The Snorkel Park at Dockyard is open for business with the vendor renting equipment and the beach fully open to the public.

But the building which will eventually house the restaurant is still under construction leading to some confusion about the status of the project.

Local activist Graeme Outerbridge said the facility appeared ?derelict? when he saw it over the weekend.

?There was a sizeable portion of money (spent) for the beach and facility and it just looks derelict,? Mr. Outerbridge said.

The $2-million project was set to be completed by June for the cruise ship season.

The beach and the toilet facilities are currently being used, said West End Development Corporation (Wedco) commercial development manager Edward Williams.

?The building hasn?t been completed and we?re looking to the end of June or the first part of July,? he said.

But, he said, the main part of the project was the snorkel park where the vendor, Windjammer Watersports, has already started renting equipment.

?What was critical for us, was that we got the beach open, as the regular cruise schedule started,? he added.

Raymond Lambert, manager of the Snorkel Park, said he has received positive feedback about the beach so far.

He added that anyone could see workers were not ?sitting on their hands?, so the building should not appear derelict.

All non-motorised equipment can be rented at the park including snorkel gear, paddle boats, kayaks and underwater scooters.

And, the beach is free and open to the public.

Snorkel-enthusiasts will not have to specifically use the Windjammer equipment. They are free to bring their own gear.

?The thought is that people will come and enjoy the water and buy a drink or a t-shirt,? Mr. Lambert said.