NASSAU,
The Bahamas – Minister of Transport and Aviation the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin
took a tour with stakeholders and the media to see the plans to re-develop the
Eastern End of Potter’ Cay Dock, Thursday, March 26, 2015.
Before
the tour, Minister Hanna-Martin explained that the Government has allocated $3,122,989.00
for the re-development project, and it is a product of private and public sector
involvement with many of the ideas for the re-development coming from the
mailboat operators and various governmental agencies.
The
Minister explained that the Dock is an historic facility that has undergone
significant changes over the years. “It
has evolved into a unique multi-use space featuring recreational, native
dining, commercial ferries, produce exchange, seed and fertilizer depot,
fish-market and hosting the iconic mailboat system. “It is now a major social and commercial
spot, where thousands of Bahamians and an increasing number of foreign
nationals visit and work.”
Minister
Hanna-Martin said Potter’s Cay Dock also is home to the historic Potter’s Cay
Battery, which was built under the governorship of Governor Tinker. It had eight guns trained on the northern
harbour. The Battery will be restored
with the help of The Antiquities, Monuments and Museum Corporation.
The
Minister said the growth of Potter’s Cay Dock has not been without
problems. “It is largely undermanaged,
crowded and congested with the infrastructure badly in need of repair. She said, “The causeway is buckling, potable
water is a challenge, and some vendor huts are dilapidated.
“Security
is a challenging issue. As a dock that
handles local maritime traffic, commercial and personal, the Police are
constantly refining their strategies to confront criminal elements who wish to
disrupt the peace on the Cay.”
The
Project to re-develop Potter’s Cay Dock will be conducted in three over-lapping
phases.
Minister
Hanna-Martin explained that Phase I involves the removal and relocation of
trees on the southern foreshore to create a parking area, which will extend to
Williams Street. “It is important that
the parking area is created early in the process, since in Phase 3, the
Causeway, after it is repaired and its support enhanced, will be restricted to
pedestrian traffic and delivery vehicles only.”
She
said simultaneously, work will proceed on the removal of debris, delinquent
vessels, and unwanted material and equipment discarded by mailboat operators
and others over the years. Notices have
been sent out repeatedly to have these removed.
During
Phase 2 of the Project, the Minister said renovation and extension of the fish
farm store will begin; it will be extended by some 150 feet to accommodate
mailboat operators and agents. The
extension will accommodate freight holdings, bulkhead curbings, passenger
waiting area and bathrooms will be installed.
The
Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s transformer will be relocated to enable the
establishment of security checkpoints to monitor and control access to the
mailboat area. Permanent curbs will be
erected at the end of the dock as a safety measure.
In
the final phase, the causeway will be repaired and rehabilitated. The dock entry will be widened. Sidewalks, striping, signage, drainage wells
and additional landscaping will be installed.
The phase will also result in the complete redirecting of traffic to the
general parking area.
The
project is expected to be completed by late 2016.
Minister
Hanna-Martin said, “the re-development of the Eastern End of Potter’s Cay will
result in a new experience for Bahamians and visitors who call on this area for
business and recreation. It will require
additional electrical and water supply and telecommunicative infrastructure to
meet the anticipated demand. The utility
companies, along with the Ministry of Works and Urban Development are presently
completing pre-work assessments.”