Back in the day, in this 1958 Gleaner file photo, Rockfort Minieral Spa was popular for baptisms. - File

Dissatisfied with the performance of the Rockfort Mineral Bath Complex in Kingston, Caribbean Cement Company has taken back operational control of the facility, and is about to reopen it after a two and a half-year hiatus.

The cement maker now says it plans to reopen the baths in about two weeks, following a $5-million spring cleaning of the structure and the grounds.

"We decided that we would take it on ourselves, we would hire a manager to run and operate, we would reopen it and work our way into reopening some of the private baths eventually," said marketing manager Alice Hyde.

"We felt that if were to have a little more control over what happens over there, it would, in fact, be much better run."

Popular spot

In the old days, the spa was the place for baths and baptisms; more recently, it was a popular spot for parties and shows.

The property had, since 2000, been run by a lessee under management contract, said Carib Cement in its latest annual report issued in April.

Hyde said Tuesday that the lessee was an entity called Jamaica Mineral Spa.

Shaun Lawson, corporate legal secretary at Caribbean Cement Company, now has direct responsibility for the facility.

"We have done quite a bit of renovation, we have to fix the pool, we had to hire staff, we have had to fix the grounds," she said, laying out the $5 million investment.

Carib Cement had hoped to have the baths back on the market by mid-April this year, and had hired a new general manager - Andrea Richards - on April 6, but renovations continue.

Lawson said more work is needed on the property, which has been designated as a historical site because of an old fort which is on the grounds. She said the company hopes to get grant funding to do further upgrades to the fort.

The property consists of 11 private pools and one for public bathing.

Richards said there was a soft opening in April and 548 persons visited the facility during the two weeks. Only the public pool is open, while the 11 private baths will become available by yearend.

"Half of the property is still undergoing renovation," she said. "The private baths, a popular option for a lot of persons, are currently down and will probably be down for a couple of months because we are trying to revolutionise the private-bath concept - solar heating and all that."

Carib Cement hopes to position the complex as a heritage tourism site, but Richards, an archaeologist, said the marketing of the property is on hold pending approval of its licence to operate as a tourist attraction.

Additional plans

The additional plans include a museum, restaurant, and gift shops.

"Eventually, when we have the entire property on stream, we are hoping that it will become a little heaven for families. That is really what is driving us," she said

In 1992, the Rockfort Mineral Bath Complex was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Caribbean Cement to develop the historical site and operate the spa as one of the company's community outreach programmes.

In early 2000, the management of the facility was contracted out, allowing Carib Cement to focus on making cement and mining raw material inputs. The facility was closed down in October 2007, at the same time the management contract ended.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com