Heritage At Risk - A Patron to Protect our Built Heritage

At last a Patron to Protect our Built Heritage!

Governor General, Dr. Cecile La Grenade – Source: Caribbeanlifenews.com/GoG

Written by Norris Mitchell – The Willie Redhead Foundation



It was like a breath of fresh air, hearing Her Excellency – Dr. Cecile La Grenade, our new Governor General, in her inaugural address on Tuesday 7 May 2013 declaring her commitment to the protection of our built heritage with special reference to the restoration of the Governor General’s residence and York House, which were severely damaged by hurricanes Ivan in September 2004 and Emily July 2005, and remain derelict up to this day.



In this regard it is appropriate that The Sentinel bring to the fore the declaration by the United Nations on world heritage, as follows:

“In a society where living standards are changing at an accelerated pace, it is essential for man’s equilibrium and development to preserve for him a fitting setting in which to live, where he will remain in contact with nature and the evidence of civilization bequeathed by past generations; and that to this end, it is appropriate to give the cultural and natural heritage an active function in community life, and to integrate into an overall policy, the achievements of our time, the values of the past and the beauty of nature” UNESCO preamble to Heritage Protection 1972.

Of course, there are several other heritage buildings and sites in our Capital City that have been neglected/ abandoned over the years. A few which come to mind are the St. George’s Market Square, which is undergoing some very insensitive changes, the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches, Edinburgh House on Young Street, the Georgian House on Church Street with an authentic Sedan Chair porch, which is in an advanced stage of decay, the reclaiming of Fort George, and within recent times the abandonment of our Public Library building (the National Archives and Library) on the Carenage.



Talk is cheap. In Grenada and in the Caribbean as a whole, there is a culture, where once the matter has been thoroughly verbalized, it becomes a substitute for action (achievement). The end result is that there is little or no improvement in the matter at hand, until it is completely forgotten, and stagnation becomes the order of the day.



It is imperative therefore, that the Grenada Government (G.G.) select her advisors carefully, as the naysayers would want to dissuade her into accepting that York House and the G.G's historic residence and site should be replaced by so-called modern buildings. Unfortunately this mindset is the result of a deficit in the knowledge and appreciation of our history and cultural assets which are essential ingredients in our evolving Caribbean identity.



In conclusion, the Sentinel would like to think that this is an appropriate occasion to remind the powers that be, that there is no PUBLIC ACCESS to the Louis La Grenade mausoleum at Morne Jaloux. The mausoleum is the site of the remains of one of Grenada's outstanding sons and heroes during the FEDON revolutionary period, and a deceased relative of our Governor General. The Sentinel is therefore looking forward to the day when public access to the site would be restored in order to reinforce the meaning and appreciation of our heritage for both Grenadians and visitors alike.



Finally, we all take this opportunity to wish her Excellency, "All speed," in the tremendous task of nation building which lies ahead.

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Heritage at Risk – Parliament Building Still Derelict

Disgusting Shame

The Parliament Building, February 2012



In many countries, there exists some building that is a national symbol. As such, the preservation and well being of this symbol is fiercely protected. For Grenada, that building should be The Parliament Building, York House.



Yet today - eight years on, The Parliament Building languishes in a state of uncertain future. Because no steps have been taken to mitigate against continued damage due the loss of the roof in Hurricane Ivan, the building is rapidly being rendered an unsalvageable ruin.



As the entrance doors flap in wind, they open and shut to reveal extensive deterioration and destruction of the internal structures and decorative details of the building. 



The upper floor is collapsing unto the lower, with valuable materials needed for the rebuilding of the Parliament Building, including joist, studs, and carved elements, falling out of the building into the court yard.



Looking at the building from street level, it is clear that the upper floor is now a shell. But the Parliament Building was largely intact after Ivan, except for the damage to the roof, windows, and a small area of bricks that were dislodge as a result of the disturbance to rafters.



While the majority of galvanized panels were blown off and the rafter system affected, a good amount of the rafters, including the decking boards. remained in place. The significance of this is that the







Parliament Building, February 2010



remaining rafters offered the opportunity to quickly erect temporary roofing for The Parliament Building, in order to arrest any further damage to this important Grenadian Heritage site. But for some reason, this was not done. Why?



