Lover’s Leap heartbreak
Historic attraction faces major rebuild after Hurricane Beryl
Published:Monday | July 8, 2024 | 12:08 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter
Though visibly distressed by the wreckage that Hurricane Beryl caused on the historic property, the management of Lover’s Leap in Yardley Chase, St Elizabeth, is resolute in their efforts to restore the attraction to its former glory.
Perched atop a 1,700-foot cliff, offering breathtaking views of the sea and featuring a restaurant and bar, the picturesque attraction lies in ruins following severe structural damage inflicted by the Category 4 storm.
The intense rainfall and turbulent winds demolished the roof of the building, causing damage to furniture and fittings as it collapsed.
Outside, recently renovated gazebos intended for a weekend wedding lie flat.
“Everything is totally gone. The only thing we have left right now is just walls. The roof is pretty much gone, the lawns, all the trees outside, the gazebos, everything is gone,” bemoaned Manager Owen Rowen.
The statue of the enslaved lovers, who are said to have jumped to their deaths from the location and inspired its name, and the famous lighthouse are the only two structures that stood against the assault of the tempest.
Looted after storm
Adding to their angst, Rowen said, is the fact that all the attraction’s stock was looted in the aftermath of the hurricane.
He estimates the total loss to be approximately $15 million.
Operations Manager David Thompson acknowledged that they anticipated some damage because of the location and made the necessary preparations.
“I don’t think we could have done anything else,” he said. “From a geographical perspective, the hurricane eyewall was slated to pass right by the south coast, and Lover’s Leap is perched 1,700 feet above … with the winds coming at us. I kinda figured that it wouldn’t be easy.”
Jason Ricketts, the attraction’s marketing and promotions manager, shared that in the last three years, the team transformed the attraction into a tourism hotspot on the southern coast by modernising the facility and hosting frequent concerts while maintaining its heritage.
Stressing the importance of the national heritage site to the community, Ricketts is confident that it will bounce back.
“We can’t just sit back and just relax and allow things to go out like that. The community is behind us, and we are looking forward to rebuilding. We are resilient, we’re St Elizabeth people, we are strong,” he said.
Sharing that all 15 employees at the attraction are from the community, Ricketts noted the economic impact the attraction’s temporary closure would have on residents.
“We have a unique form of tourism in St Elizabeth. It’s called community tourism, where the community is involved in the whole visitation process of the tourist to the community, so it’s very horrible for them. We employ people from the community, including our chefs, our waitresses, and they are without a job now,” he said.
No timeline for the completion of the repair process has been determined so far.
At the same time, Rowen lauded community members for their support in the restoration process.
“They were the first ones that pretty much called us, met us at the front of of the road … . We couldn’t even access the roads to get here. They helped us to access the road, and they have been supporting us … . We appreciate them reaching out to us. With their help, we will be picking up all the pieces, and trust me, we will be back very soon,” he said.