Marine Heritage Society, Southampton

Recipient of the Peter Stokes Restoration Award: Small-Scale/Individual/Small Business

Along the Lake Huron shoreline in Bruce County, the latest restoration of the volunteer Marine Heritage Society was the cherished Range Light at the mouth of the Saugeen River. This ‘pepper pot’ light, built in 1903, is paired with another beacon upriver and together they still provide mariners with two points of light to visually align their safe passage into Southampton Harbour. Designated a historic site in 2012 under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, the front range light is also one of the most photographed lake icons, branding Bruce County internationally as a tourist and marine history destination.

When the beacon sustained heavy weather damage from high waters and ice during the stormy winter of 2019-20, the MHS team organized community partners. They examined 1902/03 blueprints and photos, then overcame challenges in transporting supplies by hand over the uneven pier and anchoring an adjustable matrix of scaffolds to resist waves. They addressed interior condensation, rot, and pest infiltration with a membrane to stop water but allow vapour and humidity out, backed up by increased ventilation. Handling lead paint was another concern, requiring careful removal to prevent toxic flakes from landing in the lake and fish habitat. Respecting history, the team conserved the angled wooden soffit, outside deck, original railings, and the formed tin roof. However, the water-worn cedar shingles had to be replaced with 3,700 tapered cedar shakes, hand-painted by volunteers, then fastened with power staples for better grip in high winds, plus hand-pounded oval-headed nails in traditional practice.

The MHS-led teamwork across public and private sectors stands as a beacon of modern-day community cooperation for conservation in Ontario.

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