The document proposes relocating the Holy Trinity Primary School in Barbuda to a safer site in Louis Hill after the original school was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The new site would be on a 15-acre plot approximately 15 feet higher in elevation, offering better protection from storm surges and potential tsunamis. The proposed new school complex would include classrooms, a cafeteria that could also serve as a hurricane shelter, and sporting facilities. Locating the school at the new site would create an educational district when combined with the nearby secondary school, allow for future expansion, and encourage development of housing in the safer Louis Hill area.

1. HOLY TRINITY PRIMARY
SCHOOL - BARBUDA
PROPOSAL FOR RELOCATION TO A SAFER SITE
1st June, 2018
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2. HOLY TRINITY PRIMARY SCHOOL
BARBUDA
Proposal for Relocation to a Safer Site
INTRODUCTION
In September, 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Barbuda. Most
homes and public buildings were severely affected by the impact of the category
5+ storm. The Holy Trinity Primary School was one of the many public
structures that sustained major hurricane damage. Consequently, the
Dominican Republic Government, in a major humanitarian effort, expressed its
willingness to construct a new primary school for the people of Barbuda.
Fig. 1. Existing Holy Trinity School Site (outlined in red)
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3
1
2
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1. Existing Holy
Trinity School
2. Old Nurse’s
Residence
3. Former Infant
School
4. Principal’s
Residence
5. Day Care Building
CODRINGTON LAGOON
FISHERIES COMPLEX
WHARF

3. FEATURES OF THE PROPOSED PRIMARY SCHOOL:
Fig. 2 Site Layout as illustrated by the Dominican Republic - (this will be altered
to suit our local site conditions)
BUILDING BLOCK DESCRIPTION
Block 1 Reception, Staffroom, Nurse’s station, 8 Classrooms, Restrooms
Block 2 8 Classrooms, Restrooms
Block 3 2 Infant Classrooms, Restrooms
Cafeteria Dining Hall that seats 100 persons, Kitchen, Restrooms, Storage
Sporting Facilities 2 Basketball Courts with spectator stands
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CAFETERIA
BASKET BALL
COURTS
BLOCK 1
BLOCK 3
BLOCK 2

4. RATIONALE FOR RELOCATING THE SCHOOL:
1. SAFETY: The proposed Louis Hill location is approximately 15ft higher in ground
level elevation than the present school site in Codrington Village.
This higher elevation offers better protection from any potential storm surge compared to the
waterfront location of the present school. For the first time in our history, we have now
entered the hurricane season with a breach in the Codrington Lagoon. This means
that the threat of potential flooding from storm surge effects could be greater than under
normal conditions.
If the island is affected by a major earthquake that triggers a tsunami, the Louis Hill
location will again offer better protection for the hundreds of lives of students and
teachers that may be engaged in school activities if this unfortunate event occurs.
Given our vulnerability to these catastrophic forces of nature, safety considerations
should be a major priority in the selection of the new Holy Trinity School site.
2. HURRICANE SHELTER: The proposed school can be purpose built as a
hurricane shelter to complement the existing shelters on island. In particular, the
cafeteria building is equipped with a kitchen, restrooms, storage area and a large dining
area that can accommodate over 150 persons during a storm. At maximum capacity, all
the classrooms could accommodate a total of 450 persons. The entire facility could
therefore shelter 600 persons during the passage of a storm or hurricane.
Given the possible use of this facility as a dedicated hurricane shelter, it would be
difficult to justify placing such a complex in a low-lying area that is close to the waterfront.
3. FUTURE EXPANSION: The proposed Louis Hill location is approximately 15
acres in size which would allow for easy expansion of the school facility over time based
on future population growth trends and other factors.
4. BUILDING CONFIGURATION/LAYOUT: The current school site features
existing built structures within a confined site of approximately 3.7 acres. Placing the new
school on the current site would require demolition of existing buildings which will
prove more costly and prolong the construction process. Moreover, it would place
limitations on the optimal design layout for the entire compound.
The vacant Louis Hill site would easily allow for the best possible layout of the
school complex for operational and supervision purposes. Further, the buildings could
be configured to take advantage of the natural trade winds thus providing comfort for
students and teachers during class sessions.
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5. 5. EDUCATIONAL DISTRICT: Funding has been secured for the expansion and
alteration of the Sir. McChesney George Secondary School. This school is the
gateway to the Louis Hill area.
There is also potential funding a an Early Childhood Development Centre for
Barbuda which could be located on the vacant plot of land directly east of the
secondary school site.
The location of these three educational institutions in the same vicinity will naturally
create an EDUCATIONAL DISTRICT for Barbuda. The strategic physical
arrangement of these buildings could be incorporated into the grand educational
vision for the Barbuda with the possibility for the future vocational and tertiary level
institutions being built in the area.
6. THE 2007 LOUIS HILL MASTER-PLAN: The Barbuda Council, in 2007
produced a preliminary development master-plan for the Louis Hill area. The primary
objective of this plan was to identify a safe area on Barbuda that was most suitable for
housing and related development activities.
The first phase of the plan featured:
• A Housing Development Project featuring 24 homes in the initial phase and an
additional 24 in the second phase (total 48 units).
• 121 Residential Lots for Barbudans in immediate need of constructing their homes.
• Commercial Development Lots
• Recreational Parks
• Sewage Treatment Plant (optional)
• Other Amenities such as paved roads, street lighting, water, telephone, cable tv,
broadband internet etc.
The alteration of this original plan to include provision for this new primary school will pave
the way for the the creation of a brand new neighbourhood with resilient and sustainable
design standards. Barbuda could therefore be a model island for demonstrating the use of
modern, climate resilient building design strategies for small island territories.
Most families prefer to be located close to a school district. Hence a new primary school in
Louis Hill would also encourage residents to build their new homes in this safer area.
7. RE-PURPOSED USE OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL: The Dominican
Republic Government is presenting a gift of a new school to the people of Barbuda. By
selecting a new site for this school, the existing damaged school buildings could be later
repaired and utilised as an educational facility or be re-purposed for other uses as determined
by the Council and people of Barbuda. This provides the opportunity to gain the use of two
physical structures rather than one.
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6. 8. FUTURE DONOR FUNDING: The eyes of the international community focused on
Barbuda during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The adoption of sustainable development
planning strategies for major public facilities such as schools, hospitals, power stations, etc. will
certainly have a positive impact on attracting other developmental funding from donors
across the globe. It is therefore important for the Council and the people of Barbuda to
choose a safe location for this proposed school project.
PROPOSED SITE LOCATION
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Proposed Site
Fig. 3 Proposed Louis Hill Site Location for New Primary School