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Why block views at stalled coastal projects?
6/30/2009
By Nicholas Cox
THE declining number of windows to the sea along the coast has been a concern to Barbadians for some time, but the policy of fortifying our coastline is one of those things the citizenry has had little impact in preventing.
Bajans and tourists alike are in constant awe of the natural beauty of this island, and it is a shame that it has become all but impossible to get a glimpse of this beauty at more than a few locations as we drive along the west and south coasts. But, what has been bothering me about this situation over the last few weeks is the barricades, or hoarding as they are officially called, erected around empty coastal lots that are up for sale and around construction projects that have not even gotten off the ground yet.
I am referring to firstly to the now empty lot where the Ocean View Hotel used to stand along Hastings. Every time I drive past I do so in the hope that I may enjoy an unobstructed view of the water before work on the next in a long line of condominium project begins on the site. This situation also occurs at the site of the former Chefette Holetown and Beachlands along Sunset Crest, where work is not currently progressing ostensibly due to the economic climate. These areas, and others along the coastline of Barbados seem to truly represent “hoarding” as they show that developers would go to any extent to block Bajans from accessing or even viewing their beaches.
This leads me to ask what are these barriers erected to protect, the beautiful empty lot of land that Bajans may enjoy seeing too much as they drive by? Is the thinking that if we are actually reminded what our coastline looked like, we would object when the economic boom returns and every last inch is covered in concrete?
In discussing this issue with a friend, I was reminded of the issue of liability, that some of the open lots may be construction sites and potentially dangerous, meaning it would not be in the best interest of the public to traverse or that owners could be sued for any injuries that occur on the site. But in the same breath the possibility of chain link fencing, which would allow passers-by to view the beach, while still preventing access to the site, was also raised as a more amenable option.
I believe that developers and land owners who are the slightest bit interested in social responsibility would be happy to leave open the lots that are safe for the public to enjoy. This does happen in a few cases, and it is appreciated, but often in much smaller lots. In the case of the large areas that are slated for development, I would encourage the owners if you’re not building at least have the civic mindedness to leave the space open for people to view before it is obstructed by construction.
On a positive note, I cannot help but mention the impact of the Hastings boardwalk, which is attracting hundreds of people on a daily basis. Some friends recently attracted a crowd when they participated in a yoga class along the boardwalk. I look forward to the completion of the West Coast boardwalk project, as these two initiatives truly illustrate a commitment of providing comfortable access to Barbadian beaches for all to enjoy. Let’s hope that private owners can find it in their hearts to follow in Government’s footsteps.
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