Montego Bay Marine Park Gets Mermaid

Montego Bay Marine Park has partnered with Smilozone Waste Management Limited to create Jamaica’s first underwater environmental sculpture.

The 226.796-kilogram (500-pound) mermaid figure, crafted from crushed glass and cement, represents the first installment in the establishment of an underwater sculpture park.

It was unveiled during a tour and press conference held at the marine park on Saturday (October 23).

Executive Director of the marine park, Hugh Shim, said that the underwater attraction is a welcome addition to Montego Bay’s tourism product and will go a far way in enhancing the marine biodiversity.

“Today, what we are doing is celebrating this project that we have undertaken with the Smilozone Foundation…; it is the beginning of an underwater sculpture park [which will consist of] two sites with sculptures that should act as new attractions for snorkelers, divers and glass-bottom boat [tours]. The intention is to add another [aspect] to the Montego Bay tourism product [as well as] take the strain from some of the popular reef and dive sites,” he noted.

Mr. Shim said that the underwater park is also intended to create an environmental solution to coral degradation, as within the next 10 to 15 years, the algae build-up and coral growth on the sculptures will attract marine life, thus enhancing the health of the reef and ecosystem.

He noted that the sculpture is also expected to attract school tours, which are a major part of the park’s revenues, but have been suspended due to the pandemic.

The sculpture, which is the first of its kind in Jamaica, was created by Robert “Toby” Grant, who is an environmental sculptor and educator, with the assistance of his brothers Fitz Gerard Grant, building instructor, and Errol Grant, the project’s logistics manager.

Operations Manager for Smilozone Waste Management Limited, Laur-Ann Daley, said her company is pleased to partner with the Montego Bay Marine Park in installing the underwater sculpture.

She said that the initiative is in keeping with the company’s vision to promote sustainable solid waste reduction and management in Jamaica.

Negotiations are currently ongoing between Smilozone and Mr. Grant for the possible commissioning of the other mermaid sculptures, which are to be submerged in the marine park.

Councillor Dwight Crawford of the Spring Garden Division, who represented the Mayor of Montego Bay, Leroy Williams, at the unveiling, congratulated the partners for “coming to the rescue of the coral reef in the marine park”.

“It is well needed. My division is mostly coastal and this initiative…will bring attention to what happens on the seabed. We will start to focus on rebuilding, so that the fishes can grow again and our marine life can move along,” he said.

The marine park encompasses the entire Montego Bay. It comprises 15.3 square kilometers, beginning at the high-tide mark on the land, and extending to the 100-metre depth at sea. The eastern boundary is Tropical Beach, adjacent to the Sangster International Airport, and the western boundary is Rum Bottle Bay, a little point close to the Great River.