A handful of houses in Roseau’s Hillsborough Street area are about to get a serious paint job.
The Discover Dominica authority (DDA) has disclosed that it will in mid-May focus on enhancing the look of six houses in that part of the city through a “paint- a- thon” exercise, as part of Tourism Awareness Month 2012.
According to Director of Tourism, Colin Piper, the activity is aimed at beautifying buildings in the city with historic and architectural appeal.
He says the houses will be chosen with the assistance of members of SHAPE – the Society of Heritage Preservation and Enhancement.
“We have identified some houses we just need to get the approval from property owners,” Piper indicated.
“We are trying to beautify Roseau in that way, we work with SHAPE to come up with the historic colors so hopefully after the third or fourth year [of doing this] there will be quite a few houses in Roseau displaying those wonderful colors, ” he said.
Volunteer teams from the DDA, the National Bank of Dominica, Harris Paints Limited and Dominica State College students will be among making broad brush strokes to add colour to the capital in that May 19/20 weekend activity.
The Roseau Paint-A-Thon is a new initiative by the Discover Dominica Authority which was first presented last year in partnership with Harris Paints Dominica Ltd with sponsorship from National Bank of Dominica Ltd.
The houses painted during last year’s exercise were located on Cork Street, King George V Street, and Laing Lane.
Those given a that colourful makeover included the home of the late Sir Clarence Seignoret – Dominica’s third President, and the offices of the Dominica National Council of Women.
GREAT WORK GUYS, KEEP IT UP.
By the way, I was actually born in that house at 23 Cork Street. It was just a shingle house then and we didn’t have railings on the step. We used to play kids domino on the step until all parents call kids to come inside because “all you doh see it get dark?” haha, It looks very pretty now.
I’m honestly hoping that as quickly as we want to destroy the buildings, we consider rebuilding with that French architecture. I so hate seeing “block style” buildings. By that I mean the hundreds of floors placed one on top the other with no beauty to them. Every country has them so it’s not like Roseau will stand out with them. But since we have drifted to promoting Creole as our culture (wanting to ignore all that is British), I encourage the rebuilding in the French style. When I watch photos of Roseau online, I marvel at the balconies. Takes me back to my youth. [By the way, anyone seen the photos of the 13 story building in China that snapped at the base and all 13 floors dropped on its side?]
they need to remove them old homes in roseau and those people living in the city and build some cite’s /apartment bulidings to house them, too many little ghetto areas in th Roseau.
this is a good idea. this island is beautiful but one of the most breathtaking places in the world is an island called Santorini in Greece. All the houses have been painted in the most lovely colours. When you enter the bay you can hear the tourist gasp at he stunning affect. Yep, just a can of paint does it. Gov’t should also step up to the plate and do something about the eyesore of thier own buildings in Roseau.
I like that the government is taking an interest in fixing up the capital, but I don’t agree with painting the old buildings. I suggest breaking them down and rebuilding in the same French style with the balconies etc, like Louisiana and Savannah Georgia do. That architecture is beautiful and when they’re well-kept it is jaw-dropping. I marvel at them every time we go to New Orleans. Keep the design but get rid of the rot and rebuild.
I think that all the old houses should be demolished and new structures constructed . Roseau looks so ugly with all those old wooden termite houses ,choose a sport with historic looking houses and tear down the rest, Don’t paint those ugly houses.
Sorry I love my country, but everytime I come and see the way “some people” in roseau keep and new town keep their homes it makes me sick. Don’t people weed anymore,and if a window is broken can’t they fix it. Can they not paint their roting homes and make it look decent,come on. They need to step up and stop depending on the government.
“…one walks into the town of Roseau.It is impossible to conceive a more distressing sight. Every house is in a state of decadence. There are no shops that can be properly so called; the people wander about chattering, idle and listless; the streets are covered with thick, rank grass; there is no sign of either money being made or of money making. Everything seems to speak of desolation, apathy and ruin. There is nothing, even in Jamaica, so sad to look at as the town of Roseau” (Anthony Trollope,during his visit to Dominica in 1859 on behalf of the British Post Office).
