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AMP virtual open house will bare plans to improve marinas
File photo shows a damaged area on the west causeway along the Smiling Cove Marina channel. Smiling Cove’s and Outer Cove’s shoreline barriers were constructed over 30 years ago, and have since then been damaged by waves and increasingly intense storms and typhoons over the years. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
The American Memorial Park will be hosting a virtual open house on May 19 over Zoom starting at 8am to welcome the public’s input on the National Park Service’s proposed plans to improve portions of the entrance channel between the Smiling Cove and Outer Cove Marina and the Outer Cove Marina’s east causeway.
The improvement project is proposed to begin in 2022 and will take half a year to a year to complete. During construction, both marinas will remain accessible and safe to enter.
The proposed improvements include an excavation of currently failing shoreline protection systems, installation of engineered rock revetments—large rocks placed along a shoreline to absorb the energy of waves and minimize shoreline erosion—along the channel leading into Smiling Cove and at the end of the Outer Cove’s eastern causeway, and an extension of the sidewalk that goes along the Smiling Cove channel. Additionally, flanking the extended sidewalk with native plants is also proposed.
The two marinas’ shoreline barriers were built over 30 years ago, and have since then been damaged by waves and increasingly intense storms and typhoons over the years.
The virtual open house will take place over Zoom on May 19, beginning at 8am. The link to join is https://zoom.us/j/93650638338. Alternatively, those interested in joining can log into Zoom and enter the meeting ID code 936 5063 8338.
Additional comments on the proposed plans are welcomed through June 17 and can be done by visiting parkplanning.nps.gov/AMME_marina_project and clicking “Open for Comment,” emailing at AMME_marina_project@nps.gov, or submitting a physical letter using the address American Memorial Park, P.O. Box 5198 CHRB, Saipan, MP 96950.
