Several weeks ago, I wrote an article about a part-time Hatteras Island resident and his plan for a fishing pier and ocean center in Hatteras village.
Eric Kaplan of Charlottesville, Va., who also has a home in Frisco, is the man with the vision for the Hatteras Island Ocean Center.
Kaplan?s idea is that the Ocean Center will be an island-wide attraction, a place where locals and visitors can go not only for the fishing but also for other forms of recreation, education, dining, and shopping.
In his description of the project, Kaplan says the Hatteras Island Ocean Center would be ?much more than a replacement for the Frisco Pier,? which is in poor condition and has not been open for several years.
It will be, he says, ?a place for everybody to enjoy the ocean, play, learn, and have fun.?
The facilities would include a world-class fishing pier, huge oceanview deck for weddings and parties, a food court with indoor and oceanview dining and a coffee shop, a covered playground, an arcade, plentiful parking, a public bathhouse, tackle shop, surf shop, equipment rental, indoor and outdoor exhibits, classrooms, research areas, and wildlife rehabilitation area.
The concept has the backing of many islanders, including Tim Midgett of Midgett Realty and Lou Browning of Frisco, who is a wildlife rehabilitator and businessman. Both have agreed to serve on the board of directors of the non-profit Hatteras Island Ocean Center, Inc.
The project also has the support of Dare County and Mike Murray, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
These folks think that the Ocean Center would be a terrific addition to southern Hatteras Island. And so do I.
Therefore, I was surprised when Island Free Press started receiving comments from readers who did not embrace the Ocean Center concept.
Some were full of praise for the project, but others, not so much.
?There is a pier in Frisco that has been damaged in recent storms and could be the site for the proposed pier,? wrote one non-resident property owner. ?Before we go and destroy the views and the appeal of Hatteras village, I suggest we consider rebuilding in Frisco. The pier in Frisco will not change the landscape, and property owners have accepted the pros and cons of investing in property in that area. I am a property owner, and the businesses on Hatteras Island have been struggling for the past several years. I doubt they want to see more erosion of their business to a new venture. If we need a pier, rebuild the one in Frisco.?
?Quite frankly, this concept of the Ocean Center does not fit in with the laid-back, family atmosphere and lack of commercialization that characterizes the village,? wrote another non-resident owner. ?Let this non-resident from out of state spend his dollars ?up the beach.? Do not ruin what draws people to Hatteras village.
?A fishing pier is one thing, but the food court and restaurants aren’t consistent with the spirit of Hatteras,? wrote a visitor from Virginia. ?You should build the pier in Kitty Hawk.?
?The village is a quiet place, a quiet beach, and the serenity of the village is its treasure,? wrote a resident. ?I don?t want to imagine looking down the beach and seeing crowds of people where now it?s so peaceful. The view from the southern part of the village looking towards the lighthouse will certainly change too.?
Yes, Hatteras village is all of those things ? laid-back, quiet, serene, and scenic.
But those who have been quick to criticize the Ocean Center might not have taken the time to think about their opposition.
I don?t think any of the readers who wrote us meant to sound selfish — as in ?It?s my vacation spot and don?t change a thing.?
I don?t think they realize that quiet, serene, and scenic doesn?t pay the bills.
Hatteras village ? and indeed the whole southern part of the island ? needs this project that would not only be fun and educational but will bring the business and jobs that are so desperately needed.
Hatteras village is suffering economically since Hurricane Isabel in 2003 cut an inlet that isolated the village from the rest of the island.
The inlet was filled and the highway repaired in two months, but many say business never came back.
And they are not sure why. Tim Midgett thinks that maybe it?s because Isabel destroyed many motels, some of which did not come back. There are many fewer motel rooms in the village today compared to a decade ago.
Hatteras village has lots of traffic in season, but too much of it is heading straight to the Ocracoke ferry without stopping. And to add insult to injury, some GPS devices are now routing folks headed to the ferry onto the back road so they bypass the heart of the village with its shops and marinas.
We can answer a few of the objections and proposals made by the letter writers.
There is not space at the pier in Frisco for anything except the fishing pier. The Ocean Center will be much more with its exhibits, classrooms, and research areas.
The non-profit Hatteras Island Ocean Center does not envision competing with any local businesses and does not intend to run restaurants or shops at the pier. These would be leased to local business people, some of whom might operate a ?satellite? operation for their current shops or restaurants.
But over and above all that, Hatteras needs this economic boost. The village needs it really badly. For whatever reason, too many businesses are just barely making ends meet.
Without some kind of economic revitalization, folks in the village just won?t be able to make a go of it.
The village took it on the chin after Hurricane Irene, which did very little damage to lower Hatteras. But the highway was closed for six weeks, and visitors were few and far between.
And even those who enjoy the serene, laid-back atmosphere and the breathtaking scenic views in the village do like to eat out occasionally, purchase local seafood, or shop for souvenirs and local art and crafts.
I think the best thing about the Hatteras Island Ocean Center is that it would be an economic engine, but would also offer islanders and visitors a place to fish, swim, surf, and dine with ocean views ? and teach us all about our barrier island environment.
The Ocean Center board members are invested in seeing this project through without ruining the scenery and the environment, but enhancing it.
It will give the community a hub, a gathering place. And it will bring in tourists.
The Ocean Center continues to make progress.
Eric Kaplan says that a loan to buy the property has been approved by Virginia National Bank in Charlottesville.
A site plan has been drawn up by Gary Price of Avon and is in the process of being tweaked.
Chip Hemmingway of Bowman Murray Hemmingway Architects in Wilmington, who designed the new Jennette?s Pier in Nags Head, wants to be involved with the Hatteras Island Ocean Center. He calls it an ?important and exciting project.?
In fact, he is making a site visit on Thursday, Dec. 8, to talk with local folks about their vision for the project.
And, finally, I think that as this project progresses, Eric Kaplan and others on the ocean center board will listen to the community and work with islanders to integrate this project into the coastal village atmosphere that we very much want to preserve.
The hardest part ? raising the funds to build the Ocean Center ? is still ahead.
But if it becomes a reality, it will be good for islanders and good for visitors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To read the Nov. 14 article on the Hatteras Island Ocean Center, go to http://islandfreepress.org/2011Archives/11.14.2011-HatterasIslandOceanCenterIsANewProjectThatWouldBeAFishingPierAndMuchMore.html
Kaplan welcomes questions and ideas from locals and visitors. You can reach him at ekaplan@hioceancenter.org.
