MONTEGO BAY, St James — With sections of the building it now occupies set for development, the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust is hunting a new building to house its operation.

Executive director of the trust Hugh Shim on Monday confirmed to the Jamaica Observer that the entity will have to leave the space it has been occupying at the Pier One Complex in Montego Bay.

“We have to move because the owners need their space. They have needed it for sometime now but now it’s more urgent because a new development [is to be done] and the damage from the February weather system,” said Shim.

While the scope of development planned for Pier One Complex has not been disclosed there have been signs that something is in the works after massive waves, some higher than the building, crashed ashore and pushed water inside the deck-style property.

Since then sections of the popular watering hole and eatery has been cordoned off with rehabilitative work taking place at the area near the waterfront.

According to Shim, while finding a new location to house the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust would not normally be an issue, based on its needs, the search has been slow.

“We need a dock and we need space to teach and all of that. We could still use the dock at Pier One but we need an office with storage space and if we don’t have a big enough space, we won’t be able to have the classes with the school kids,” said Shim.

He told the Observer that they have been looking but they have had no success so far.

Shim said among the areas looked at is a space near Pier One which would provide similar access to what they now have.

“We tried the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) for the use of the Harmony Beach Park but…we couldn’t get it,” said Shim.

“UDC said they don’t have any space, plus some other things that they say they couldn’t facilitate us,” Shim added as he indicated that they are hopeful they will not face an issue of homelessness before they are able to find a new convenient location.

“Hopefully we can hang on at Pier One for a little while longer and do what we have to do but we still not sure as yet. They have had their developmental plans [and] from a long time it has been in the works, but it’s just that they need it more urgent now,” said Shim.

Established in 1991, the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust has been monitoring the Montego Bay shoreline to ensure that Jamaica’s first marine park is maintained.

The 15-kilometre park stretches from Bogue in the west to Whitehouse in the opposite direction.

Along with the park, the trust also monitors two fish sanctuaries, the Bogue Island Lagoon and the Airport Point Special Fishery Conservation area.