Redevelopment of the Mission Lodge heritage site |17 April 2015

Firms’ pledge of support augurs well for project

A project to redevelop the Mission Lodge heritate site at Sans Souci is underway with the construction of extra parking facilities on land situated opposite to the entrance to the site.

The Seychelles Heritage Foundation (SHF) has said the new parking, which is being built by local construction firm United Concrete Products Seychelles (UCPS), is a strong encouragement towards its current redevelopment plan for the site.

In fact, the UCPS company headed by Joe Albert is one of the first major contributors from the private sector to respond to a call which has been made for the business community to take part in the redevelopment and preservation of the Mission Lodge site, one of Seychelles’ most significant heritage properties.
 
The Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange and the chief executive of the SHF Patrick Nanty have led a group of destination management companies (DMCs) to the site and also held meetings with local contractors to see how they can contribute towards this redevelopment plan.

Besides UCPS’ involvement in the construction of the parking facilities, further donations have been pledged by other building companies towards the construction of other facilities while discussions for the involvement of one of Seychelles’ major hotel establishments in the project are highly promising.
In addition to a larger parking facility, the redevelopment of the site entails construction of an adequate reception and visitor information centre which will include a gallery, snacks and refreshment outlet and toilet and washroom facilities.

It will also be a venue to provide information on Venn’s Town, which has been earmarked to become a Unesco world heritage site.

Additionally, the redevelopment will include both enhancement of the panoramic views from the site, cleaning the ruins and setting up a permanent exhibition in the alley as well as improving sitting facilities and labelling of the endemic plants.

The Mission Ruins heritage site is one of Seychelles most valuable heritage properties from both environmental and cultural perspective. Located within the Sans Souci Morne Seychellois National Park, it is home to a rich variety of endemic plants. As such it provides for both a cultural and a natural heritage landscape. The site has over the years captivated the admiration and imagination of so many visitors both locally and from afar.  Its history lies at the very heart of a particular period of the history of human kind and tells both a cruel story of enslavement but also one of human compassion.  To many, from the artist to the casual visitor, it is a place of extreme symbolism, serenity and inspiration.  As one of Seychelles’ most valuable heritage assets, it is important for the Mission site to project a more iconic visual impact, hence the redevelopment plan.