Restored Light courtesy of Donna Savoy

The highly successful Marine Heritage Society with new Chairperson Larry LePage produced an interesting Spring 2008 Newsletter that is available in PDF format.  It's a very good read.  Click and come back to it for reference over time.

This organization starting with nothing but an idea that came out of a summer long Community Survey run by Professor David Douglas, has accomplished the following:

• Restored and maintained Pioneer Park, making it the premier park in the community.
• Erected a historic Storm Signal in Pioneer Park.
• Created a display including King George III cannons, historic anchor and memorial to maritime deaths.
• Restored the former Water Rescue Boat Peerless.
• Restored Chantry Island and made it into a jewel.
• Run very popular tours in the summer to the Island with restrictions because of its significance as an internationally important bird sanctuary.
• Supervised an environmental Cleanup on the Island protecting the Migratory Bird Population.
• Restored the Keeper's House and historic privy and populated them with period furniture and artifacts.
• Stabilized the Mystery Building on the south end of the Island and performed a professional archaeological 'dig'
• Built tool and garden sheds on the Island.
• Restored beautiful gardens
• Re-built the historic Boat House on the Island and also a wooden rescue boat that is housed therein

(next column)

• Restored a partially destroyed building behind the Art School and renamed it 'The Boat House'.  It is used by the Art School and others in the summer and all seasons for classes and projects.
• Restored and made use of the former Water Rescue Building at the Southampton Harbour.
• Started a gift shop in the above building selling Marine related items and books in cooperation with local people, artists, artisans and stores in the Community
• Held the very successful 2006 International Lighthouse Conference at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre,
• Participated in and started the Lighthouse Tours of Bruce County, one of the most successful tourist packages in the area in cooperation with Ontario Tourism
• Worked with the Museum on models and displays depicting the Maritime Past.
• Worked with internationally known archaeologist Ken Cassavoy on the HMS General Hunter wreck and the interesting barge on the Southampton beach.  The is arguably the most important discovery every made on the upper Great Lakes.
• Restored a barge that is used both at the Island and in the Harbour of Port Elgin
• Established an extensive volunteer organization that is busy year round.
• Started the Chantry Island Institute lecture series carried on at the Museum.
• Designed and paid for the Marine Heritage Banners visible in the Community.
• The group is in the process of restoring the Range Lights also.

All this was done with the close cooperation of the Town officials and staff.  Funds have been raised of over $550,000 without tax payer burden.  This was done starting with nothing and asking for donations from individuals in relatively small amounts.  To date there are over 350 donors to the fund.

Looking ahead, the Marine Heritage Society has established  the 'Marine Heritage Society Chantry Island Endowment Fund' that will soon be added to the Grey-Bruce Development Fund  Please consider contributing to it so you too can say to the future generations that "We Were Here"  Write to Marine Heritage Society Box 421, Southampton ON or call toll free 1-866-797-5862.  Please visit www.chantryisland.com.

Recently former Chairman Gordon Webb and new Chair LePage made a powerful review presentation before Council.  The above projects have been a perfect example of a Community and its leaders working closely with an all volunteer organization.  This article and the spring newsletter will also be available on the Heritage page of the Saugeen Times.