PHILIPSBURG:--- Approximately 17.3 hectares of land in Cul de Sac have returned to government control, with VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs Jr. announcing plans to designate the property as Sint Maarten’s first terrestrial park.
Gumbs disclosed the development during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing, saying he finalized the return of the long-leased property approximately two months ago.
The four parcels, commonly referred to as the “Rainforest” property, cover approximately 172,626 square meters in the Golden Rock and Industry area.
“What this means practically is that land that was previously tied up under a private long-lease is now back in the hands of Country St. Maarten,” Gumbs said.
The return gives government the opportunity to determine the land’s long-term use, including its protection and role in managing stormwater.
Gumbs linked the proposed park to a UNESCO-IHE drainage study that identified the area as valuable for natural drainage and stormwater management.
He warned that Cul de Sac is already densely developed and that construction has compromised areas previously identified for drainage or natural protection.
“We can’t afford to necessarily put more into that area,” he said.
The minister intends to convene stakeholders to discuss management arrangements and how the property should be protected.
He also indicated that the proposed designation would be incorporated into work on a protection ordinance once a first draft becomes available.
The announcement establishes the government’s intended use of the property, but the briefing did not provide a date for formal designation, a management budget, or details of public access and maintenance.
The proposal nevertheless places a substantial area of land at the center of two pressing concerns: protecting remaining natural spaces and reducing the consequences of development in an already heavily built-up drainage basin.