- PHOTOS BY BARRY RATTRAY
LEFT: Liguanea Terrace Hotel, back in the days but the death of a child in the pool there was the death of the hotel shortly after. RIGHT: Scotiabank, Liguanea was the home of the Liguanea Terrace Hotel.Barry Rattray, Contributor
TODAY CURIOSITY and determined investigation takes us to number 125-127 Old Hope Road, the Liguanea branch of Scotiabank.
It's a lovely structure seen at any angle and appropriate in scale. Let us pause for a minute ... and go back in time before the early 1970s.
Do you remember, or did you know that this banch stands on the foundations of the former Liguanea Terrace Hotel? A home away from home. Designed as a series of flats and bungalows among many coconut trees in an informal setting, highlighted by lots of bamboo decoration for architectural detailing. The property boasted 40 comfortable rooms, cooled by air conditioning units of natural mountain breeze.
The proprietress of the Liguanea Terrace Hotel was Florence Butz, born in Wisconsin, U.S.A. She was actively involved as chairman and Trustee of Housecraft Training Centre in the 1960; president of the former Pilgrim Club and a founder of the Women's Club. She was married to geologist and businessman of Wisconsin, Walter Butz. She
and her husband lived on the property.
Unfortunately, as fate would have it, tragedy struck! A child visiting from overseas drowned in the pool, and the hotel did not survive much longer.
Liguanea was never the same again; Its architectural face changed forever.
Barry Rattray is an architectural designer and builder.
