USVI Marine Park Continues Access Upgrades

Destroyed by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995, a newly-renovated (and more accessible) Coral World Marine Park and Undersea Observatory re-opened to the public in August 1998. Says Coral World General Manager, Trudie J. Prior, "As part of the reconstruction following Hurricane Marilyn we redesigned the park to provide accessibility to as many exhibits as possible. We created wheelchair accessible walkways to the major exhibits and removed many physical barriers."

Located on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, Coral World Marine Park and Undersea observatory allows visitors an up close and personal view of local marine life. And from the outdoor pools to the Underwater Observatory, access is continually improving at this Caribbean marine park.

In fact, the recent addition of a wheelchair lift to Coral World's Caribbean Reef Encounter allows wheelchair-users full access to this unique marine exhibit. The Caribbean Reef Encounter is one of the world's largest living man made coral reefs. Visitors are surrounded by an 80,000 gallon circular tank filled with an amazing array of corals, sponges, tropical fishes, sea anemones, lobsters, conchs and other marine creatures. The new lift allows wheelers an accessible alternative to the stairway entrance.

As for the rest of the park, "Walkways and ramps allow guests to enjoy the Shark Shallows and Touch Pool exhibits," says Prior. Both of these exhibits are interactive and guests can pet a shark or pick up a conch. Wheelchair height pools and aquariums at these popular exhibits make them accessible to all visitors. Prior adds, "Our architects also designed pathways to provide views of the Sting Ray and Turtle Pools; and a ramp around the Mangrove Lagoon allows access to the Marine Gardens aquariums."

Plans for future access improvements are also in the works at Coral World. Currently there is level access to the top level of the Undersea Observatory, but the bottom two levels can only be accessed by a circular staircase. Prior fully realizes that many guests may have difficulty accessing the lower levels of the Undersea Observatory, which was built in 1977. She explains, "The next project in our accessibility program is to have television monitors on the top level showing feedings in the Predator Tank, and the non-captive marine life on the bottom level."

Coral World also has accessible bathrooms, drinking fountains, parking and offers barrier-free access to the gift shop and snack bar. For more information call (340) 775-1555 or visit Coral World on-line at coralworldvi.com.

Coral World is located at Coki Point on the island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. It's about a 20 minute drive from the downtown port of Charlotte Amalie. Read more about the US Virgin Islands in the Fall 2001 issue of Emerging Horizons.