Caneel Beach on St. John is open to the public for the first time since the V.I. District Court ruled in April that the property belongs to the federal government, not the company that managed a resort there since 2004.
The Virgin Islands National Park announced the new public access on Thursday as part of its phased reopening of the property as outlined by the Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) the National Park Service has been carrying out since the court affirmed the federal government’s ownership of Caneel Bay Resort lands and improvements in April.
The ruling ended a long-running lawsuit brought by EHI Acquisitions, which had operated the resort under a Retained Use Estate agreement that expired on Sept. 30. EHI has since filed a notice of appeal with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
While that case plays out, the Virgin Islands National Park is proceeding with a phased reopening of the property that has been closed since the hurricanes of September 2017, which heavily damaged the iconic resort that occupies 150 acres of prime St. John beachfront real estate. Aside from two businesses that have been allowed to operate under the previous lease-holder’s agreement, the resort has remained off-limits to the public.
“We are very pleased to continue taking positive steps to open areas of Caneel back up to the public and continue providing safe, and memorable experiences in Virgin Islands National Park,” Superintendent Penny Del Bene said in a statement. On the job only since April, she provided an update on the status of the resort property at a public meeting in June, and promised then that portions would reopen soon.
The public is advised to use designated public areas only, and not enter areas that are still closed due to remaining safety risks.
Operating hours for Caneel Beach will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, according to the release. There will be three public parking lots for visitors, trash cans and Port-o-Johns, and signs to direct visitors to and from the public parking areas and Caneel Beach.
The public will also have access to a designated viewing area for the historic ruins of Caneel’s Durloo Sugar Plantation; a key point of interest during the significant events of the 1733 African Revolution on St. John.
“Visitors and boaters should be aware that the adjacent Caneel Beach dock will not be open for use. There will be no access to Caneel Beach via trails or foot traffic from Honeymoon Beach at this time. Honeymoon Beach will continue to be open to the public and accessible by the Lind Point Trail, shuttles from the Caneel Bay entrance, or by boat,” according to the release.
“We would like to thank the communities of St. John and St. Thomas for their continued support and engagement with the Virgin Islands National Park’s efforts in carrying out the phased reopening as outlined in the FONSI. The National Park Service strives to provide public access and opportunities for recreation and enjoyment of these natural and historical spaces for local communities and the visiting public that we serve,” it said.