Fortunately,things have changed in the intervening 150 years plus but, if we are honest with ourselves, we can still discern some of the vestiges (….and smells!) of this dismal description. I’m very pleased Discover Dominica are taking this initiative to try and make a visit to Roseau a pleasurable experience. Time to roll up our sleeves and give them every support in this effort. I for one shall volunteer to handle a brush or roller….if they’ll have me!
When I read Anthony Trollope’s quoted comments about Roseau, I first thought I was reading about Roseau today. To be honest I don’t think much has changed at all. I suspect the sidewalks are worse now – presumably the cobble stones had only recently been laid in 1859. Visiting Roseau on any evening apart from Friday or Saturday is depressing beyond belief. I feel so sorry for overnight visitors. There is nowhere open, nothing to do and not a soul about. No wonder the number of overnighters just continues to drop and our hotels struggle. The paint-a-thon is a great initiative, but I am afraid just a drop in the ocean.
ST.Joe need some work done too that place is a Getto .
Agreed, but I would go one step further and ask that it is burnt down and rebuilt.
Paint job???
Those houses need to be torn down completely…Rats, termites, roaches. Sometimes you pass in front of an open door in Roseau and the kind of thick, rancid smell that coming out, sometimes I say to myself if those ppl don’t have asthma is a miracle.
Awesome! I would also suggest a refurb-a-thon or better yet a demolish-a-thon. Some of these old houses (areas) in the Capital have no historic values. Why not dictate (for lack of a better word :)) housing and infrastructure in Roseau. These new buildings are so ugly also. The owners takes no pride in the overall appearance of Roseau, they have no vision. We need a revolution in planning and housing or we could build houses that resembles trees and stone age. I mean who builds with no parking? Where are we to park? on the road?
That is why we have a planning department. If the new strucrtures do not fit the neighbourhood, they should not be approved. But this is Dominica where everybody does what suits them.
I want my house to paint to.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL JOB .I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR MANY YEARS CONCERNING GRAND BAY IN THE SECTION CALLED LALAY. I PASSED THERE AND THE PLACE THAT I KNEW WAS NO MORE THE SAME;I THOUGHT I WAS IN A GHOST TOWN . ONLY A LITTLE PAINTING CAN BRING A LITTLE SUNSHINE TO THIS PLACE. I KNOW THAT COST OF LIVING IS HIGH AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES TO MAKE ENDS MEET, BUT IF THE GOV’T , THE CARNIVAL ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS MEN CAN GIVE A HELPING HAND WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY.
I do indeed agree Lalay is a ghost town.while
people have built at the outskirts of Grand Bay
and have some beautiful houses. Lalay is depressing.I am almost certain that the people
would do something to enhance the appearance
but someone needs to initiate the the project
I use to support the “Pal Rep” but to me she
appears to be “non existing”The roads from Roseau
is good but the road from Tete Lalay to Tete Morne
is in deplorable. The painting of the houses
in Roseau is a good idea but again the street and the drains need to be refurbished. Eh!Rome was not
built in a day so I remain optimistic. I guess
little by litle we will get there.
Couln’t agree more. On that “Calvary” road to Tete Morne you pass through Montine.Don’t know what opinion people hold themselves who live there but I’ve never seen a more depressing sight. Can’t they stand up and demand that the genuine promise of improven, made by that could come with the new road to Souffriere by the late Pierre Charles, are honoured by his widow, who took over his mantle?
Ok, I am going to sound a bit harsh, I must at least admit that, but are we not fostering a culture of dependancy from the government when we do that? People in the town will no longer want to paint thier houses, waiting only for the officials to do it for them.
I , (and i am sure that i am not the only one), have a serious problem with the bunch of old houses in the middle of the town which tend to retard the development of Roseau as a city. There are low income houses which are vacant as we speak. Maybe we should start with the the houses which have been abandoned for a few years now and break them down to make way for a more developed Roseau. For far too Long, Roseau has been a joke as a nation’s capital because of these so called small character giving houses. We can keep one block as a historic block but the others should go. That is just my opinion.
Have no problem with authorities assisting in preserving our heritage. After all it is for us all to enjoy.
But it seems there is a white house they missed last year on Cork Street. Very good move.
Great idea! Let Roseau SHINE
i have been saying this for a long time if them ppl cannot paint their houses
good job. but please treat the old wooden houses for termite before u paint it. just a suggesstion. I believe the structure would last longer