About Me

07-25-2006 (Welfare Building [the Old Eye Hospital])

Welfare Building (the Old Eye Hospital)
Bay Street, Barbados

This partial structure you see can be found throughout the West Indies in some shape or form. I am speaking of old historic buildings either in a state of neglect or complete dilapidation.

I am of the belief that the government has more to gain in the total restoration or renovation of its heritage buildings. Like Ecotourism, government can profit from Heritage Tourism. Many of them can be turned into museums or restored and used as office space. The architecture of these Great Houses and Public Buildings are magnificent. Yet more and more of them are being destroyed to make way for modern structures. Now in some areas the architecture is out of sync and causing landscape to look a bit out of place.

The Barbados National Trust cannot be the only entity in the quest to regain and retain some of our history. Government has to step in and make contributions to the cause. Imagine, in 2016, most children may not be able to see the Old Welfare Building, or many of the other architectural structures which are sure to be bulldozed.

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6 Comments

  1. Thanks God - i found your blog, beautiful pictures and stunned.
    greetings, bayu

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  2. Eileen10:47 PM

    I had the privilege to see this Marvelous Building while in port a couple months ago and have not been able to get it out of my head!!! I was immediately attracted to it. I have inquired several places about past and present interior and exterior photos as well as aquisition so it can be restored/preserved. Still waiting on answers and photos. I was overjoyed when I found your photos as I was only able to see it from the taxi window going to and coming from the beach...they are phenomenal!! If you have any others that show the entire building would you please let me know where to find them??? I have a dream and the Old Eye Hospital/Welfare Department is that dream!!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry about my tardy response, but here is a link with more images of the “Old Eye Hospital”. The property is boarded up and the interior is derelict. Hopefully it will be restored at some point.

      https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=84298009%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&tags=old%20eye%20hospital&view_all=1

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