Information
- Category:
- Organizations - Non-Profit Organizations
- Description:
- To promote the preservation of Trinidad and Tobago's Man-made and Natural Heritage
- Privacy Type:
- Open: All content is public.
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Basic Info
- Name:
- Citizens for Conservation Trinidad and Tobago
- Category:
- Organizations - Non-Profit Organizations
- Description:
- To promote the preservation of Trinidad and Tobago's Man-made and Natural Heritage
- Privacy Type:
- Open: All content is public.
Contact Info
- Email:
- conservationtandt@gmail.com
- Office:
- Citizens for Conservation
- Location:
- Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Recent News
- News:
- NATIONAL HERITAGE
CITIZENS FOR CONSERVATION
As early as 1979, a group of concerned citizens including Architects John Newel-Lewis and Rudylynn De Four Roberts, Christine Millar, Megan Hopkyn-Rees, George Butcher, and others, began promoting greater understanding for Trinidad and Tobago's heritage. In 1985, following the public outcry over the intended demolition of the "George Brown House" on the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Citizens for Conservation was formed to provide an official voice for the protection of Trinidad and Tobago's natural and man-made heritage. Through open discussion they sought to sensitize the public to the importance of conservation and preservation.
The Cabinet appointed “Restoration Action Committee” chaired by Engineer George Butcher, was set up by Minister John Humphrey, to make recommendations regarding our built heritage. This committee mandated Citizens for Conservation with the help of Lawyer Noel Bowen and Justice Cecil Kelsick, to research and draft the National Trust Act which was passed by Parliament in 1991 and eventually enacted in 1999 with amendments.
Citizens for Conservation’s present aim is to provide support for the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago as well as other interested groups and to lobby as the need arises for the respect, protection and preservation of the many aspects our heritage.
The National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago was established by Act No 11 of 1991 and assented to by the President of This Republic on 14th August 1991. In the act “listing” is defined as –“… identification, cataloguing and recording of any property of interest.” Recommendations for listing can only be made by the National Trust when the strict criteria stated in the Act are applied within related Historic contexts
The advantages to “Listing” are many.
Listed buildings are able to apply and have access to funding from private agencies like “The Getty Foundation” which has funded many restoration projects in the Caribbean.
Citizen’s for Conservation’s application to Getty, made ten years ago for the restoration of Stollmeyer’s Castle was refused because the building was not “listed”. We received the same response regarding “The Cabildo” at 6 Sackville St. and the tapia buildings, at Mt St. Benedict, now demolished and lost forever.
The research necessary for the listing of buildings provides information for students of all academic pursuits and is an excellent way of documenting our history and prehistory.
Citizens for Conservation will offer to research, in conjunction with the Government, the different means of tax incentives for inclusion in the Act.
By preserving sites associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our History, or are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past, we keep tangible examples of our national heritage and the many peoples who make up our society: e.g. Banwari Trace, the oldest Amerindian remains in the Caribbean; The Rada Community, Belmont, an African Settlement; Tapia Houses and Lion House in Central Trinidad; Nelson Island, processing station for all indentured emigrants and the incarceration of Uriah Butler and the Black Power detainees of 1970; The Victorian houses on the Queen’s Park Savannah; etc.
Heritage sites enhance tourism destinations and educate the population.
Preservation ensures that buildings with the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of Construction representing the work of a master, or that possesses high artistic values are available as learning tools for future generations. In Tobago there still exists an impressive array of industrial revolution inventions spanning many generations. Sadly these relics of our Sugar industry are disappearing under the developer’s bulldozers or are laying derelict, vandalized and abandoned. In Trinidad there is renewed interest in the history of our railways and its infrastructure.
Citizens for Conservation have been disappointed by the response of the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago. After ten years, no buildings or sites have been listed and very little has been done to preserve or protect our heritage. This appears to stem from a lack of understanding by past government officials, of the Act and the implications of listing.
If the Trust is allowed to list buildings, the only disadvantage to Government that we envisage will be an insignificant loss of tax revenue.
A government that encourages preservation of built and natural Heritage will not only preserve the rich and varied contributions made throughout history, but will promote a consciousness of the contributions of all communities, and give our young people and future generations, pride in their neighborhoods while encouraging an appreciation and respect that will filter down into their everyday lives.
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Citizens for Conservation
June 2010
PRESIDENT'S HOUSE
Letter from Citizens for Conservation re President's House, 17 May 2010:
Angry is too mild a word for our reaction to the recent news about The President’s House. The roof and walls of the upper level have crashed down through the first floor and into the ballroom below. This is especially unpardonable when we know that the Ministry of Works Engineers and Architects have been saying for the last ten years that parts of the building were structurally unsound and the entire building should be restored. This is not the first collapse in that part of the building.
What was the reason for stopping the restoration process in 2006, when all the tender drawings and specifications were completed by a Team of local and UK specialist consultants? There is NO EXCUSE for this development.
