Jan. 9, 2004 – Changes are afoot at Hawksnest Beach. On Monday the V.I. National Park will begin replacing the restrooms, changing rooms and picnic shelters. The $342,000 project, contracted to Addison Construction Co. of St. Croix, is expected to take six months.
While the work is under way, the public will have to make do with portable toilets, and park officials will not issue permits for any activities at the beach.
Half of the parking lot will used for the contractor's equipment, with public parking limited to the eastern end. Leon Varlack, the park's contractor officer technical representative, said that visitors may leave their vehicles in the park maintenance yard in Cruz Bay but must then pay for a taxi ride to the beach.
Varlack said the existing structure housing several pit toilets each on the men's and women's sides will be replaced with two less grand pit toilets. They will be similar to those in place at Annaberg Plantation — a bit spiffier than an ordinary outhouse but able to blend in with the environment.
The new changing rooms and picnic shelters will be similar in look to those at Trunk Bay, Varlack said, with stylish concrete pillars as supports. A concrete walkway will connect the restrooms, changing rooms and picnic shelters.
The project was planned some time ago, but there were delays in the preliminary work.
For details about the Hawksnest project, call Varlack at 693-8989, ext. 22. For information about other park sites available for activities requiring permits, call Laurelly Anthony at 776-6201, ext. 244.

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