After all, this was not a difficult engineering challenge exacerbated by unstable walls – proven by the fact that the building continues to stand today, even though its internal supporting structures are allowed to rot. The simple solution would have been to collect as much of the blown-off galvanize sheets as possible, prop up the surviving rafters and build temporary rafters where none existed, and then proceed to cover the building using the collected and new galvanized sheets, and board up all broken windows.



In the long term, since Grenada lacks a skilled labor force with expertise in the restoration of 18^th and 19^th century architecture, it would have been, and still is, prudent that expert



consultants be brought in to assist in the restoration, and help in building a core of workers with the skills needed for the maintenance and preservation of The Parliament Building and other Grenadian heritage sites – and there are many.



Were these simple steps taken, the conversation today regarding the future of The Parliament Building would be a whole lot different. Instead, Grenadians are facing a real possibility that a national symbol, that should stand to represent the strength of the nation, will crumble to rubble. Shame!



Other steps that should and must be taken are:

• the assessment of a $1US surcharge on all visitors to Grenada, that will go directly to a fund for the rebuilding of the capital.



• Ongoing fund raising and appeals to large corporation and foundations, wealthy individuals.



• Continuous involvement of the Grenadian diaspora for both cash donations and contribution of labor and knowledge.



• Development of a foreign exchange program that send Grenadians to foreign countries with rich preservation cultures, while creating a host program that enables foreign skilled workers to come to Grenada cheaply, and train Grenadian workers.

Because of the lack of mitigating action, the cost to restore The Parliament Building has grown astronomically. Where in the immediate period after Ivan, the work would have entailed restoring the roof, repairing broken windows, replacing







View of the Destruction Through the Front Door



dislodged bricks, and addressing water damage, today, because of 7+ years of neglect, a complete gut jobs is likely needed, with a high likelihood that the historic interior of the building will be lost forever (It is rumored that Trinidad offered to rebuild The Parliament Building in the early days after Ivan, but the offer was refused).



There have been reports that the US and Australian government would assist with funding for the building of The Parliament Building. These report go back to 2007/2008, and yet to date, there are no sign of movement to begin work.



Surprisingly, the government has gone forward with two projects in the town that raises questions about their priorities and commitment to fiercely protect Grenada’s national symbols. The pavilion being constructed above Sendall Tunnel and the work being done on market square are two projects whose funds would have been better spent in repairing sites like The Parliament Building and Fort George.



While there is value in the eventual restoration of the market square, this could have waited, And the pavilion above Sendall Tunnel is silly. It will create a sitting area so tourist can gather and gaze upon all the dilapidated and falling buildings in the town – a few located immediately in front or next to it. This is clearly an example of screwed up priorities. As, one would think that first you fix the view before creating a place to see it.



St. George’s stand at the precipice of losing its historic character. The ramifications have already started to manifest themselves, as it was reported that some cruise ship operators were looking to cut the number of calls to Grenada. The neglect of national symbols, like The Parliament Building, has economic consequences. This shouldn’t be a surprise for a nation that so heavily depends on tourism.



Tourists travel to experience culture and history. National symbols like The Parliament Building are important in telling the story of a people (if walls can talk…). They define the past and help give definition to the future. National symbols are an example of a nation’s strength. What does it say about Grenada that after almost eight years, it has not devised any apparent solution for repairing one of its most important national symbols? But instead, is allowing it to fall to the ground.

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Heritage at Risk – Save Melrose House

Save Melrose House

Melrose House - Source: The Willie Redhead Foundation



In August of 2010, many Grenadians became aware of the potential to lose yet another of Grenada’s significant historic heritage sites. In this case, the threat was not from a natural disaster like hurricane Ivan, but from the wrecking ball. Threatened is Melrose House of Gouyave, in St. Johns Parish.



Melrose House, believed to be built in the early to mid-19^th century, is threatened by its new owners who would like it demolished in order to make way for construction of a new hardware store on the site where it currently stands.



The building, believed to be first owned by the Commissiong family, is one of few of its type remaining in Gouyave today.



Melrose House, is a good example of Caribbean Architecture from the mid-19^th century.



It encompassed the combination of French and English elements that defines architecture that is uniquely Caribbean.



One looking to identify the different architectural styles utilized in the design of Melrose House can find French in the steep pitch roof, English in the double-hung windows, and in it raised basement.



