on why the decision to remove the casuarinas was the best decision to save the Bahamian environment.

“Casuarina trees are very invasive. They destroy beach dunes. They live forever and they are a pest in terms of reproduction,” said Dr. Deveaux.

“This bench was our way of satisfying the emotional issue by making a good use of the casuarina, so people could continue to enjoy them. We hope to have something here, so you can have somewhere to barbeque.”