PHILIPSBURG--Property Manager of Ocean’s Building on Front Street Ankie Nieuwenhoven is furious about the proposed plans by the Harbour group and VROMI to create a parking space on the Great Bay beach near the Walter Plantz Square. Security officers have been already securing the public beach side for private parking. Niewenhoven has brought up the issue with the Police, the Ministry of VROMI, and the Ombudsman.
A reporter from The Daily Herald tried to access the beach via the alley guarded by security at the Walter Plantz Square and was told that there is no access for the public unless permission was given. The guard could not say who had to give permission. “Check with the harbour” the guard said.
“First of all I have asked VROMI in my letter, dated 27 June, what the legal status is with regard to parking on the beach. I never received an answer to that question. In the reply from VROMI to the Ombudsman, dated November 26, I have asked VROMI what steps the Ministry has taken to prevent vehicles from driving/parking on the beach. The answer is: by creating a parking lot on the beach. How can they just get away with taking a piece of the public beach and using it as a parking lot,” said Niewenhoven.
Ocean’s Building located on 167 Front Street caters to tourists, offering timeshare and rental of apartments. “VROMI and the Harbour have blocked off a public alley for parking at the Walter Planz Pier as well. They have not let anyone know their plans,” she said.
According to VROMI, the following works are planned in early January to permanently prevent cars from driving on the beach; Creating a parking lot on the beach for Walter Plantz Square in partnership with Port of St. Maarten using the entrance through Schrijnwerkers steeg and not the Great Bay beach parking lot; Development of Great Bay Beach parking lot into a restaurant with beach chairs on the beach making it a no traffic zone controlled by security; No more access through that land parcel; Closure for non-residents of Armenthuis steeg with retractable barriers; Upgrade all alleys with new retractable barriers to ensure no passage of vehicles unless authorized.
The property manager said, “All of a sudden come January 2016 there is a parking lot. What is the ‘bestemmingsplan’ (zoning plan) for the beach? Where is their permit? How come they are above the law?” All beaches are public. “Parking is a different story unless I am told differently. Drivers enter the Sonesta Great Bay parking lot and drive straight down on the beach until they get close to the Walter Plantz Pier and park alongside the beach. This has been going on for some time now.”
The Nature Foundation was informed about the issue and forwarded questions to the harbour management early in December, however, no answers were provided to them according to Niewenhoven. “The project is a great project, don’t get me wrong, but all of a sudden Great Bay beach is a parking lot. I would really like to know the status of parking on the beach. We have nine apartments here and we have guests that complain all the time about not wanting to sit in a parking lot. They came here for the sun, sea and beach,” she said.
This newspaper understands that in November a container was placed on the Great Bay beach next to the pier without getting permission from the owners. After a phone call complaining about this by the owners, the container was removed. It was said to be a temporary office for the security of Walter Planz Pier which is Checkmate security. The Police were contacted by the property owner several times via letter on November 19 and a follow up letter on December 18 to Dhr. B. Goud, however, no response was given.
