Determined that St. George's will become the Island's number one tourism site, the recently formed St. George's Foundation has already embarked on an ambitious plan to preserve the town's unique heritage and ensure a vibrant future that will benefit town residents -- and all of Bermuda.

"We want people to come to Bermuda to see St. George's,'' exclaims Louis Mowbray, chairman of the Foundation, who is convinced that the full potential of the oldest, continually inhabited town of the New World, has yet to be realised.

To that end, he feels the Foundation, set up last year, will go a long way in accomplishing its two-pronged mission to preserve the town's past, as well as stimulate development as a major tourism centre of the future.

Mr. Mowbray is working closely with St. George's Corporation secretary Larry Jacobs, and Stanley Kennedy, head of SGK Urban Design Association.

The Foundation's two main roles are to raise funds to support the Heritage Plan to restore the town's streets and to set up a revolving fund that will be used to purchase and restore derelict buildings. It is anticipated that these two initiatives will require funding of around $1 million per year for the next five years.

Mr. Jacobs reveals that the present projects grew out of the Heritage Plan incentive: "The Corporation and the Foundation are separate entities,'' he emphasises, "but we share the same aims. St. George's has also now established close ties with Lyme Regis in England which we believe will be of enormous mutual benefit. The success of this whole exercise is, of course, dependent on the support of businesses and individuals.'' The re-paving of Customs House Square, Barbers Alley, and the Town Gateways were completed before formation of the Foundation. "Last week, Pound Alley was completed, thanks to a donation from the Spurling family.

"There have been generous donations from Government and the Bank of Bermuda's Centennial Trust. The Foundation and St. George's Historical Society are combining to pave Featherbed Alley. When the utilities have been placed underground, we'll be tackling the area behind St. Peter's Church,'' says Mr.

Jacobs.

In the year ahead, they also hope to re-pave remaining stretches of Water Street, York Street, Church Lane, Broad Alley, and Clarence Street. Smith's has also made a small piece of property behind its store available for use as a public garden, a project overseen by the Garden Club of Bermuda.

Future plans also envisage a Heritage Centre to provide information on St.

George's, its historic surrounding forts, and on Bermuda in general.

"The Foundation was set up as a result of one of the researches undertaken by the St. George's Heritage Plan of 1995,'' explains Mr. Mowbray: "We see ourselves as providing support for the development and restoration of the town, so our first fundraising efforts are to help provide `old' paving blocks and lighting for streets and alleyways.

"Of course, before this is done, utilities wiring has to be put underground and Government is funding that part of the scheme. Secondly, a `revolving' fund will be set up -- along the lines used so successfully in Charleston, (South Carolina) and Savannah (Georgia) -- to buy properties that are in ruins, or derelict, restore them, and then re-sell and use the funds again.

"In that way, the money goes in and out. The beauty of the plan is that we don't have to maintain the buildings and it keeps St. George's as a living town rather than a museum.'' Mr. Mowbray says architect/designer, Mr. Kennedy, "keeps us all in line to make sure that we are faithful to the vision of the plan. As a designer, he is responsible for the visual beauty of the schemes.'' Mr. Kennedy, who has spent many years working in the US and Jamaica, has been practising here since 1985 as a designer and developer. "We're very glad to have him back.'' He in turn, is happy with the quality of the stone which comes from Wales: "It's composite stone, tumbled on the sides to give an `old' look. It's quite a complicated process to lay them as they are set in sand,'' he explains.

The Foundation sees its other role as being just as important. This is to act as a facilitator: "For instance,'' says Mr. Mowbray, "the town is very short of accommodation, so we'll be playing a role through, hopefully, the renovation of the former Club Med and increasing bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

"Also, we are concerned about the retail sector, which is suffering very badly. We believe,'' he adds, "that we should perhaps specialise in things that are special to St. George's, so we've been exploring the idea of training local artisans -- such as potters, or silversmiths -- and locating them in public places in the St. George's area, especially in summer time, to attract more people. This could involve reproduction of silver, china, or even furniture that could be produced under licence.'' The Foundation has received help from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation on the development of artisan schemes. "We've also received very valuable help from the Maritime Museum at Dockyard, the National Trust and the Aquarium.'' Foundation administrator, Louise Anfossi, reveals the long-term goals include the provision of more recreational space, improved landscaping and `greening' of the town, better walking tours, improved signs and "perhaps, looking into the idea of costumed interpreters.'' The public meanwhile, can keep abreast of all the latest developments at a public meeting being held tomorrow, March 5, at the Penno's Wharf Cruise Ship Terminal at 7.30 p.m.

The public will be introduced to members of the Foundation and brought up to speed on future projects such as: The development of consistent lighting, benches, and decorative street work for selected areas of the Town, including Town Square, Water Street, York Street, Pound Alley, Barber's Alley, and Custom's House Square; provisions for more heritage-based activities including re-enactments and archeological digs; creation of a traffic management scheme, including larger carparks; development of a continuous waterfront promenade; Barely one year into its mandate, the St. George's Foundation is well into its ambitious plan to preserve the town's unique heritage and put St. George's on the international tourism map as the oldest continually inhabited English settlement in the New World.

Royal Gazette reporter Patricia Calnan takes a look at the Foundation's mission, at what's been accomplished to date, and what's in store for the town.

SQUARE ON HISTORY -- Special attention is to be paid to the historic heart of St. George's -- King's Square -- which serves as the focal point for most community activities.