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Butterfield Bank donates $150,000 to Victoria Park bandstand restoration

Tim Smith
Created: Apr 03, 2009 11:00 AM
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Just like ne Chris Struthers and Fraser White from Charles Laing & Sons Ltd. work on securing a decorative brace on the newly refurbished gazebo in Victoria Park yesterday.
Victoria Park's bandstand will be good for another 100 years following its recent restoration.Corporation of Hamilton Superintendent Stephen DeSilva spoke of the renovation carried out after a $150,000 donation from the Bank of Butterfield — its first complete makeover since it was constructed in 1887.The bandstand, made of cast iron in Scotland to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, arrived in Bermuda a year later and was installed in Victoria Park in 1889.

Victoria Park's bandstand will be good for another 100 years following its recent restoration.

Corporation of Hamilton Superintendent Stephen DeSilva spoke of the renovation carried out after a $150,000 donation from the Bank of Butterfield — its first complete makeover since it was constructed in 1887.

The bandstand, made of cast iron in Scotland to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, arrived in Bermuda a year later and was installed in Victoria Park in 1889.

It was sent back to the original Scottish foundry Charles Laing and Sons last year, to be restored using nineteenth century techniques.

Mr. DeSilva said in a statement: "There are no replacement components. What you see is the original bandstand painstakingly put back together. That corrugated tin roof was replaced with the exact type of steel.

"Charles Laing and Sons are the experts in their field. That is all they do. They have restored around 40 bandstands throughout the years.

"I am very proud and very pleased the bank wanted to be part of this restoration. It had never been done before. It was very civic-minded, because it is used by the general public. You have assured it will be here for another 100 years."

Bank of Butterfield president Alan Thompson said: "Making valuable contributions to the communities that we call home has been a practice of Butterfield for the past 150 years.

"Victoria Park would not have been the same without its historic bandstand. We hope everyone in Bermuda enjoys the restoration of this Hamilton landmark."

Leaving behind history: In celebration of Bermuda's 400th anniversary and in recognition of the recently restored Victoria Park bandstand, a time capsule ceremony was thrown by The Corporation of Hamilton, The Bank of Butterfeild and attended by eight local area schools who were invited to place items, they felt are important, into the capsule which was then sealed under the bandstand not opened until 2109. after which the Bank donated one hundred thousand dollars to the Corporation of Hamilton.