Dec 23, 2008 – While many activities fees are going up, Magens Bay Beach is keeping its price structure unchanged for beachgoers.
Prices were raised about a year ago, but according to general manager Herbert Brumant there are no plans to increase the fees into the park, which was a gift to the people of the Virgin Islands by Arthur Fairchild in 1947.
To help to maintain the stability of the fee structure, Brumant and the 23 Magens Bay staffers are finding ways to cut down on unnecessary expenditures.
Lights have been replaced with high-efficiency bulbs and even soap dispensers have been replaced with more economical models. Unused lights are turned off, according to Brumant.
The Magens Bay Authority operates the beach as a park for the Virgin Islands government and charges admissions and parking fees between 8 am and 5 pm to pay for the maintenance and the upkeep of the grounds. Fees for facility can be found at the park's website.
According to one frequent visitor who declined to be named, there is never a speck of trash to be found on the beach and the fees are well worth the price of admission.
The staff maintains the facility also through strict guideline which don't permit driving on the beach, weapons, metal detectors, bottles, generators, pets (excluding service animals), soliciting, jet skis, nudity, or dumping of personal trash.
While the authority has received some funding in the way of grants for capital projects, the park is a self-sustaining entity, according to Brumant.
"We don't get any money from the government," Brumant said.
Current capital projects include a road diversion which will reroute a lane around a children's play area, and a wheel-friendly paved path that will allow those in wheel chairs to reach the shore line. These projects have completed the planning stages and are about to enter the permitting phase.
The park is open year round.
"We're never closed," Brumant said. "We work every day."
During season, the park gets upwards of 1500 visitors per day, with the biggest day reaching about 2500 to 3000. Brumant said that he expected the average visitors per day to stay stable, provided the cruise ships continue to call with the same frequency.
Brumant said the authority was looking at carrying capacity for the beach.
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