The placement of buildings on piers, which help improve ventilation and protects against floods, and the implementation of deep porches that provide shade and shelter for inhabitants and buildings alike, are ideas European builders learned from the building methods.



This point is important, because to a large degree, many in Caribbean populations reject the historic architecture found throughout the Caribbean, on the grounds that they are a vestige of colonial times and lack connection to them. Grenadians are likely no different.



Not only is a landmark like Melrose House representative of the cultural amalgam that defines Grenadian society, but it is part of the historical continuum that connects Grenada’s past and present.



The cavernous underside of Melrose House, where large rum vats were stored, and the existence of Grenada’s longest-ever-built wooden jetty nearby, suggests a connection to Grenada’s industrial heritage past, in which large shipments of rum were exported to Europe.



Between 1930 and 1940, Melrose House transitioned from private to public ownership , and for a period was the residence of successive Attorneys General of the Windward Islands.



Notable among those that resided at Melrose house was Justice Keith Alleyne, the renowned Queens Council, Attorney General of the Windward Islands, and acting Judge of the Windward and Leeward Islands High Court. Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue, who was Chief Secretary of Windward Islands and serve as interim President of Dominica, also resided at Melrose House.



Because Melrose House served as the residence of the Attorneys General of The Windward Islands, the history of the OECS, which succeeded the West Indies Associated States, is replete with the names of persons who at some point stayed there.  The demolition of Melrose House would represent the ripping out of a page in Grenada’s history book.



Declaring Melrose House a national heritage landmark and developing it as a small museum is one way to preserve and protect it from destruction.  This museum can follow the numerous examples of small museums worldwide, whose mission is the preservation of heritage and cultural properties of significance, in order to exhibit they role in the development of societies. Some notable examples of this regionally and globally are: Arlington House, Speightstown, Barbados; Greenwood Great House, Montego Bay, Jamaica; Goethe House in Frankfurt, Germany, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Virginia, US.







Creating The Melrose House Museum would have a direct impact on the town of Gouyave. Combined with a well define historic district, Gouyave would benefit in a variety of ways – most notably through economic activity from increased daily tourist visits and raising the profile of the town as a destination in Grenada.



Melrose House can be the foundation for a national museum system, whose mandate would be the management and preservation of significant heritage buildings and sites throughout all of Grenada.



An INTERCOM 2006 Conference Paper, titled Measuring the Impact of Museums on their Communities: The role of the 21st century museum notes that:



… the value of local museums were the links back to community; opportunities for people to visit, including attending events; the work opportunities (both paid & unpaid) that were available; the wealth that the museum creates in the local community leading to generate money to go back to the community. Broader outcomes were also identified, such as developing an appreciation of place and culture, community pride, museums preserving heritage, and opportunities for learning across all age levels.



Structures like Melrose House (and there are many throughout Grenada) provide an invaluable service, bridging the Grenada of now to that of yesteryear. Through they existence, Grenadians and visitors alike are provided tangible connections to the country’s rich history and heritage.



If the living Grenadian history that Melrose House embodies is allowed to die; if the profits of one business man trumps the interest of an entire nation and it generations to follow, then Grenada must answer some fundamental questions about what it is as a society.  Is Grenada a place that can strike a balance between short term economic gain and long term cultural preservation?  Is Grenada a country with leadership that can devise innovative approaches that enables it to leverage its historic character for both cultural and economic purposes?  And lastly, but probably most important: Are Grenadians willing to fight for the history that so much defines them?



What happens to Melrose House will provide an answer that will reverberate for generations to come.



The Grenada Action Forum will like to acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Ray Smith towards this article and is lifelong dedication to the preservation of Grenada’s heritage and historic places and sites.

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Heritage at Risk – Heritage Tourism Loosing

From “Poems of Life” by Dr. Leonard Merrydale Comissiong (c.1940).



The poem above was written more than seven decades ago, and according to The Sentinel’s view is not very different from our GRENADA TODAY.







After listening to Mr. Simon Stiell – the recently appointed Director of the Board of Tourism, on the George Grant Sunday programme of 20^th March 2011, one gets the feeling of déjà vu, we have heard it all before; but in fairness to Mr. Stiell we should give him the benefit of the doubt in his proposed strategic and pragmatic programme which the Board of Tourism is planning to undertake in the near future in order to remain competitive in the global arena.



