Saint Lucians are being offered a rare first look at a collection of sculptures destined for the ocean floor, as the island moves ahead with plans to develop a new underwater attraction celebrating its history, culture and heritage.
The sculptures will eventually be installed at Anse La Verdue in Canaries as part of a wider underwater sculpture park corridor being developed to strengthen Saint Lucia’s dive tourism product. The corridor will comprise three attractions — a Dive Park, Snorkel Park and Conservation Park.
Before the sculptures disappear beneath the sea, however, the public will have an opportunity to see them up close during a free two-day national exhibition at the Odsan Warehouse, opposite the Odsan Playing Field, on August 29 and 30. The exhibition will showcase the collection created for the Dive Park and give Saint Lucians an opportunity to see how local history and cultural identity will be incorporated into the underwater experience.
Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire said a key element of the project is ensuring Saint Lucians have ownership of the way the country’s story is presented to visitors. According to Hilaire, local artists and community creatives contributed the ideas from which the sculptures were developed, allowing Saint Lucians themselves to help define how the country’s history and heritage will be represented.
He said the intention is for divers to come away from the park with not only a greater understanding of Saint Lucia’s history, but also an appreciation of the resilience of its people, the richness of its culture and the importance of protecting that heritage for future generations.
The initiative represents another effort to broaden Saint Lucia’s tourism offering beyond its traditional land-based attractions, using the country’s cultural story as part of the experience beneath its waters.
The public exhibition will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on August 29 and 30, with admission free.
