CAY HILL–General Pension Fund administrator APS representatives and Windward Roads on Monday signed documents signalling the beginning of works to restore the historic rock walls in Mary’s Fancy Estate.
The contract was awarded to Windward Roads following a bidding process. Finance Minister Richard Gibson, who was present at the ceremony, signed as a witness. The work is part of the first phase of the restoration initiatives covering a new entrance and exit path to and from the estate and an adjacent trench.
The rock wall restoration will be the first of several major developments to take place in Mary’s Fancy Estate, as part of plans for future use of the estate, it was stated in a press release on Monday. This follows the acquisition of the estate by APS in 2014.
The goals of the project include implementing improvements to the characteristic structures of Mary’s Fancy estate, including the plantation house, the sugar mill (which is actually a boiling house and chimney), the estate grounds and the rock wall.
The release said that the process for each real estate development project within APS consists of the development, engineering, advising, tendering, evaluation of bids, contracting out, outsourcing of the supervision of construction, monitoring of the budget and expenditures, progress reporting of and on each project. The overall projects include a pre-development phase, the conceptual and basic design phase and the engineering phases.
The reconstruction of the rock walls will include the wall on the west boundary of the L.B. Scot Road, which is in ruins, with damage from trees and past hurricanes. The total length on the west boundary wall is approximately 130 metres.
Areas where focus will be placed include the height of the wall, the number of columns, the location of the wall, hurricane withstanding requirements and safeguarding of the wall, it was stated in the release.
“The height of the wall and the number of columns are aesthetic aspects that have an effect on the structural requirements to comply with the hurricane withstanding standards, in particular on the design of the foundation.”
The wall’s southeast boundary runs along Gladiola Road. There is no rock wall at this boundary. Just like the west wall at the L.B. Scot Road, the south east boundary qualifies for having a rock wall. The design and construction specifications are expected to be similar to the wall on L.B. Scot Road.
“The APS board has discussed and indicated the priorities in the areas that need attention in terms of short-term improvements and the development of plans for midterm execution. APS advocates the realisation of activities identified under specific smaller projects, part of a total approach that is being developed, engineered and executed.”
One of the first visible changes will be the reconstruction of the centuries old rock walls and new construction of a sidewalk in pavers, with works expected to start in June. Completion is projected for November 2016.
Source: Daily Herald
APS, Windward Roads sign accord to restore Mary’s Fancy rock walls
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