 



 



Before going further, the Sentinel would like to congratulate the “Sunday with George Grant” programme in bringing important current national issues to the fore in an effect to educate and inform the Grenadian public. In this particular Sunday programme the public was very vocal in reminding Mr. Stiell of the “Jewel in the Crown”, both of which have been given lip service in the past.



The Crown is of course the tropical paradise of Grenada, and the jewel is its capital city of St. George. As the public by now is generally aware, the Willie Redhead Foundation from its establishment in 1994 has been an active participant in the rescue mission to save our capital city and our natural and cultural heritage in general.







Fort George



“The city of St. George is recognized regionally, and perhaps internationally … The Organisation of American States as early as 1988 designated the city as “a monument of the wider Caribbean”.



Our original mantra in 1994 was “the Willie Redhead Foundation for the preservation and urban renewal of St. George’s”, which was later changed to “the Willie Redhead Foundation for the preservation and renewal of the National Heritage of Grenada”. Over the past sixteen years we have endeavoured to fulfill this mandate in several ways, the most important of which is / was to engage both the past and current administrations of the need to save the “jewel”, but with little or no positive response.



The city of St. George is recognized regionally, and perhaps internationally, as the Georgian Society of the United Kingdom over half a century ago gave it special mention as a unique Georgian town in the Caribbean. After the passing of Hurricane Ivan, in their assessment of the damaged caused, both the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank recommended to the then Government that the buildings in the city of St. George should be







Anglican Church - post Ivan



urgently repaired and or restored as the case may be as the historic city (the jewel) is of tremendous value in the economic recovery of Grenada and as a tourism product in particular. The Organisation of American States as early as 1988 designated the city as “a monument of the wider Caribbean”.



But when we examine what has taken place in the town since 1988 we see a city of neglect and perhaps gross abandonment as the Authority responsible for the protection of our built heritage appear not to have an understanding of the value of heritage in nation building and national identity and has become in fact, a part of the problem, when we observe the Regulatory Authority contravening its own regulations when granting building approvals especially in the case of existing heritage buildings.



… the historic city (the jewel) is of tremendous value in the economic recovery of Grenada and as a tourism product in particular.







Unchecked erosion of Tibeau cemetery



In order to comprehend its wanton neglect lets take a look at Fort George with its enormous tourism potential, which has been alluded to by The Willie Redhead Foundation (tWRF) on several occasions in the past, and recently by a product of ST. John, now a United Kingdom Professor in the field of Education namely – Prof. Gus John in his memo to Government Ministers, the Market Square is now a shanty town, together with the buildings around the square, the depressing state of York House and the Governor General’s residence, Edinburgh House at the top of Young Street, the old St. James Hotel-not so long ago the home of the CID, the burnt-out L.A. Purcell store on Halifax Street, Rev. Byer’s family house on Lucas Street, the Anglican and Presbyterian churches also the decaying Forde “Sedan Chair” building and the unsightly and incomplete Lawyer’s office all on Church Street, Bachelor’s Lodge and the old Freida Martin house on Simmons Alley, the Drill Yard complex including the old Ministries of Works, Education and the Museum, not forgetting those on the Carenage and other parts of the town.



The foregoing represents some of the major challenges; coming a close second are the number of small business houses in the town that require a face lift, which need not be an expensive exercise if professional planning and management are employed in its execution, but this require the coordinated will of the business community and meaningful government partnership and perhaps leadership.



The above scenario gives a bird’s eye view of the state of Heritage Preservation in the city of St. George, and begs the question whether heritage preservation / restoration is recognized by the powers that be as a developmental component in its National Development Programme.







Abandon Building on the Carenage



This is the challenge which the Director of Tourism will have to confront and address in a meaningful way if the “jewel” is to be saved from the unrelenting pressures from both man and the forces of nature.



Although the challenges are daunting, it can still be accomplished with dedication and singularity of purpose. In this regard the Willie Redhead Foundation stands ready to assist in accomplishing the desired result, in order that our HERITAGE TOURISM product may become the envy of our Caribbean neighbours. There must be however a serious commitment at capitalizing on the enormous economic potential of this sector which could become a major contributor to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a sign of our blossoming cultural maturity as seen in Curacao, Aruba, Bermuda, St. Kitts and Barbados.

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