FRIDAY, MAY 25: In celebration of Heritage Month, the Department of Parks, Ministry of Public Works, will host an open house at Fort St. Catherine, St George’s on Saturday, May 26 from 10am to 4pm.
Admission is free and the public is encouraged to come out and see the recently completed renovations and new exhibits at the fort.
MONDAY, MAY 7: A new look for a historic fort was on Friday unveiled.
A massive renovation programme at the 19th century Fort St Catherine in St George's is now complete — and Government Ministers Michael Weeks and Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith joined local schoolchildren to see the tourist attraction re-opened to the public.
Mr Weeks said that Fort St Catherine was probably the island’s best-known fort and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St George’s.
In the 1950s the First was originally turned into a tourist attraction, which once held a famous production of Macbeth starring Charlton Heston.
He added: “While Fort St Catherine has had some renovations and post-storm repairs over the years, several years ago it was decided that major refurbishments were needed to revamp the exhibits and ensure the safety of visitors.”
The concrete roof covering the ditch in front of the fort’s keep and copies of the Tower of London’s Crown Jewels have been put back on display.
In addition, historic guns have been either restored or sent for restoration, and better lighting has been installed to help provide a good setting for weddings and parties.
Mr Weeks praised the team that has worked on restoring the fort, which dates from the 19th century in its present form, to its former glory.
He added that other groups, including the Whitney Institute, the Department of Corrections and the Philippine Association had also pitched in to help in the restoration.
Mr Weeks said: “The team is very committed to showcasing the fort and have met with industry partners to increase the number of visitors to it.
“We also want to ensure both visitors and residents are informed about the cultural history of Fort St Catherine and other forts in the park system, such as Alexandra Battery and Town Cut Battery.
“I encourage everyone to come out and visit the newly-refurbished Fort St Catherine so that we might learn from and enjoy a link to our history and culture.”