There is Fern Gully. It is losing some of its glory, but is still a cool and dark avenue of majestic ferns.
'Shahine
Robinson, the sitting MP [NE St Ann], has repeatedly expressed the view that the tourism product needs to be marketed more efficiently and
effectively, which is largely the
view being expressed by her party, in order to
fill existing hotel rooms. According to her,
the
Dunn's River Falls is over-used while
Fern Gully as an attraction is dead and that despite the
desire to attract more
tourism investments, the lack of a sound
economic environment has
made the climate
unattractive to investors.' (Gleaner, 2002)
Jamaica Labour Party
Manifesto 2002
#14 Build a by-pass road around Fern Gully and develop Fern Gully into an international botanical attraction (with heliconias, gingers, and other botanical varieties) with stops at local boutique restaurants and craft shops. The area would be spectacularly lit at night.
Jamaica Labour Party
Manifesto 2007
11.7 Transformation of Fern Gully
Reroute traffic currently traversing Fern
'Fern Gully was green, lush and wonderfully tranquil.'
Barbara Gloudon, Jamaica Observer, November 11, 2005
'If Fern Gully goes, what next?
I guess that's up there on the level with everything else.
For if you don't care about your brother, how can you be expected to care about the land!'
. . . and that about says it all.
.................................................................................................
Jamaica suffered immense damage following the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav on Thursday and Friday, August 28 and 29 respectively.
Out in St. Ann, the Fern Gully road which links St. Ann to St. Catherine and the north coast was also blocked by debris.
In November there were newspaper reports that sections of Fern Gully will be repaved with concrete next year.
the completion of the planned expansion of the island's road network:
National Road Operating and Constructing Company
The
National Road Operating and Constructing Company
(NROCC), holder of the toll
concession for
Highway 2000, will seek to facilitate the
expansion of the road network
across the
island during 2007/08. Phase 1a of the
project which covers the highway from
Kingston to Sandy Bay, Clarendon is now
completed and the Company plans to commence
Phase 1b, which links Sandy Bay to
Williamsfield, Manchester this year. Other roads will
also be upgraded, including Marcus
Garvey Drive
to relieve the congestion resulting from
the opening of the Portmore leg of the
highway in July 2006. The Mount Rosser
Bypass of
25 kilometer is also
projected to commence during the year, as
well as the Rio Cobre Gorge
Bypass (10 km) and the Fern Gully Bypass (15 km).
In
addition, NROCC has undertaken rehabilitation work on the Portmore, Mandela and
Washington Boulevard
roadways. The Portmore rehabilitation work is
almost completed and
work is presently being
done on the others. These projects are
to be completed at a total cost
of US$132.5 million.
Whenever the 'Fern Gully Bypass' is finally constructed - indicated on the map by the chequered black and white line - the existing route from Moneague into Ocho Rios through Fern Gully should lose its long-standing status as a main road for traffic to the North Coast.
If this actually happens sometime in the next few years the opportunity will exist to put into effect some of the plans mooted over the years to restore Fern Gully as the unique attraction it once was more than a century ago.
