76.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesHOVENSA STEPS UP AS HERITAGE TRAIL SPONSOR

HOVENSA STEPS UP AS HERITAGE TRAIL SPONSOR

Oct. 9, 2001 – Hovensa will be the first site partner on the St. Croix Landmarks Society’s Heritage Trail, with the adoption of the Estate Anna's Hope ruins.
The giant oil refining company will sponsor the cleaning, landscaping and restoration of the ruins, one of the many historic sites along the 72-mile St. Croix Heritage Trail.
The announcement is part of Hovensa’s ongoing support of the St. Croix Landmarks Society, including being a major sponsor of the Heritage Trail, Nancy Finegood, society executive director, said. The company donated the funds to purchase the road signposts that identify the trail route.
The Landmarks Society and Hovensa are entering into the cooperative stewardship of the 3.5-acre Estate Anna’s Hope site located next to the Public Works Department facility on Centerline Road, Finegood said. The area was initially cleared last year with a grant from the Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission. The project will be ongoing for several years due to the condition of the site.
"The agreement with Hovensa will ensure the perpetual maintenance and further development of this historic site," Finegood said. "Future plans include signs and photographs interpreting the site’s history. It is hoped that the property owner, the Department of Human Services, will remain a partner in this effort."
A three-year site-development plan for Anna’s Hope will be drawn up with input from the landscaping firm Antilles Design Group, Heritage Trail staff, Hovensa’s Employee Planning and Outreach Committee, and Human Services.
Hovensa's president, Rene Sagebien, said he hopes to enlist the company's employees and contractors to volunteer their time to the project.
Finegood said she approached Hovensa about adopting the ruins and is happy the company will be helping to clean up the site. She said she hopes that other organizations will adopt sites and follow Hovensa’s lead in contributing to the community.
The Landmarks Society received $25,000 in funding for the Heritage Trail from the Federal Highway Administration through the Public Works Department. Part of the grant is funding several Heritage Trail publications, the St. Croix Heritage Trail's web site at www.stcroixheritagetrail.com, and the design and construction of several scenic pullovers and overlooks along the trail.
Meanwhile, the Landmarks Society has recently named Pedra Chaffers as new project coordinator for the Heritage Trail. She can be contacted at the Heritage Trail office at 69 King Street in Frederiksted. The telephone number is 713-8563.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.