SUMMER2016
MOUNTAINLIFEBLUEMOUNTAINS
27
CRUMBLINGBEACON
IS ITTOO LATETOSAVETHENOTTAWASAGALIGHTHOUSE?
As far as Collingwood iconic landmarks go, you’vegot the Escarpment plunging
intoGeorgianBay.Then you’vegot theTerminal buildings.And last but not
least is theNottawasaga Lighthouse. Justwest of downtown, onwhatwas
formerly knownas Clark Island, the lighthouse lit up thenight sky for 152 years.
But if you’vepaddledover to the island recently, you’ve seen the lighthouse is
struggling; a largeportionof the stonework is crumbling.Andwhile cladding
was installed tohelpminimize thedeterioration, it obviously isn’t enough.
Built between 1855-1857, the lighthouse startedoperatingonNovember 30,
1858. But in2003 theCanadianCoast Guarddecommissioned it.They replaced
the lightwith a solar-poweredbulb and stoppedmaintaining the building.
Since then the lighthouse has seen some hard times. In 2004 a large section
of the tower deteriorated enough to jeopardize stability.Thankfully Jim
Kilgour, a local sailor and chair of theHarbourlands Committee,managed to
push governmental bodies to invest the $400,000 it needed for stabilization.
Another $200,000worthof bandingwas put around in 2008.Then in 2010
the light itself stoppedworking.Two years later theNottawasaga Lighthouse
Preservation Societywas founded.With the sole focus of preserving the
lighthouse, theNLPS has a five year plan to save it, but they’ll needmoney.
“It’s 1.5 to 2milliondollars, but our engineer says it’s all inhowwe go
about it,” says KristaKing, former chair andone of the Society’s founders.
“We estimate about 60percent of themoney spent on the bandingwent to
transportation: just transportinggoods over to the island.”
With anongoing fundraising campaign andmultiple events in the planning
stages, theNLPS is seeking skilled individuals anddonations tohelp keep the
costs down.“Wemay have the opportunity tohave a person comewith a
captain’s license and a tugboat, sowe’re seekingbarges and trying to limit
that cost,” says King.“Andwhether that’s through skilled labour at cost, or
donated scaffolding,we just have toget it out there.Andobviously grants
are possible—stone andmason andmortar grants, heritage grants.We need
volunteerswho know about grantwriting.”
In themeantime theNLPS ismoving aheadwith their five year plan.
“The next year is a protection year,” says King.“We hope to clear some of
the rubble, get scaffoldingup and shrink-wrap toprotect it.” Judgingby the
exterior, the preservationof the buildingmay seem like a lost cause, but King
says that isn’t so.“The innerwall is very structurally sound.The stairway and
thewood is strong, dry and stable,” she says.
“The next year is a protection year.We hope to clear
some of the rubble, get scaffolding up and shrink-wrap
to protect it.” –KristaKing, Nottawasaga Lighthouse
Preservation Society
UP
FRONT
TheNottawasaga Lighthouse: contrary toappearances, not a lost cause.
The lighthousewas a key player innumerous historic rescue efforts; keeper
GeorgeCollins helped save 22 lives during the sinkingof the
MaryWard
off
Craigleith in 1872. Still used as a navigational landmark for boaters to this day,
theNottawasaga Lighthouse is part of local culture, history andheritage.Head
onover to
to see how you canhelp save it.
–Colin Field