And what about Mille Fleurs? The back verandah collapsed some time ago, and the main roof there could well go the way of The President’s House roof. What a disgrace….The Magnificent Seven indeed!!!
There is a gaping hole in the Stollmeyer’s Castle (Killarney) roof. It seems work has started on that site but the consultants whose names are big and bold on the billboard have not been officially informed or included in the construction. What …is…going…on???
QRC is now beautifully restored…but only after the ceiling in the Assembly Room came crashing down during a time when the room was scheduled to be used for exams. Fortunately, the students were not in the room at the time.
The Minister of Works, who is an Engineer and responsible for the safety of government buildings, owes the public an explanation as to why he allowed persons to use a building that was structurally deficient. Don’t tell me he did not know how bad it was….what if it had happened during the day when the staff were in the building? Never mind the loss of historic patrimony, people could have died….that’s how serious this is.
Owners of Private Heritage property are also under stress regarding their buildings. The National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago has been stifled in its efforts to act in the interest of the preservation of Architectural Heritage, by a cabinet who simply do not understand the importance of listing buildings and giving them protection under law. Listing provides owners of Heritage property with access to local and international financial assistance for restoration.
We hope this is a wake up call. What is the point of Port of Spain looking like Miami and having nothing left as reference for generations to come? Lost will be the deeds, craftsmanship and ideals of a century of human talent and contributions.
Christine Millar
Executive Member
Citizens for Conservation
Part of the roof and a section of the upper floor of President's House collapsed falling through to the Ballroom below on the ground floor of President's House over the weekend of 15 May 2010.
Formerly Government House the building was condemned by the Ministry of Works as structurally unsound almost ten years ago, and the recommendation was that it should be vacated and restored. Numerous warnings were given by the Ministry's engineers and architects over the years regarding the safety of the building.
The foundation stone for the building was laid on 24th July 1873 and construction completed in 1876 at a cost of 44,630 pounds sterling. The Architect was James Ferguson, designed in a loosely classical Revival style Ferguson’s original plan was not followed precisely.
The building comprises 24" load bearing masonry walls constructed of squared hard blue limestone from the Laventille Quarries, to the outer face. The inner walls are random roughly coursed grey limestone rendered with lime plaster. The blue limestone was difficult to cut and much of the ashlar quoins were substituted with Bath stone imported from England. Extensive use was made of cast iron columns, and fabricated steel beams spanning between masonry walls and cast iron columns. Structural timber for ground fl upper floor and roof were pitch pine.
Complete working drawings and specifications were ready for tender in 2006, when the project was halted by the Minister of Works.
The Architect was Bernard MacKay, Structural Engineers CEP Limited, Quantity Surveyors Ellis and Associates and Electrical/Mechanical Engineers ENCO. Foreign Specialist Consultants from the UK were Donald Insall Associates Limited (Architecture) and Glifford and Partners Limited (Structural)
Rudylynn Roberts
17 May 2010
Citizens for Conservation are arranging an enclosure/plaque for Michel-Jean Cazabon's grave in the Lapeyrouse Cemetery. Anyone with contacts for cheap Carrara marble or granite please contact us.
Sevilla Great House, Brechin Castle, is now in a state of dilapidation and we urge the Historic Restoration Unit, Ministry of Works to take note. See also
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=8744
One of the Prize Winners for the National Trust Awards 2009, for Best Kept Historic Buildling (Small) is 58 Piccadilly Street, Port of Spain. Other winners were: Queens Royal College, Best Restoration Project (Large); Black Rock Moravian Church, Best Restoration Project (Small); Lion House, Chaguanas, Best Kept Historic Building (Large); Caroni Bird Sanctuary, Best Kept Natural Heritage Site.
This house is typical of suburban houses of Belmont and lower Laventille from the early part of the twentieth century designed by George Brown, with his distinctive floor plan, strict symmetry, steep gables and elaborate fretwork. Brown's designs effectively allowed for cooling by extended and low eaves and good cross-ventilation internally through high level fretwork panels.
George Brown was Trinidad's great nineteenth century architect. Brown studied at the Glasgow Anthenaeum where he qualified as a builder/architect in the late 1870's. He joined the firm of Gregor Turnbull and Company of Glasgow and was sent to Trinidad in June 1883. His designs reflect his Scottish origins, incorporating decorative fretwork from woodworking machines from factories he established in Port of Spain in 1891.
He introduced cast iron work from foundries in Glasgow after the "Great Fire of Port of Spain" devastated much of Marine Square (now Independence Square) and lower Frederick Street, Port of Spain's central square and main commercial street. George Brown redesigned the area in a distinctive style of balconies with cast iron balustrading extending over the pavements, decorative fretwork to the gables and eaves of the buildings, and large central atriums with high clerestory windows which provided not only light, but cross-ventilation to the interior of the buildings.
George Brown returned to Scotland in 1920 where he retired to cultivate vegetables and flowers until his death in 1936.