Contributed
A section of the beautiful Dallas Castle, the estate which took its name from the community.

Avia Ustanny, Outlook Writer

It's late afternoon on the road which trundles past Strawberry Hill in St. Andrew and winds upwards towards the Blue Mountain peak, but houses, scattered around here like teeth in the octogenarian mouth, are still shrouded in white mist.

Cool temperatures at this elevation create a world completely different from the heat of the Liguanea Plain.

Lower down in the mountains is the community of Dallas Castle, where locals are far advanced in their plans to capitalise on the unique climate, flora and fauna of the area.

Lorrel Smith, community leader, told Outlook, "What we are planning to do is to be self-sufficient. We need to lift the morale of our people and be an economic force."

Dallas Castle is one in several communities which make up the Papine Development Area (PDA), a zone currently being encouraged by the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Jamaica Conservation Trust (which runs the Holywell National Park attraction) to engage in projects for community development and poverty reduction.

"We cannot look for much so we have to create our own employment," Lorrel Smith explains.

One jewel in this hilly paradise is Holywell itself, the main recreational area within the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park which is 193,000 acres of tropical forest protected by law.

Those who come to enjoy the mountains will find residents trained and willing to act as tour guides and even provide bed and breakfast facilities.

Other attractions include Creighton Great House - the recent venue for Beenie Man and D'Angel's nuptials. Dallas Castle (an estate after which the community is named and which is currently owned by Ambassador Stafford Neil) is the site of an old coffee plantation. It now features much of the original structure - constructed from stones - plus an old aqueduct and water wheel. In the past, the river which runs through the property provided power to process sugar cane.

Rich history

In the wider community of Dallas Castle, is an area rich with the kind of history that will attract visitors in any community tourism venture.

Near to the home of Lorrel Smith is an old church once frequented by national hero Paul Bogle.

Smith's house is also located beside a river said to be much loved by Bob Marley who, in his day, would visit the community - located not far form Seven Miles, Bull Bay - and 'run boat' with his brethren.

The effort to develop community tourism in the area, Smith says, "will involve all of us".

He and other members of his community-based organisation - Dallas Community Council - in concert with the SDC, have been sensitising everyone to this.

"We have also been identifying the interests and skills of community members, interests such as culinary arts - the making of jams, pickles and art and craft. We will be making jams, jellies, pickles and gizzadas. We have received training from the Ministry of Education to do this," Smith states.

Those who are interested are also being trained as tour guides. "We are also thinking of starting a security guard company," Lorrel Smith notes.

Yet another project is work on the community centre which is in need of kitchen fixtures and a bathroom.

Genuine excitement

Members of the Dallas Castle community meet on the second Sunday of each month to develop their plans. The community-based origination is over 30 years old but, according to Lorrel Smith, it is the first time that locals have exhibited genuine excitement about the possibilities.

Still, there are challenges.

"They play dominoes every day, but to get them to sit in a classroom to learn to read and write - it's hard. The young ladies go to high school but many are back here as dropouts. We are trying to motivate them to go back to do their CXCs. They love the tourism idea, but we wish more could see their own role," Smith states.