FIMI
We have good news! The contract for sand placement and construction of the attendant walkways and roadways was awarded on April 19th to Weeks Marine. Weeks has worked with the Army Corps in the past and is currently completing a project in Point Pleasant, New Jersey where it has two dredges. These two dredges will move to the eastern communities of Fire Island in June. We expect that the removal of the existing access walks to the beach and placement of temporary accesses will begin in mid-June along with pile driving for the final beach access walks, including the ADA accessible ramps. Sand placement should be underway by mid-July. The use of two dredges will considerably expedite the work.
Approximately 1 million plus cubic yards of sand will be placed on the beach in the Pines. This will mean our allocation of sand will be approximately half of the sand pumped to the eastern communities.
We expect the dredges to work together, not separately. Together they will be able to pump 40,000 cubic yards a day. The rate at which the project will move along is always dependent on weather and any operating problems. In 2009, our project to construct a new dune occurred in the winter months and this resulted in substantial delays and the Pines never received its full authorization. We are optimistic that this project will move more quickly now as it will be summer and fall. The piping plover will not present a problem as the Army Corps has obtained an exemption.
We will not know the actual dates for sand placement to begin in the Pines for at least another month. The contractor has a thirty-day period to develop its work plan and submit it to the Army Corps and the communities for review. We have presented to the Army Crops pictures of the dire conditions of the beach in the Pines and argued for early sand placement.
Fortunately, there has been no further damage to oceanfront homes and only minimal erosion of the beach. We are now at the end of April and we can anticipate the summer beach accretion beginning to build. The summer beach is usually much wider than what we are seeing today.
Beautification
We have ordered more benches for the harbor and additional plantings in the harbor area. We have a general cleanup of the boulevard underway and work is continuing on the roadway.
Pride Parade
This year the National Park Service, which operates the Stonewall National Park Site, is partnering with World Wide Pride and Stonewall 50 to celebrate at the annual Pride Parade. The Pines has been invited to participate in the Parade, so our tentative plan is to have a banner carried by a group of our residents. Note to you all: I am seeking volunteers to carry the banner! Anyone interested in participating please contact our office.
Catholic Mass
Sunday Catholic Mass starts on June 16th @ 12:30pm and is scheduled every Sunday until September 8th. If anyone needs further information regarding Catholic Mass at the Beach, please email the association at CatholicMass.Beach@gmail.com
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