The Old La Ceiba Municipal dock is getting a major face-lifting!
A local NGO, that is looking to jump start the tourism industry in La Ceiba has been working hard to restore the historic La Ceiba Municipal Dock and build a board walk in the beachfront just east of the dock.
This is the heart of La Ceiba, as the city grew around this dock.The old buildings that still stand in the vicinity of the La Ceiba Municipal Dock have a tale to tell. Historical buildings include the original Banco Atlantida office, the first bank in Honduras that celebrated 100 years of continuous operations since its founding in 1913. The original building, art Deco style building was brought entirely from New Orleans, and still stands proudly today on the Corner of Avenida San Isidro and First Street.
The other iconic building is the old customs warehouse. This is where all the merchandise that was brought to La Ceiba from abroad cleared customs before it entered the country. The Building, which dates back to 1917 is now under the management of Fundacion Casa de La Cultura de La Ceiba, and there are plans to restore it and use it as a museum. Without doubt, the center for all this refurbishing of downtown La Ceiba is the La Ceiba Municipal dock.
The “new” La Ceiba Municipal dock has been named after a generous local entrepreneur that donated over $100,000 USA dollars to get the project underway. Don Reynaldo Canales passed away a few weeks ago, and unfortunately will not see the dream he helped create a reality.
The La Ceiba Municipal dock is expected to become the most popular local park in the city, with many local ceibeños looking forward to its upcoming inauguration. The La Ceiba Municipal dock will not be handling boats of any kind. All of the cargo, ferry services and tourist fishing services will continue to operate out of the “Muelle de Cabotaje” facilities, located just east of the city. The “new” old dock will be a recreational area, where families are expected to come see the sunrise or sunset, fishing off the wharf, or strolling the area. Facilities will include public bathrooms, police security, and plenty of public lighting in the evenings and nights. Entrance fees will be charged by the managing entity, Fundetur, which will be used to maintain the facilities.
The La Ceiba Municipal Dock is expected to have a major impact on visitation to the city of La Ceiba, and will offer a variety of restaurants, a pleasant bar, as well as places where to buy a snack or a softdrink.