Punta Salinas beach spa inaugurated after $1 million upgrade

Renovation work at Punta Salinas included improvements to the activity center infrastructure, office and warehouse buildings, public restrooms, outdoor showers, gazebos and lifeguard towers.

By The Star Staff

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia on Tuesday inaugurated the facilities of the Punta Salinas beach resort in Toa Baja, the first permanent construction project related to Hurricane Maria completed by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER).

The total investment in the project exceeded $1 million, with an allocation of $959,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We continue to make efforts to improve the facilities of the most important resorts on our island,” Pierluisi said in a written statement. “By investing in the infrastructure and maintenance of our resorts, we promote a healthy and welcoming environment for all residents of Puerto Rico.”

“As a result of the collaborative work between the municipality and our administration, today I am pleased to announce the inauguration of the Punta Salinas beach resort as the first permanent work related to Hurricane Maria that has been completed by the DNER,” he added.

The work included improvements to the activity center infrastructure, office and warehouse buildings, public restrooms, outdoor showers, gazebos and lifeguard towers. In addition, risk mitigation measures and building reinforcements were implemented for greater resilience, along with the addition of four new all-terrain vehicles for surveillance and emergency management.

DNER Secretary Anaís Rodríguez Vega emphasized that the completion of the works “represents a significant advance for the DNER, being the first project that we have completed in its entirety under FEMA funds.”

“This initiative demonstrates our commitment not only to restoration, but also to the improvement of key infrastructures for the enjoyment and well-being of our community,” she said.

Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3) Executive Director Manuel A. Laboy Rivera highlighted the measures implemented to strengthen the facility’s structures against future disasters.

“The reconstruction included reinforcement with sheet metal, the installation of additional stainless steel screws and the construction of reinforced concrete for the columns,” said Laboy Rivera.

The resort, administered by the municipality of Toa Baja through an interagency agreement, was transferred in 2022 with the endorsement of the federal government’s National Park Service, and this year the agreement was extended for an additional 15 years.

“I thank the governor, Natural Resources and the entire interagency component that made this rehabilitation project possible,” Toa Baja Mayor Bernardo “Betito” Márquez said. “We have worked together to maximize the socioeconomic development potential of this great treasure of our people.”