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Wall for nothing?

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Wall for nothing? A brand new stone wall built all the way along the old Club Med beach in St George’s. The right side of the photo shows a new curb put in along the edge of the golf course. Part of this work by Public Works crews may have to be knocked down if excavation work begins soon by the developer of the Park Hyatt. (Photo by Akil Simmons) October 18,2012

Some of Government work to protect and tidy up the road leading to Fort St Catherine’s in St George’s may have been in vain.If the developer of the proposed Park Hyatt resort gets a permit to proceed with excavation work in the next several weeks, some of a new stone wall currently being built by Public Works crews along the beach may have to be knocked down. And part of a brand new concrete curb along part of the golf course opposite the beach may also have to go.Carl Bazarian said on Wednesday he is seeking permits to start excavation and foundation work for a new beach club at the old Club Med property in just six weeks.He has not at this stage sought permits to construct the beach club, or the proposed Park Hyatt hotel.He says the new beach club would serve as his company Addax Holdings’ construction office during the building of a 135- to 150-room hotel. The company’s plans have in-principle approval from Planning.UBP MP Charles Swan last night said he went to the Planning Department to view the Addax plans, received Wednesday afternoon, and: “It is informative that this application, for the Beach Club facility, is solely for ‘Excavation/Foundations’—- digging a hole and pouring the foundations only!”Drawings submitted for the proposed beach club show it is being built in part in the roadway that leads to Fort St Catherine’s, and a new roadway and parking lot will be built behind the club. Drawings appear to show the area between the beach and new club will be filled in with sand.Some had thought Mr Bazarian built the wall, but it was a Public Works project. A Public Works employee said yesterday the wall was built “to provide protection for the road” from sand and the new curb was put in to “tidy up the area” which leads to one of Bermuda’s major tourism attractions.Mr Bazarian’s current plans call for the roadway to the beach and fort to be relocated to run behind the new beach club.The property is part of the Bazarian lease.In the last few weeks construction crews from Public Works have been building the new wall between the beach and the road leading to Fort St Catherine’s, as well as installing a new concrete curb where the golf course meets the road opposite the beach.The work took some St George’s residents by surprise, as due to the new curb, they could no longer park up on the grass opposite the beach.A Government spokesperson for Public Works did not respond by press time to questions about the cost of the new wall and curb.The UBP’s Mr Swan criticised Mr Bazarian’s bid to start excavation work only, saying: “After four years, this is an unacceptable slap in the face. After four years of silence from this government this borders on a cruel joke! Further questions remain unanswered, pointedly that concerning payments that were to have been made by Mr Bazarian’s group — some $600,000 to date. It all leaves the long suffering Bermudian citizen wanting so much more!”

The new wall being built at the former Club Med Beach. (Photo by Akil Simmons) October 18,2012