Urbayiti Les Cayes - Derriere Fort

The Urbayiti: Leve aux Cayes project sponsored by Catholic Relief Services was focused on two neighborhoods of the Les Cayes, Haiti municipality:  Derriere Fort and La Creole.  The purpose of the projects were to enhance the quality of life in the two neighborhoods through environmental, social and security improvements.

Derriere Fort is an area close to the beachfront of the Baie des Cayes near the historical heart of Les Cayes, Haiti.  Despite its potential for bayside development, there is not much development due to poor drainage.  In this area of Les Cayes, the topography is extremely flat.   This physical condition, combined with a lack of maintenance in the drainage channel, further harmed the environment.  Housing in the area was frequently flooded as the water rose three feet during a heavy rain. Fortunately, several publicly held lands were available for improvement of the situation for the health, safety, and recreation of area residents.

The design solution included the re-opening of a diversion channel which was redirected during the construction of the nearby Coast Guard station. This secondary channel allows a wider and more rapid discharge into the ocean while also preventing potential storm surges. In addition, the public land around the channels was proposed to be developed into public recreational spaces.