A trip to two distinctly different areas in the city of
Port-of-Spain materialized urban planning theories studied in my Urban Geography
course. Evidence of Corbusier and Jane Jacobs were seen in both areas. St.
Clair and Belmont were explored and observations were made about the areas.
The first area
visited was St. Clair, one of the high end areas of Port-of-Spain. Recreational
facilities (parks, tennis courts, playgrounds), private and public, high
density and mixed use buildings were observed. Ministry offices, embassies, a police station and private hospital were all present in the area. Residence
observed had either high walls surrounding them, fences, barbwire and or security
cameras surveillance. However among the modern and administrative buildings, and
high walls, abandon lots and buildings were seen sticking out like sore thumbs,
some were of colonial styled architecture, but few residence and private business
offices still maintained the previously mention architecture among the
modernity of the majority of buildings. There were predominantly no pavements,
and verges lined the roadways, there was police patrolling the area at the
time, short streets, quiet roads and residents were unseen.
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| Image showing surveillance and barb wiring on wall in St. Clair |
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| Image of Ministry of Education in St. Clair |
What was liked about the area was the availability of
facilities within the area (hospital, police station, recreational) for the residents, and the
conservation of some colonial architecture. What was disliked was the fact that
persons who were using the recreational facilities were not residents of the
area, and the seriousness of this is that persons of the community prefer to
stay indoors than use the facilities provided to them, therefore preventing socialization. What needs to be
improved in the area is the sense of good neighborhood, with respect to socializing, the refurbishment of
old buildings, use of empty lots and replacement of verges with pavements.
Though similar in
some features, there is a distinction between the communities. In Belmont or previously
called Freetown by the ex-enslaved, the first suburb of Port-of-Spain, streets
are narrow, houses are close to one another, old buildings businesses like Laundromats
and bakeries are still erect but derelict. Some residences maintain old
architecture, and fences or walls surrounding homes were not tall as those in
St. Clair. There are several cultural buildings such as pan yards, and mas camps
like the Glendon Morris Copper Works and Mas Camp, in addition to a theater workshop
from since 1958, which conserves colonial architecture as well.
Aspects in Belmont which
were appreciated was the cultural vibrancy present from the architecture to
the Mas camps and pan yards. What was disliked were the exterior negative
stigma attached to the area, the concern of residents for better amenities, and the evidence of irregular garbage service. Revitalization
of old historic buildings, better utility services like water supply should be
done, additionally drainage planning to alleviate flooding and activities for young people should be embarked on.
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| Image of a narrow road in Belmont |
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| Image of an old architecture home with low surrounding wall |
According to Jane Jacobs a “good neighbourhood” should have mixed use, mixed blocks with different buildings of different ages
and conditions, streets with short blocks and numerous corners and a dense
concentration of people. When assessing St. Clair and Belmont, they both have
aspects of the first 3 principles in different degrees. However they differ
drastically in concentration of people. In comparison to St. Clair, Belmont has
more people due to the fact that the former has more ministry buildings and
embassies and a single residence in St. Clair can fit maybe 4-5 Belmont homes. It is in my opinion that evident communal activities such as persons of
an area using facilities in the area and conversing with neighbours makes a
successful neighbourhood. In addition to proper amenities for all residents.
