A child-more than all other gifts that earth can offer to decliningman, brings hope with it and forward looking thoughts.

William Wordsworth’s Silas Mana.

On Monday January 19, 2015 Grenada’s “hope and forward looking thoughts” became manifest as twenty six young students from Grade 3 age 7 – 8 years, with their teachers from the Westmorland Junior School welcomed a Willie Redhead Foundation representative into their classroom.

Perhaps it is not by chance that the teachers of our youths are becoming the medium by which we would eventually protect and preserve our heritage for future generations, as the Junior School Supervisor – Mrs. Mariza James puts it: “Our focus for independence this year is to educate our students and parents in the value and the importance of preserving our heritage, historical sites and our traditions in Grenada.”

While the overall 41st independence anniversary theme for the school is heritage awareness and protection, the specific item of the theme for Grade 3, is to research the Sendall Tunnel. It was in this regard therefore that the tWRF presentation was made, but in order to put the subject matter into its proper historical perspective, the students were taken on an historical journey, beginning with the occupation by France in 1650 and the establishment of the first town in Grenada called Port Louis in that year.

The students were informed that because of the instability of the Port Louis site, when the land began to submerge, the town was relocated in 1705 to its present site. Development of the new town was (being)undertaken at both the Carenage (the port) and at the Bay (Bay Town), and goods and materials arriving at the Carenage had to be transported to the Bay via Young Street up to Canash Hill, then down Halifax Street onto the Bay by mule, donkey or man power, and vice versa in the case of exported products.

In order to avert this daily laborious task, the then Governor Sir Walter Sendall commissioned the building of the tunnel in 1894. It was completed in 1895 and bears his name.

The tunnel is hewed out of solid igneous rock, it is about 140 feet long and about ten feet high at the pointed arch apex and approximately 12’-0” wide. In its 120 years existence it has had no structural maintenance, and is regarded as a major Engineering Project and heritage site, which stands testimony to our Grenadian construction expertise.

Happy 41st Independence anniversary.