Seven not so magnificent

THE EDITOR: Our magnificent seven do not look so magnificent anymore. Killarney (Stollmeyer’s Castle)  once so beautifully restored, now has the shabby look of a public service office, with sheets of paper attached to the door. A drive past makes you want to weep. Why can”t  government assist those buildings that  are privately owned with soft loans?  It is more of a financial burden to restore these beautiful old homes than almost any private family could afford. But doing so  means the salvation of homes that have been aptly identified as “magnificent”.

In old San Juan Puerto Rico, soft Government  loans transformed the old city ghetto into a beautiful, desirable section reminiscent of earlier, elegant days. Home owners saw the value of their homes soar as Old San Juan  became the residential area of choice, and a must- see tourist attraction. Who else has benefited? Merchants, artists, craftspeople, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, and Government coffers. If memory serves me correctly, the loan rate was three percent as long as restoration guidelines were adhered to. If our Magnificent Seven homes were restored, they could be furnished appropriately. Guided tours could be instrumental in defraying costs and they would be a venue for interested tourists. A haven of history. We have no restored areas in Port of Spain. Some buildings have been attractively restored, but we’ve missed the boat as a place where both citizens and tourists can gather for a dose of old-time charm. Can’t we identify some area of Port-of-Spain as a cultural area in harmony with the past, similar to the French quarter in New Orleans?

JANICE HERNANDEZ
Glencoe