The Derek Walcott Square. Photo credit: freephotooftheday.clientk.com.
Did you know that the public space located in Central Castries and measuring approximately two acres in extent was established in the 1760s?
This public space was called Place d’Armes, then Promenade Square, and was formally renamed Columbus Square on January 01, 1893.
However, the Honourable Derek Alton Walcott won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992 and the Columbus Square was officially renamed the Derek Walcott Square on January 23, 1993. That is exactly 100 years after the last name change.
The most prominent feature of the Derek Walcott Square is the gigantic Saman Tree which is over 425 years old.
St. Lucia News Online welcomes our readers to this new feature which will run every Tuesday and Thursday. It is written by daughter of the soil Anselma Aimable, a former agricultural officer and former correspondent for Caribbean Net News, who has a deep interest in local culture and history. Send ideas and tips to doublea@candw.lc.