Point Clark Lighthouse set to open at the end of June

After five years without one of its major tourist attractions, Huron-Kinloss council is eagerly anticipating the opening of the Point Clark Lighthouse, Saturday, June 27.

Community services director Mike Fair made the announcement at the general committee meeting Monday night (June 1).

A ribbon-cutting and lighthouse re-opening will take place at 10 a.m., with Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, Huron-Kinloss mayor Mitch Twolan and other dignitaries, in attendance. This will be followed by tours of the lighthouse.

Fair said besides the lighthouse restoration, the contractor has sandblasted the lightkeeper's house and done some minor stone work to it. "They're down to the wire, but the bulk of the work is done."

Deputy mayor Wilfred Gamble asked when the young people will be able to get into the lighthouse to begin preparing it for tours.

"Likely, the last two weeks of June," said Fair. "They can't go in yet because the scaffolding is still around the lighthouse, and the contractor is fixing the yard."
 

The national historic site, located on the shores of Lake Huron in Huron-Kinloss Township, has been closed to the public since 2010 due to restoration work to the masonry. Owned by Parks Canada, it is operated by the township as a tourist destination.
 

Initially, the federal government put about half-a-million dollars toward the restoration. However, it was discovered that more extensive repairs were required and the cost soared to more than $1.5-million.

Originally, the repair work was to begin in the fall of 2010 and be completed by March 31, 2011, as dictated by the federal government's Economic Action Plan. However, in October, 2011, the restoration work was stopped because it was discovered the structure had suffered more damage than initially anticipated.
 

The initial design for restoration work was based on the existence of one large vertical crack extending through multiple courses of masonry. Once the exterior surface treatment was removed by sandblasting, workers discovered there were four such cracks.
 

One aspect of the repairs involved raking the joints between the stones to prepare for re-pointing with new mortar. Soon after this work was commenced in the mid-section of the tower, it was found that once the first layer of mortar (a relatively modern repair - one to two inches in depth) was removed, the original lime mortar behind it was found to be in completely poor condition with no supporting strength.

This meant the raking procedure was putting workers and the tower at risk, so a Stop Work Order was issued until a re-designed procedure was drawn up and approved.

At that point, it was reported that the damage to the top eight courses of masonry was more extensive than anticipated, and there was evidence of moisture penetration into the rubble core over a period of time. The contractor's engineer recommended that the lantern section be temporarily removed from the top of the tower to facilitate the complete rebuilding of the top eight courses of masonry. This would ensure the safety of the workers, reduce the overall risk to the historic tower, and allow for more thorough and effective repairs.
 

The Point Clark Lighthouse was built in 1859 to warn sailors of the shoal extending 3.2 kilometres offshore. Its elegant proportions and limestone exterior are typical of the six "Imperial" towers built in the region, a lighthouse style rarely seen elsewhere in Canada.
 

Acquired by Parks Canada in 1967 to commemorate the vital role of lighthouses in navigation on the Great Lakes, it still serves its primary function - an aid to navigation. The lightkeeper's dwelling, built at the same time as the lighthouse, will continue to be operated as a museum by the township.
 

A breathtaking vista is the reward for climbing the 114 stairs up the winding staircases at the lighthouse.