A glass half full- Port of Spain

Chinese Embassy, St Clair

Even though both St Clair and Belmont are close in proximity to each other and Port of Spain there are differences in socioeconomics, power regimes and opportunities. St Clair is seen as a postmodern type of neighbourhood. This is characterized by the modern architecture, homogenous streets, segregation and where residents see the street as a mere transport route. There is lack of conviviality, no sign of third spaces or social integration (Banerjee 2001).  There is also an absence of the appreciation of cultural and historical values. The only sites of history in this area consist of few paintings around the oval.

picture on the wall of the oval in St Clair

There are also highly politicized spaces with embassies, high end educational institutions and government offices exerting their presence of power and authority.

  In contrast Belmont is rich in history and culture which has shaped their urban planning and lifestyles. Having being established as the first suburban area from the establishment of villages such as Freetown from emancipated slaves and villages such as Radar village add depth and texture to the various layers of Belmont.

mass camp in Belmont

Even though Belmont has been one of the pioneers of urban spaces and the development of culture with mass and pan, it has been neglected and stigmatized by those in authority.  However, the interaction between these two places is an uneven struggle of the powerless, lower class and neglected against the powerful, upper class and recognized. A interaction which as lead the people of Belmont to find value within the uniqueness of their space , a uniqueness that people of St Clair may never understand or appreciate.

http://www.bestoftrinidad.com/communities/belmont.html

One of the things I like about St Clair is that it is very clean and it also has a lot of open spaces. However, I think there can be facilities to encourage community cohesion such as outside cafes, community centres, the creation of close third spaces. On the other hand I don’t like the distinct segregation of the neighbourhood, one of the downsides of modernity. This segregation based on socioeconomic status is increasing. In order to curb this phenomenon what can be done is to encourage the mixing of classes by offering affordable lots to low income persons. However, I don’t think this will be happening, or at least for any time soon. The reason for this assumption is that the presence of these different foreign embassies and political places has led to a top down structure of the neighbourhood, one that has to be pristine, well secured and modern.  On the other hand, there are so many things about Belmont that I like simply because it reminds me so much of home. The short streets, mixed buildings and diverse population allows for a vivacious neighbourhood rich in heritage and the development of a sense of security due to the close knit community relationship. The historical and cultural aspects of Belmont needs protecting, it is what makes this place unique; it is also what instills that pride within the residents.  One of the things that can be done to improve Belmont is the proper disposal of garbage and also improved facilities for young people to express their creative sides.

Jane Jacobs contributed greatly to urban planning, even thought she had no formal training in planning. Her ideas and theory were simple often referring to one’s observations of the interactions and what she referred to as an unrehearsed choreography of cities. She stated that cities have a “ballet of activities:” and said that real cities are those that confirmed to the following criteria (Kaldeway 2011);

ü  Mixed uses

ü  Mixed blocks with different buildings of different ages and conditions

ü  Streets with short blocks and numerous corners

ü  A dense concentration of people

While walking through the streets of St Clair and Belmont, I observed how contrasting they are in each of these characteristics put forward by Jane.

Mixed Uses

Sign on the Brazilian Embassy's Wall

When walking along the streets of St Clair I asked myself, why is it so empty when it is in such close proximity to the savannah, an open space which can foster community spirit and social capital? The streets of St Clair lack diversity in uses. 

As a result it seems as though the streets are only used as a corridor for passersby on their daily commute. There is clear segregation between residential, political and business districts. This segregation is also facilitated through the quiet policing observed in this neighborhood. An array of endless signs and structures instructing what can and cannot be done within particular spaces in the neighborhood.

German Embassy, St Clair

Prime Minister's Office, St Clair

As an outsider having come to this neighbourhood for the first ti me, I was amazed that numerous embassies were all located along a particular street within this neighbourhood.  Also the addition of the Prime Minister’s office, labels this part of St Clair as heavily politicized and a clear central region of power.

