NPS Meeting
First, let me thank Lisa for calling the radio station to tell the public about the National Park Service meeting in Christiansted last night. I rarely get to read the paper, especially on the day it comes out, so I would have missed something that we’re very interested in if she hadn’t called. Thanks Lisa!
There were maybe a dozen and a half people there and it started off being a very informative and (thank goodness) brief and relevant session. The National Park Service presentation was about the options available to add a substantial portion of the south shore of St. Croix to the National Park System. At the end of the presentation, though, a disgruntled young man (whom we believe has commented with many aliases on this blog in the past – we could just tell by his speech patterns – he writes exactly as he speaks) asked questions about MOU’s and agreements with the local government. He challenged the park service representatives to reassure him that the history of the enslaved people who lived, toiled and died in these areas would be studied and made available to the public. We totally agree, as did the NPS people. One of the dear, patient audience members reminded him that the park service gave this presentation largely to get more input from the community, that there were forms that he could fill out, he could take some to his friends and have them fill them out, and all concerns would be taken into consideration by the NPS.
He just wouldn’t stop. We had to get up and leave. Partially because I don’t have the kind of patience the other people there have, partially because it was like a refrigerator in there, and we were starting to turn blue, and partially because we needed to have dinner some time before midnight. Note: We have seen this guy speak at a public hearing in favor of the Robin Bay project, which is very confusing to us. We wonder why he is in favor of letting a stateside developer come in and destroy historical areas to build a casino/resort/golf course , but against preserving the natural beauty and historical sites included in the Castle Nugent project because it’s the National Park Service, who is consistently being accused of “keeping land from the people dem”.
So we left and he was still talking…….
Anyway, just thinking of all this beautiful acreage being preserved for posterity rather than being raped and pillaged by development makes my heart swell. It gives me goosebumps. And it’s one of the very, very few things in life that can make me sit down, close my eyes, and take a deep hopeful breath. Just like I’m doing now.
The options offered by the park service can be seen here. And they need input. We love ” Alternative C”. which would preserve the most land and extend into the sea to the barrier reef. It would also allow “the golden boy” a graceful way out of his proposed piece of crap development, and it would place a park headquarters on site.
We applaud Caroline and Mauro Gasperi, who have been under tremendous pressure from family members to dispose of much of this land. It has taken the park service years to get this far, but that’s the process. With luck, the NPS hopes to have this project completed by the end of the calendar year.
Please take the time to look at the NPS options and submit comments to help St. Croix remain the unique cultural and natural gem that we have always loved.
June 27th, 2009 at 7:18 am
…and thank you Terry for your reporting of the event. There was nothing in the papers about the second meeting, that I’ve seen. For some reason the story in the Source got pushed off the front page, if it was ever there.
The first meeting had very few attendees and no negative comments, at least at the meeting.
I sent an e-mail to John Barrett that came back with an automatic reply: “I’m not at my desk…”
If it were up to me all the undeveloped land from Grassy Point to HOVENSA from the ridge-tops to the seacoast would be preserved. There are not very many places in the world with these pristine vistas.
NPS needs input from the public. There will be the meetings for the Hamilton Grange site in August.
PS if I had been given a chance – I would have warned people to bring a jacket, even on a hot afternoon it got cold in there
June 29th, 2009 at 11:29 am
I have been hoping for years that this would come about. The South Shore is so beautiful. I hate to see casinos, hotels, developments, etc. take over. Several years ago, Joel Tutein said that he wanted to get this land for the NPS but that he couldn’t get federal funding and approval for the project. Hopefully that has changed.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Please, Ladies, tell all your friends on and off-island to go to the website and vote on an alternative. Thanks!
June 30th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
What is the website and where do you get the questionnaires?
June 30th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
parkplanning.nps.gov/
then select
Southeast Regional Office
http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/parkHome.cfm?parkId=423
has a list of links including the Castle Nugent Farms Special Resource Study
http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=423&projectId=19240
and Alexander Hamilton Estate Grange
http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=423&projectId=26356
e-mails can be sent to John Barrett at:
john_barrett@nps.gov
There are probably more of the Postage Paid forms at the NPS offices near the fort.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Hi,
To make it easier to tell friends and family about the park initiative for this last week, I put up a web page that is easier to say that links to the NPS comment page and project page.
castlenugentnationalpark.com
is the page.
