A plan to create a public park at Annie’s Bay has been spearheaded by the president of the St David’s Island Historical Society.

Rick Spurling said the group formed an agreement with the Bermuda Land Management Company for permission to create the attraction at the zoned park including the beach and the memorial site located south of Orange Hole Road in St David’s.

A detailed conservation management plan has been prepared by landscape architect David Cox, which has approval of the BLMC and the support of Google.

Mr Spurling said: “The St David’s Island Historical Society is excited to begin this project and suggest naming the park the Annie’s Bay Memorial Park.

“The project will be managed by Ian Pitcher, an islander and a founding director [of the society].

“We are grateful for Google’s support and BLMC’s permission, without which this would not be possible.

“We are confident that the islanders will join us with volunteer support to remove invasives and plant cedars and palmettos and other endemics [or] natives keeping the cost to a minimum.”

Mr Spurling noted that Fox’s Hill above the bay was where many of the islanders — whalers, fishermen, pilots, gig rowers and farmers — lived, including Foxs, Lambs and Pitchers.

He added: “This bay is the only remaining natural bay of old Southside, St David’s out of eight bays, the others destroyed by the construction of the US base in 1941.

“Accordingly, the area is sacrosanct for many islanders hence the limestone memorial to their sacrifice erected by [the society] a couple of years ago.

“This park will join the many parks and nature reserves in St David’s forming a continuous green belt full of history, views, beaches and nature trails.”

Mr Spurling said that prior to 1941, Annie’s Bay was the home of Tommy Fox who was known to islanders as the “Uncrowned King of St David’s”.

He added: “Mr Fox declared that ‘St David’s is the most beautiful place to live, free and plentiful. I will never leave it’.”

Zane DeSilva, the Minister of Housing and Municipalities, said: “The ministry and the BLMC fully support this Annie’s Bay project and commend the St David’s Island Historical Society for taking on this multiyear task.

“The ministry and the BLMC thank Google for their support and the society for their work in undertaking this project to facilitate this park for the public and the heritage of old St David’s.”

A Google spokesman added: “We are pleased to support this important project for St David’s and to assist the St David’s Island Historical Society.

“We look forward to the day when we all can return here at Annie’s Bay to dedicate and open this new park.”