San Fernando Hill

Protests by citizens' groups led to a halt to quarrying and the Hill was included in the National Parks and Protected Areas plan of 1980.

When visiting the centre, one can look out over a commanding view of south and central Trinidad, the Gulf Of Paria, and on a clear day, the coast of nearby Venezuela.

During the late 1980s the then mayor of San Fernando, Dr. Romesh Mootoo suggested that the City Hall be removed to the Hill, calling it the Acropolis of the Caribbean.

During the Christmas season, a large star, lit electrically, can be seen all over the surrounding area, from its place on the San Fernando Hill.

Based on the Masters research of Tyrone Kalpee, (now of BP), an innovative plan for the restoration of the bare-rock surface of the formerly quarried areas (which make up about 3/4 of the Hill) was developed based on Leucaena leucocephala, a fast-growing leguminous tree species.