Project to save Crane
Publication: Weekend Nation
Paper Page: 7
Paper Date: Fri, Mar 16, 2001
Byline: by Terry Ally
THE CRANE Beach, rated as one of the worldıs top ten beaches, is to be rehabilitated.
Minister of the Environment Rawle Eastmond said that it was part of a $17 million package which is phase two of the Coastal Conservation Project.
He told the Weekend Nation that talks will be held with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) early next week on funding the eight-beach nourishment and coastal rehabilitation work around the West, South and East Coasts.
Crane which was a favourite picnic spot had been resuscitated, but heavy waves have unpacked the boulders in a revetment which was constructed to protect the beach.
Faced with serious erosion again, acting deputy director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, Antonio Rowe, said Crane will be a priority.
"Due to the importance of Crane Beach as one of the best recreational beaches on the East Coast, we thought that to arrest the problem out there would be one of our major projects and if we cannot arrest the problem, we hope to significantly slow it down," he said.
In addition, the road access to Crane will be redone and the steps which lead to the beach will be reconstructed.
Beach enhancement works, which will include beach nourishment and structures, are slated for the area stretching from Rockley Beach, Christ Church, to the Drill Hall, St. Michael. Welches, Christ Church, and Holetown are also targeted for resuscitation.
Nourishment is where sand is brought in to shore up or create beaches, while revetments are physical structures designed to reduce the power of incoming waves.
A new aeration system is also to be installed in the Holetown lagoon where there were many fish kills mainly due to a lack of oxygen. The previous system was washed out to sea.