- Our Lady of Fair Haven Cathedral in Roseau, Dominica, got a new hurricane-resistant roof
- The roof used 60 tonnes of steel made by UK firm REIDsteel
- The renovation took 15 years of preparation and fundraising
- The whole project was estimated at EC$12.4 million
The Roman Catholic cathedral in Roseau, Dominica, received a new hurricane-resistant roof as part of a long restoration, Dominica News Online reported in April 2017.
The roof for Our Lady of Fair Haven Cathedral was made by REIDsteel, a steel construction company based in Christchurch, Dorset, in the United Kingdom. Kings Worldwide Ltd, its Caribbean distributor, bought and supplied the materials. The structure used 60 tonnes of steel, including 44 tonnes of galvanised structural steel and 15 tonnes of purlins and ceiling supports.
Fitting modern steel into an old masonry building was not simple. Project engineer Richard Hanson said: “The accurate survey work provided by the Diocesan Engineer, Mr Bernard Lauwyck, helped us overcome” differences in tolerances between steel and traditional masonry. REIDsteel had previously worked on 17 buildings in Dominica, including three churches.
Bishop Gabriel Malzaire led the Catholic community’s effort. The renovation took 15 years of preparation and fundraising, and the whole project was estimated at EC$12.4 million, with completion expected in 2018.
Months after this report, Hurricane Maria struck Dominica in September 2017. Jamaica’s churches, after Beryl and Melissa, face the same question of how to rebuild so the next storm does less damage. Engineered steel roofs, careful surveys and long-term fundraising were part of Roseau’s answer. Diaspora Jamaicans supporting church rebuilds should ask what standard the new roof is built to, not only what it costs.
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