On the other hand Belmont was the complete opposite. There were bars, supermarkets, schools, shops, churches, businesses and residential dwellings all aligned in no particular order along the streets. There was also diversity in the age of the buildings, architecture and colours. These mixed uses depict how this space has changed through time, from the inception of emancipation to present. Jane argues that neighbourhoods that are varied in nature highlight complexity in their order. Thus, due to its many uses, the streets act as a binder of the cultural, historical and architectural aspects of Belmont.  Unlike St Clair there were people on the sidewalks “liming”, various characters bidding greetings as they pass along, a lady even stopped in her car to thank us for coming into Belmont and exploring its unseen treasures.  This variation in Belmont gives a sense of the daily operations of the people within different spaces in this place, Belmont (Kaldeway 2011).

Belmont

Mixed blocks with buildings of different ages and condition

Buildings in St Clair were very modern in nature in their architectural structure. In fact most buildings were homogenous in nature. Jacobs argues that neighbourhoods containing a lot of fancy buildings lead to a specific class of persons living there, reducing diversity in the people. Only those who can afford construction costs would occupy those nighbourhoods as in St Clair. 

St Clair

  The typical residential property observed in St Clair was characterized by high surrounding walls with barb wires, gates, well-trimmed hedges and green evenly cut lawns. This typical design of housing may be attributed to the cultural cannibalism of the American ideal image of a home (Lara 201). This homogeneity is preferred by modern architectures as variation is seen as hodgepodge.  However in St Clair there were some variation in the age of the homes but they are mixed in their localities. Thus, most homes seen in St Clair are newly built modern homes.

In Belmont there is a clear variation in houses of different ages and styles. It is evident that persons living in Belmont see these spaces as connections to important historical happenings which they see worth preserving. In addition to these historical buildings, the hillsides are dotted with mostly poorly built squatter homes. However, there are also newly built modern homes within Belmont.

Belmont

Belmont

Thus, due to this intermingling of variation of the characteristics of these spaces, there is a variety of persons living in Belmont. This variation between new and old, modern and historical allows businesses of different sizes to thrive, as the there is a mixed market.

Streets with short blocks and numerous corners

The presence and interaction between persons in a neighbourhood is definitely connected to the length of blocks and presence of street corners. The long streets of St Clair were isolated and stagnant, no activity nor interaction between residents, in fact there were no signs of residence unless they passed in their high end vehicles. 

Streets in St Clair

It was rather monotonous walking through the streets of St Clair. However, in Belmont the presence of these short blocks and frequent corners creates a space that is filled with excitement and spontaneity as one may encounter someone who they may engage in “a little old talk” with.

A dense concentration of people

St Clair is not densely populated, as a result I noticed while we were walking along that there were no supermarkets or shops that were nearby. The low density doesn’t provide the need to have these facilities in close proximity. On the other hand, in Belmont the densely populated area is catered to many shops, bars and food stalls. A more densely populated space creates more varied niches for residents. However it is important to note that even though St Clair is not as densely populated as Belmont they are provided with a water hydrant, while along the streets that I walked in Belmont I observed one dilapidated hydrant (Kaldeway 2011).

I must admit that I agree with Jane Jacobs to a great extent to what a good neighbourhood should be like. The characteristics she has described are the characteristics I grew up with in my neighbor and what is present in many neighbourhoods in the little tiny island of Bequia. These sorts of neighbourhoods in my opinion truly reflect “a Caribbean upbringing”. This sort of interaction between people and the spaces around them and how they value these unique species display that sort of Caribbean neighbourly hospitality and grounded values that is unique to all corners of the world.

References

Banerjee, Tribid, 2001. “The Future of Public Spaces- Beyond Invented Streets and Reinvented     Places.” Journal of American Planning Association 67:1.

Kaldeway, Heather. 2011.“Jane Jacobs: Urban Ideas.” Accessed March 22, 2014. http://urbanspacegallery.ca/exhibits/jane-jacobs-urban-ideas/jane-jacobs-urban-ideas.

Lara, Fernando. 2011. “New (Sub)Urbanism and Old Inequalities in Brazilian Central Communities.” Journal of Urban Design 16:3, 369-380.