Feb. 17, 2002 – Pedestrians and motorists passing by Fort Christian and the Legislature Building have something new to catch their eye — a 7-foot-high iron fence around the U.S. Coast Guard property adjacent to Kings Wharf.
"We wanted something that esthetically would match the Legislature Building," Lt. John Reinert, the Coast Guard station chief, said. "The chain link fence was starting to look a little ragged."
The imposing iron bars with their barbs at the top also hint at heightened security. Reinert said there has never been a problem of that type at the St. Thomas waterfront facility, but why wait? "I'm hoping it would increase," he said of security vis a vis the new fence. "It's not a question of when will we have a problem. It's how to prevent a problem from happening."
When the work is completed sometime in March, the fence will run along Veterans Drive and wrap around the corner, closing off street access to the Coast Guard dock as well. Reinert said the project is expected to cost about $50,000.
The St. Thomas Coast Guard station has been located at the waterfront site since 1948, when the land was turned over to the federal government for the price of $1.
