Historic sites have much potential
Government’s plan to refurbish some of the territory’s historic sites is welcome news. To maximise success, however, the endeavour will require a comprehensive strategy, sustained effort and funding — all of which too often have been lacking when it comes to historic preservation in the territory.
At a recent public meeting in East End, government ministers listed three sites that they plan to promote as heritage destinations for tourists and residents alike: St. Philip’s Anglican Church in Kingstown, Nottingham Estate in Long Look, and the former prison in Road Town.
All of these sites are of great importance, but they are in urgent need of attention.
Happily, some improvements are already under way: Work is ongoing at St. Philip’s after a $15,000 grant from the Premier’s Office, and Royal Navy sailors spent much of yesterday cleaning the prison, which legislators have promised to turn into a museum.
To understand the potential benefits of such efforts, one need look no further than the 1780 Lower Estate Sugar Works Museum in Road Town. Since its opening in 2007, the museum has become a popular destination for tourists and a valuable resource for residents.
The three sites government ministers identified recently are ideal locations to start expanding on this success. But there are also many other historic sites in the territory, and preservation efforts in the Virgin Islands often have been short-lived, patchwork affairs. For example, Fort Purcell was cleared in 2011, with officials trumpeting plans to turn it into a “heritage park.” But since then the site has been neglected, and it once again is being overgrown with vegetation.
Moving forward, then, a comprehensive plan should be drafted that prioritises historic sites and explores how improvements realistically might be achieved.
To that end, government should work closely with businesses, experts and the many community members who have shown an interest in preserving the territory’s history.
After all, everyone stands to benefit. Besides educating residents, such efforts will help diversify the territory’s tourism product at a time when travellers are increasingly interested in the heritage of the places they visit.
Historic preservation will take effort and money, but the investment will pay off in the long term.