Found myself in Trinidad, coincidentally in this very political week for a so brief stay. Anyways.
Looking for a woodwork design for gingerbread, I wandered through Belmont. It is the place which, prior to actually living in Trinidad, I imagined that all of Trinidad would be like. Or I should say, on reflection, I understand now, that my dominant conception of Trinidadianess was really Belmontic.
Driving through the maze of small, to tiny, tiny inner streets, you get the sense that Belmont has a certain quality of community and I can only imagine what a neighbourhood it was prior to the urban flight and neglectful blight.
I took some pictures of houses, some tended, many not. The cost of keeping these houses in repair must be formidable and I wonder whether the woodwork abilities are still widely available. I am quite ashamed to admit that I never took in the beauty of the Belmont R.C. Church before. But it is an eyeful, a delight. As is the Anglican Church a few buildings down.
These Belmont houses (also to be found in the Shine Street area downtown) are full of features- the fretted and gingerbreaded porticos, jalousies, peaked side roof, dormers, the side bump out verandahs, the french doors and windows. AS the young people would say ‘sweet’. Enjoy. Click on them if you want a closer viewing.
Belmont RC Church
St. Margaret Anglican Church
St James also reveals very interesting architecture and evidence of the owners investing to rehabilitate and maintain the architecture.
On the other hand, Woodbrook is fast losing its fight to maintain the spirit of the community as the commercial vendors prefer to completely demolish and rebuild basic shells, paved driveways with little or no greening.
As I understand, the “committee” which originally had oversight on conservation including protecting the Savannah and mag 7 has effectively been muzzled/decapped…. guess why?
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One of the things that can be done for these neighbourhoods is to declare them historic neighbourhoods. The residents should be given tax incentives and relief to repair and maintain the buildings in the traditional style.
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Wonderful Roberta,
I am a member of the Trinidad National Trust but this memerbship is meaningless as I am not really able to do anything. I am ashamed to say that they have done pretty little if so much about our build heritage. We are losing so much of it so fast and I feel totally helpless. Thanks for sharing thse with me. Maybe you should send them to the T&T National Trust.
RR
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