Ruan: Drag strip won’t
hamper USM’s plans
POND ISLAND--The University of St. Martin expansion plans will not be hampered in any way by the proposed one-eighth mile drag-racing strip to be built on Pond Island.
Head of New Projects Development and Planning Kurt Ruan told The Daily Herald Thursday that the strip would not be located near the university campus. The strip will be built directly behind the St. Maarten Festival Village. A sound barrier will also be erected so classes are not adversely affected by the noise of the race cars.
This should be a welcome relief for USM President Josianne Fleming-Artsen, who voiced her concerns Wednesday about the strip hampering USM’s future expansion, which includes a second building, a dormitory and other facilities.
She also chided government, particularly Public Works Commissioner Theo Heyliger, for not discussing the project with the university before announcing it to the public.
On this note, Ruan said he was astonished and amazed by Fleming-Artsen’s claim. He added that the Pond Island Development Plan had been discussed about a month ago with the USM Building Committee, of which he has been a member for the past five years.
Fleming-Artsen was also worried that the verbal agreement with government to fill in part of Great Salt Pond for the expansion would be withdrawn or disregarded. Ruan said plans for the filling-in were already in the works. “Commissioner Heyliger has given his word and the sand is already being worked on to get the land going and ready for the expansion.”
The drag strip is the answer to years of lobbying by St. Maarten Motor Sports Foundation. The group has no place for its members to race their specially-designed race cars. To keep their edge, racers ship their cars off island for racing meets on Antigua and other islands.
