East end hazard

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23: Airport bosses have been forced to shut down an industrial estate bordering the runway because it has become a hazardous eyesore.

Around a dozen small businesses that currently lease lots on the land will have to move out within the next few months.

The decision comes after the area, which is known as Gate 1, has been plagued by illegal dumping and squatters. Piles of trash, rusting vehicles and discarded machinery litter the former entrance to the Naval Air Station and the area has been the subject of a stream of complaints from concerned islanders.

Airport General Manager, Aaron Adderley, said it was “unfortunate” that tenants would have to leave. But action was needed in order to maintain the safety, security and smooth running of airport operations: “We are just as appalled by the situation as the public,” Mr Adderley said, “and the public has every right to be concerned. We want to try to fix it.”

Plans to cover the existing fencing along Kindley Field Road and secure the area are being finalized before a major clean-up begins.

Industrial site  an ‘eyesore and hazard’

Extensive clean-up project will be initiated on dumping ground

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23: It used to be symbol of strength and the main entrance to the old US Airbase.

But now the industrial estate that has developed around ‘Gate 1’ has become an eyesore and a hazard, blighted by illegal dumping and even squatting.

The demise of the area has prompted airport bosses to take drastic action in order to preserve the safety and security of the airfield.

The dozen tenants, who currently rent lots of the land on a month-to-month basis, met with airport bosses last week and were told they had to leave so an extensive clear-up project could be mounted.

Airport General Manager, Aaron Adderley, told the Bermuda Sun that efforts were still being made to work with the tenants, and some had even volunteered to offer their services in the clean-up.

He said: “We did our latest audit of the area just last week and the trash that is still down there goes back to the days of the base.

“There is a lot of general waste. Members of the public come down in the night and dump piles of trash.

“We had a case recently where someone had come in, driven a truck right over the fence and just dumped the contents of the truck and left.

“There is everything down there from refrigerators, cars, jet skis and boats. It is just a mess.”

Mr Adderley added: “That presents some clear issues for airport safety, security and operations.

“And in order for us to address this we are going to have to clear the area up properly.

“The tenants realize that something has to be done.

“Some of the waste material belongs to them, but it is only a small portion.

“A lot of it has simply been dumped there by third parties.

Co-operative

“The tenants have been very co-operative and we hope to work with them to clear it up — some have even volunteered to help.”

The land was previously owned by the Bermuda Land Development Corporation, until it was was sold to the airport in 2011.

Many of the tenants that previously ran their business from the rented lots continued to occupy the same spots despite the changeover.

But the amount of rubble, trash and debris on the land has become a hazard to the daily operation of the airport.

He added: “The amount of debris down there is just untenable.

“Standard operating procedure means that every time we have a weather event we have to assess the entire airfield and make sure everything is tied down.

“By having all this debris lying loose in this area increases the chance of it flying onto the airfield and we don’t need that.

“We have also discovered squatters down there which is another danger.”

The tenants, who include spray painters, mechanics and landscapers, have not been given an exact deadline by which time they have to move.

But airport bosses want to the clear up, which is likely to costs tens of thousands of dollars, to start as soon as possible.

Mr Adderley said: “This clear up will require money which is hard to come by at the moment.

“The first phase will be to cover the fence along Kindley Field so this area is not so much of an eyesore.

“Then we will need to fence and secure it properly so nobody can get in.

“Then we will start the long and expensive project to clean it up.

“We are trying to get bids for the fencing work at the moment and that looks to be around $25,000.

“The tenants have said they are willing to help us by providing resources and we are very grateful for that.

He told the Sun: “It is unfortunate but the tenants will ultimately have to move.

“We recognize they are small business owners.

“We are not asking them to move in days or even weeks. We will sit down and agree terms that work for us all. We are talking a few months.”