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Dear Sir,
The Bermuda National Trust appeals to the Ministry of the Environment and the Corporation of Hamilton, as a matter of urgency, to complete the List of Special Architectural, Historical or Cultural Significant Buildings by including the City of Hamilton as soon as possible before more of Bermuda’s irreplaceable heritage is lost. Bermuda’s built heritage is one of our most important assets providing us with a physical record of our past but also representative of who we are today.
The City of Hamilton is going through a period of rapid change and development placing extreme pressure on historic and culturally significant areas. Throughout Bermuda, the method of preserving our built heritage and protecting it from such pressures is the Listing process. When, in 1991, the then Minister of the Environment began officially designating certain structures around the island as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance, unfortunately, with the exception of one structure in the city, the Anglican Cathedral, the list did not extend to Hamilton. Since that time no buildings from the city have been added.  
In 1988 the Bermuda National Trust initiated the Historic Building Survey that researched and surveyed the buildings present on the 1898 Savage map of Bermuda. Today we have 4,070 records of historic buildings in our database. It was with this research that in 1992 we compiled a list of buildings of special interest within the city that we felt should be considered for listing and presented it to both the Ministry of Environment and the Corporation of Hamilton.  In 2006, a revised list taking into account the buildings already lost was further submitted. Alexandria Hall was one building identified by these lists. It is a major building of the mid-nineteenth century, important as the site of the Oddfellows Lodge which played a central role in the development of the black community in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is in the north and east of Hamilton that many of the historically and culturally important buildings have been identified. The National Trust submitted an objection to the Planning Application for the 10 storey condominium hotel on this site. Sadly, the application is one of an increasing number of applications that we have seen in recent years that will result in the loss of buildings that we feel are worthy of being preserved.
A duty to act
Both the National Trust and the Government have a duty to ensure that the best examples of Bermuda’s heritage are preserved to tell the island’s collective and complete story, historically and culturally, and to pass this story on to future generations. It goes without saying that if the listing process does not extend to the city, this story cannot be complete. The current development plan for the City does not go far enough to preserve the City’s built heritage. The 2001 City of Hamilton Plan desperately needs to be reviewed to establish if the City can support ‘high rise’ development and if so, it must be identified where these buildings would be suitable but more importantly, it must also be established where such buildings would not be suitable. The historic buildings today that we see under threat represent and reflect the work of the craftsmen, artists and events of their time and are a vital part of the City of Hamilton and by extension, Bermuda’s identity.
The Bermuda National Trust would like to hear and work with anyone who is interested in the preservation of the City of Hamilton’s heritage. If you would like to be a part of this effort please email [email protected]
Bill Holmes (President) & Jennifer Gray, (Executive Director),
Bermuda National Trust[[In-content Ad]]

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