Swallowtail among lighthouse sites declared surplus by DFO

One of the iconic symbols for not only the region but perhaps Canada is among the nearly 1,000 lighthouses that the federal government has decided it no longer wants to maintain. Swallowtail Lighthouse on Grand Manan Island is among the 32 active lighthouses and 65 inactive ones in New Brunswick and some 970 lighthouses throughout Canada that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has declared surplus to its needs. Under the new Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, these properties can be transferred to new owners who want to take advantage of their heritage designation or tourism potential.
DFO's announcement in late May caught many Canadians off guard. "It came as much of a surprise to us as to the rest of the country," says Rob MacPherson, the chief administrative officer for the Village of Grand Manan. Although he was aware that the government had been selling off lighthouses over the years, he was surprised by the number of lighthouses, how quickly the government acted, and the finality of the decision.
Concerning Swallowtail's significance for islanders, MacPherson says, "If you're leaving the island, it's really the last vision you have of home, and if you've been away and are coming home, you really get the feeling you are home when you have that view of Swallowtail." He notes that visitors to the island offer similar comments. "When they're leaving they're sorry to see Swallowtail disappear, and when they return it's an uplifting experience."
The village, which acquired the lightkeeper's house at Swallowtail in the mid-1990s, has been in informal talks with DFO about owning the lighthouse itself. MacPherson expects the village council will be discussing that possibility, along with considering possible actions regarding the other lighthouses around the island that are also on the surplus list.
The lighthouse is 150 years old this year, and the Swallowtail Keepers Society, which leases the lightkeeper's house from the village, is planning to mark the occasion with a celebration on July 7 along with a Sail Past on July 10. The society has been working to restore the buildings since it was formed two years ago. MacPherson notes that the last time the lighthouse was painted the job was undertaken by the Grand Manan Rotary Club.
Laurie Murison, the chair of the society, agrees with MacPherson that people were caught off guard by the government's announcement. "The magnitude across Canada was surprising."
Along with Swallowtail, active lighthouses in this area of New Brunswick that have been declared surplus include Long Eddy Point and Southwest Head on Grand Manan, Great Duck Island off Grand Manan, Long Point on White Head Island, Bliss Island and Pea Point near Black's Harbour, Southwest Wolf Island, Leonardville on Deer Island and Point Lepreau. Inactive lights on the list include Seal Cove Breakwater and North Head Harbour on Grand Manan, Welshpool Wharf and Curry Cove Wharf on Campobello, Chocolate Cove and Richardson Wharf on Deer Island, St. Andrews Wharf and Mark Point and Spruce Point on the St. Croix River.
While still active lighthouse structures can be transferred to the public, the actual navigational light will not be transferred and will remain the property of DFO, with the Canadian Coast Guard ensuring its continued operation. The lighthouses identified as surplus under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act are those that Canadian Coast Guard officials have determined could be replaced with simpler structures whose operation and maintenance would be more cost-effective. Murison notes that while the Canadian Coast Guard will continue to maintain any needed navigational aids, DFO won't be maintaining the structure that houses the actual navigational light. "If the structure falls down, they'll put it [the light] on a pole."
In a statement released on June 11, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea said, "We will work to ensure that heritage lighthouses are protected. Together with the provinces and interested community groups iconic symbols of Canadian maritime heritage will, under this act, be eligible for not only heritage designation but statutory protection. Further, a number of these lighthouses may represent important and attractive economic opportunities for the communities in which they are located, and this process provides any interested party the chance to take advantage of this potential." She notes that some lighthouses are already leased to community groups that have established tourism-based ventures at the site. "We hope that many organizations who are actively involved in using or promoting the heritage character of their community structures will be part of the petitioning group requesting heritage designation."
Individuals, municipalities and nonprofits may apply to Parks Canada for heritage designation of any federally owned lighthouse property. Potential owners must submit a business plan that shows their proposed use of the property will be economically viable and that they have the capacity to manage the property. Any group applying for ownership of a heritage lighthouse must provide for the protection of the heritage character of the lighthouse. Complementary uses such as a restaurant or a museum may be permitted at the sites in order to generate revenue to cover maintenance costs.