The Achilles Heel of the Cruz Bay restaurant business is parking. For years, there have been complaints. And ill-planned and badly implemented efforts by the government have failed to solve the problem. The Governor's announcement this week that a Planner finally has been hired is a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile, the Port Authority is moving ahead with its plan to use the aprons of the Enighed Pond commercial port for parking. As many as 150 spaces, according to Islandia Real Estate's blog (http://www.stjohnvirealestateblog.com/?p=1502). The Port Authority's executive director, Ken Hobson, told a St. John Chamber of Commerce meeting the parking could be operational by May 1st.
He also said that the PA initially wanted to charge for parking. However, Gov. John deJongh intervened and, at least at the start, parking will be free.
Wasn’t there chatter about a parking garage early last year? Not that I want an ugly garage in Cruz Bay, but what happened to that idea?
The parking garage idea is still alive. Expectation is it would be built near the Enighed Port, perhaps where the tennis courts are now.
Here’s some more info: http://bit.ly/9mRfRT
Additional parking in Cruz Bay is always welcome. But unless it’s done properly, it may not serve the proper purpose. As shown above, “The Achilles Heel of the Cruz Bay restaurant business is parking. For years, there have been complaints.” If 150 free parking spots are created, how many of these will fill up at dawn with store employees, ferry employees, vendors, and anyone else who used to walk, ride or run into Cruz and now can drive and park for free? If I am driving down from the mountain for shopping and dinner, I wouldn’t mind paying, say $5.00 for a close, safe parking spot. Without charging, the lot will clutter up just as soon as the paint dries.
Comments about a possible parking garage is music to my ears! Grants are a great way to get it done: A Vocational Education Grant so that our St John High Schools students can get valuable training and compensated employment in construction, plumbing, concrete, air conditioning, electric, brickwork, and design; An environmental grant to create a garage to town golf cart transporation system as well as a solar panel cooling and water system for the garage; A fine arts grant to incorporate the culture and art of St John into the design of the garage; A Highway Beautification Grant to bring enhanced landscaping to the streets from the garage to town’s center; An a commuications grant to bring a state of the art emergency warning system to the rooftop of the garage; and more…if you love this island, think of the grants your cities have applied for and share them with Frank, so ideas are heard; matching funds are good too! Sandy
This should be an interesting experiment. I just don’t see people parking by the car barge to pick up their mail, pay the electric bill or stop at Connections or any other short term stops.
How many of you would actually park there, walk into Cruz Bay to eat and shop, and want to walk back to the car barge area at night?
It isn’t just that there’s no parking; there’s also no sidewalks. There are real safety issues that have not been thought out here. Another piecemeal approach to fix a problem rather than a comprehensive plan that can provide parking, safe pedestrian areas, and bring people into the great restaurants and charming shops of Cruz Bay!