August 28th, 2009 at 4:53 am
I have only recently been able to get on line. I found this blog about the park and was thankful. It has been years that I have tried to get this park a part of St. Croix’s future and I’m glad there are some people as pationate as I have been. Sadly, this could not be done by gifting as I am a widow that had land but rarely cash in hand and now, in my seventies, I need to have a retirement. //// I now live in Northern Italy. My son Mauro Gasperi continues with our rental, historic Guest House at Castle Nugent and other long standing rentals.//// The cattle still graze the land although the herd has been very reduced. They were given by me to the University of the Virgin Islands in order to save them for their history and development on St. Croix. The park was not my only goal. I wanted to save a breed of cattle that are unique in the world and by hard work from my late husband for years after his arrival from Italy, known in the tropical world as an excellent breed for poor countries and hot places! The Senepol are part of this land. They are part of St. Croix’s history and would be a fantastic part of any future park.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Sadly, the US Government moved so slowly that the park will probably not happen. The needed help from our V.I. Government was totally lacking throughout this experience except for our representitive Donna Christianson. The sad part of this is the shortsightedness and disinterest of those we elect to our government. This project could have brought business to St. Croix, help fill our hotels and expand them: fishermen, who now are too many for the area to survive could start taking people out to the reef to view it for a much better income that they now have with a declining fish population; taxi drivers could take people to and from the lovely beaches; restaurants, to feed the people who would come to St. Croix for this unique experience, etc., etc.. These are just a few of the positives. ///I just saw a documentary on the USVI here in Italy and it was by Italians in two languages and showed our island, St. Croix, as a unique place to visit because it had not been completely ruined to date by bad planning and still had something for tourists to see in its unique nature: old towns with history, the cattle, the grassland etc., etc.. When will the island understand that people do not want to come to a messy, over and poorly developed island full of urban sprawl and that large industry does not last!!!! My husband said years ago that Harvey and Hess would only last 20 years and then they would leave. People would be left without jobs and would then have less future for their children. He was spot on! So true. We need long going attractions and business that develops because of that attraction. Casinos are past. Long gone! They are found everywhere today within much easier travel distances for Europe and the US and most of the world today. We need something unique to attract attention and draw people to St. Croix. //// Now, here in Italy, and Europe, everyone is looking for enviromental tourism. Are we too stilly to understand this concept is where the economy needs to develop, especially on a small, delicate island? They are trying to repair some of the poor planning done here in this lovely mountain area in the 60′s and 70′s by poor and ugly development. Now you need to build according to the archtectual history and beauty of this mountain area. They realized that their poor planning starting ruining their economy. They learned in time. Will St. Croix? //// And by the by, Castle Nugent was never big on slavery. Read the history. It is fine and correct to remind people of history and tell it as it was but we certainly need to learn more of the real history of our island estates and not make it up as it pleases us because of our own prejudices. Castle Nugent was never rich and never big on slavery. It is only now rich with beauty that should be shared by many people, both on island and off and for the jobs that would bring! C.W.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Hi Caroline! Thanks for your comments.
We totally agree with all of your sentiments and that’s why we asked people (Michael started a facebook campaign and got a few hundred people on board) to go to the park website and submit comments.
The park system people have said that this is a “done deal”, it’s just a question of which option will be chosen. We have great hopes, and the Obama administration has not disappointed us so far!
Hope you are well, and we hope to see you back on St. Croix soon!
August 30th, 2009 at 5:35 am
Dear Terry, I am afraid that this deal will not take place. After all the time and back and forthing with other family members, there was a time limit on how long they could continue to wait to sell their proerty. We are not getting any younger. They had been very patient but nothing happened with the government for so many years and we started this with a Democratic administration who did nothing to help us! Now, we are in such an economic downturn, that I doubt anything will be done. My borthers made commitments and I was forced to go along with them after their years of waiting for my plans. The Feds showed no interest through the Clinton 8 years and then everyone waited much too long, as government does. The time limit is almost here already. It breaks my heart but I can’t do a thing about it. St. Croix did not support me when I most needed the help, nor did the Feds in power. Hope the South Shore doesn’t go down the tubes.