DOCKYARD residents are up in arms following the West End Development Corporation's (Wedco) unveiling of multi-million-dollar plans to upgrade Snorkel Park into a "quality" recreational park.

Wedco general manager Lloyd Telford told the Mid-Ocean News recently that Snorkel Park, located near the former Sally Port waste site, is set to undergo a $15-million facelift early next year.

Mr. Telford, who could not be reached for comment this week, said his department would cover the considerable costs for the new project, assuring work at the site would be completed prior to the start of the new cruise ship season.

Those plans, however, have ignited a major uproar among disgruntled Dockyard residents, many of whom insist there are more pressing issues which need to be addressed in the immediate area.

"How on earth can they spend $15 million on Snorkel Park when they've allowed the infrastructure in and outside the Dockyard gates to fall apart?" asked one resident, who wished to remain anonymous.

"Why do they need to build a restaurant near the old dump? I just don't understand it. Someone needs to ask some serious questions about what are Wedco's real priorities."

Plans are to have a gazebo, changing room facilities, beach volleyball courts and a restaurant developed on the exisiting West End property.

Another component, which could be added to the new facility at a later date, disclosed Mr.Telford, was a football arena, consisting of between four or five separate playing surfaces.

The corporation, meanwhile, recently came under fire after a Lodge Point tenant was nearly buried under rubble when her roof collapsed, over a month after repeated calls to have the property repaired fell on deaf ears.

The family have since relocated to an emergency housing unit.

Further questions, however, have also been raised over the former Royal Naval Commanding Officer's cottage on Pender Road.

The historical landmark received a $500,000 makeover in 1998 from Government to accommodate then-Governor Thorold Masefield while Government House underwent renovations.

The building has since been left to "rot away".

"That cottage has been dormant now since the last Royal Naval officer left over ten years ago. Governor Masefield lived there for the most part of a year and Government spent considerable taxpayers' money to bring it up to scratch for him to live there in grand luxury," he said, adding: "Why aren't these historic buildings being tended to?

"Snorkel Park! Give me a rake and a broom and a couple of trash bags and I can do the job for $15 an hour.

"If you run up to Dockyard this afternoon you would be distressed. HMS Malabar, which has been empty now for eight years, has never been utilised. It was once the NATO headquarters and it was badly damaged during Fabian.

"The classic stone pump house built by convicts in the 1800s is still being used as a tank facility by Wedco. The roof was damaged during the hurricane, yet nothing has been done about it. It is a listed building and there's been no attempt at all to take care of this building, neither before nor after the hurricane. It's just been forgotten."

In addition, concerns were raised over some of the residential housing in the Dockyard area.

"There's immense concern among the residents of Albert Road near the convict cemetery. The houses there are some of the poorest in Bermuda and they are still being used to house Bermudians," he said.

"Last week I visited the parsonage where (Maritime Museum director) Mr. Edward Harris used to live and that's now in a bad state. It used to be a very functional building and had Wedco taken care of it they could have got six or seven thousand dollars a month from an exempt company type."

Wedco's plans to construct "luxury" condominiums near the old marine slip have also come in for heavy criticism.

"Why were Bermudians kicked out of there in the first place? These were homes for Bermudians 20 years ago and Wedco threw them out. They were thrown out of there in order to accommodate the Nautilus Submarine and one or two other little offices as a commercial enterprise," he said.

"But basically that has all now stopped and the grand plan now is to turn those buildings into luxury condos. That's all well and good but why is Wedco worrying about Snorkel Park and building luxury condos which will probably sell for one million plus when they are presently experiencing difficulties getting tenants to fill places which are now only falling into ruins?

"There's just a total disconnection here between what is socially their responsibility to do for their tenants and grand, wild schemes to enhance Snorkel Park."