The Tribune

THE collapse of the Reinhard Hotel this week caused much public interest – and much concern over our crumbling history.

We do not mean to delve too deeply into that history here – two of our columnists, Front Porch by Simon and Diane Phillips have already done so in yesterday’s edition and today’s Tribune. We urge you to go and read their contributions without hesitation.

We also commend the Ramble Bahamas website for their history of the hotel, detailing its place on the road to Majority Rule, and as a pioneer in opening doors to black visitors at a time when other hotels would turn them away.

All of that is of course hugely important – and amplifies the question: Why did we let it all crumble away?

As the government set about renewing Downtown, a number of buildings were demolished – and some eagle eyed commentators online asked questions about the history of the properties that were being knocked down.

As The Tribune set about covering the collapse of the Reinhard, the question of its place in history was asked in our newsroom, and more pertinently sometimes of officials in power, with many not knowing its

past, or the ways in which its presence had shaped our country.

We are in danger of losing our history. It is a thought that has occurred a number of times in the past year – since we celebrated 50 years last year of Independence and contemplated the people who started that journey but who are no longer with us.

What other buildings are crumbling away, with their place in our civic life forgotten?

What other history is ignored and dwindling away?

The Tribune has its own history, our archives bristling with stories from the past – and our columnists who recall that history too.

Our columnist Eric Wiberg recently made front page news in Bermuda with his story of a lost piece of aviation history.

But we would like to know more. So where are the buildings that we should save? What are the landmarks that now go unmarked? What is the past that we should preserve?

We would love to hear what our readers have to say – and what our readers remember.

We invite you to share too your memories of the Reinhard. Let us know at letters@tribunemedia.net, and we would be glad to share your reminiscences with all.