A staple of Saint Lucia’s higher education shows appreciation for the efforts of the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP). Following a series of extreme weather events and disaster impacts, the Victor Archer Building had to be decommissioned in 2018. 2010’s Hurricane Tomas was one of those major events.

The historic structure, also referred to as the VAR building, belongs to the campus of The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College.

Rehabilitation Efforts were facilitated by the DVRP and completed by 2021. Interim Student’s Council President of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Alens Plante enjoys the new learning area.

“The space is now learning-friendly,” Plante admits. “This morning I was seated in the classroom, and I saw how updated the infrastructure was, the flooring, the walls, the windows and everything is at the school. I would hope that one day the other buildings, maybe the LFT or the OTW would reflect that of the VAR building.”

While the building is an example of a modernised educational facility, the historic character was maintained. Construction was completed by Mega Constructing Inc. Caribbean Consulting Engineers produced the design, while LCC Group supervised construction. One of the school’s teachers, Khalidd Vidal expresses appreciation for the new learning facility.

“I think it is a fantastic building here at this school, good amenities, bathrooms are quite an improvement from what was once there. I mean the classrooms now televisions projectors and all that sort of thing, I think even AC in one or two classrooms. That is a huge improvement from what was previously there,” Vidal says.

The DVRP is a World Bank Group funded project aimed at increasing Saint Lucia’s resilience to extreme weather events and climate change.