Kemisha Simpson
After being neglected for over nine years, the deteriorated historic Ocho Rios Courthouse will now finally be restored, and then utilized as an Ocho Rios office for the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO). In its heyday, the courthouse that held Resident Magistrate Court sessions for the Ocho Rios area was filled with residents of Ocho Rios and adjoining communities , such as Colegate, Mile End, Beecher Town, Exchange, Shaw Park Heights, among others. Walking past the building while court was in session, police officers would be heard calling the names of those who were documented to appear in court that day.People had to desist from excessive noise when near the courthouse while it was in session, and drivers had to refrain from overly honking the horns of their vehicles when passing. It was a quiet zone when court was in session.
The cream coloured courthouse with burgundy roof, beams and windows, has wooden features, and is of Georgian style architecture. Built in the 1890’s, the Ocho Rios Courthouse is seen as a landmark, however, since its closure in April 2005 by the Ministry of Justice due to rising safety concerns, proper care for the courthouse and the premises had ceased and, as a result, the courthouse and the property have been in a deplorable state. Unkempt grass made matters worse. From the entrance, a pathway once gravelled had overgrown with grass, and the thick grass spilled onto the sidewalk. The smell of mildew and mould filled the air. Dust laid over every surface. The wooden features of the courthouse were rotting. The paint on the walls slowly peeled off.
The strained beams holding up the decaying balcony seemed to be holding on for dear life. The abandoned Ocho Rios Courthouse looked worn out, as if it was falling apart. The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) will now restore the 124-year- old Ocho Rios Courthouse and relocate their present Ocho Rios TPDCO office from shop # 3 on the Ocean Village Shopping Centre, to the former courthouse once the renovation is complete. TPDCO will utilize the upper floor of the building, while the ground floor will be used as a reception area and a small museum. The town of Ocho Rios will be the main focus of the museum. The Tourism Product Development Company is a registered private company that is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, and its vision involves “contributing to a diverse, enhanced tourism product and visitor experience, resulting in an improved quality of life for all Jamaicans.”
John Marsh, regional coordinator at TPDCO for the St.Ann, St. Mary and Portland divisions stated that restoring the courthouse and using it as a TPDCO Ocho Rios office will provide much needed space, and will also add to the beautification of the town. He added that residents of Ocho Rios will also benefit from this change as access to the office will become easier. Mr. Marsh said, “It will be easier to access TPDCO than it is now. The parking area is bigger…., and I think that it (TPDCO) will have more use.”
SECOND PHASE
Workmen were seen in recent months on the property of the courthouse cutting the overgrown grass and cleaning up the area. The property was also fenced off and a large black gate was placed at the entrance to stop the public from entering the property. John Marsh stated that the renovation of the building and the property was done in phases. He said, “The first phase was to secure the property. So a fence was built, and we have a watchman there now and its easier for him to control it since the gates are locked. That was the first phase.” Mr. Marsh went on to say, “The second phase is to get engineers to do a study on the building to see what sort of condition it’s in. We have already done the architectural drawings so we’re waiting on an engineer to see what structural work we’ll have to do inorder to go through with the architectural work.”
Mr. Marsh emphasized that the Georgian style architecture of the building will be preserved. He said that the only change that will be made to the historic building, where its original features are considered, is the enclosing of the building’s back verandah. “The funds for this sort of restoration has to come from TEF (Tourism Enhancement Fund), and when we have got all the documents in hand — the structural integrity documents, the architectural documents and of course the costing…all the documents regarding the construction. Then and only then we will be able to get money from TEF.”
NOT THE ISSUE
Attorney- at- law and columnist for the North Coast Times Linton P. Gordon, who has voiced his opinion about Ocho Rios needing a courthouse, said that it’s not an issue if the courthouse is repaired and turned into a TPDCO Ocho Rios office, rather than back into an active Resident Magistrate Court for the town of Ocho Rios. Mr. Gordon said, “Whatever they use it for is not the issue, the issue is that Ocho Rios needs a courthouse. Maybe it’s a good time to build a proper courthouse, and they (TPDCO) can keep that one as their office because physically it’s no longer adequate for a courthouse given the explosion in the population in Ocho Rios. Mr Gordon said that while the building might have been adequate 20 years ago, “it’s not adequate anymore. So fine they can keep that as their office but for heaven’s sake build a proper courthouse in Ocho Rios.” Peta- Gaye Wilson, a resident of Ocho Rios, stated that she believes it’s a good idea for the TPDCO to renovate the old courthouse and use it as their Ocho Rios office.
She said, “It’s good in the fact that they will refurbish it and they won’t change the style because it’s an historic site.” Having gone from being a serviceable Resident Magistrate Court in Ocho Rios for many years, then later becoming an abandoned building that was deteriorating for over nine years, to now being repaired for use as tourism related office it can be said that the Ocho Rios Courthouse has had an eventful journey since its construction, 124 years ago.
