Efforts to restore Southampton's historic Saugeen River Range Lights have resulted in an award for The Marine Heritage Society (MHS).
The Architectural Conservancy Ontario's (ACO) Peter Stokes Restoration Award for small-scale projects was presented to the society during the annual Heritage Awards ceremony in Toronto,
The MHS was nominated several months ago by the Municipal Heritage Committee of Saugeen Shores.
“While the Range Light restoration is considered a small-scale project by the judging standards, it required a big- time effort to fundraise and repair the beacon," said Committee Chair Cheryl Grace. "The town is grateful to the Marine Heritage Society for leading the community effort and to the ACO for recognizing this important landmark.”
The project began after significant damage was caused during the winter of 2019-2020, as high water levels, storms, and heavy ice caused significant damage and increased vulnerability to water infiltration.
The Society's Wayne Kaufman said they worked with Saugeen Shores to coordinate the efforts of over 200 volunteers across private and public groups to assist with research and repairs. Fundraising efforts, which faced challenges during the pandemic lockdowns, included online events like a virtual jazz concert. The generosity of local citizens, businesses, service clubs, and the town helped meet the financial goal. Additionally, firms like Seaman and Sons Builders and Good Impressions Woodworking contributed their time and expertise.
"We committed $20,000 to doing the range, and we raised over 70 because local contractors like Seaman and Sons, and Good Impressions donated all of their time to putting the range back to the original condition," Kaufman explained. "We were able to do it for a lot less than $70,000. We have enough money now that we're currently working on The Rear Range Light, which is the sister range light."
The "Pepper-Pot" light was built in 1903 at a cost of $1,085, and pairs with another beacon upriver. Kaufman said the Range Lights work together to point mariners into the harbor, and still operate today as supplemental guidance.
"It's protected under the federal Lighthouse protection act, historically protected. It's important, and it is still an operating range," he stated. "Even in today's world with technology and GPS, there is an active range right, which helps the mariners who are out in the lake, fisherman, fishing tugs, and any boat, to come in at night with the two lights."
The restoration aimed to preserve historical accuracy while integrating concealed improvements for long-lasting durability and safety.
Community partners overcame challenges in transporting supplies by hand over the uneven pier and positioning a matrix of scaffolds to withstand waves. They addressed issues of interior condensation, rot, and pest infiltration, implementing a membrane to prevent water entry while allowing vapor and humidity to escape, supplemented by increased ventilation. Lead paint was also a concern, necessitating careful removal to prevent toxic flakes from scattering.
Kaufman said they conserved the angled wooden soffit, outside deck, original railings, and formed tin roof. However, the water-worn cedar shingles were replaced with 3,700 tapered cedar shakes, hand-painted by volunteers and fastened with power staples for improved grip in high winds, alongside hand-pounded oval-headed nails in traditional practice.
"We sheeted it. We strapped it so that now there's air flow on the front of the shingles, and in the rear of the shingles, so shingles are able to dry out front and back," he explained. "There was angle iron put around the base of it to deflect the water back towards the lake, as opposed to deflecting it up the angle wall. There was a great deal of research into it."
Interior stairs were reinforced for safety, and Lexan glass and a fiberglass door similar to the original design were added to prevent vandalism.
The historic range light now enjoys an extended working life, reduced maintenance, and greater safety during public tours.
Kaufman added there is more work ahead for their group.
"When the water is high, the waves crash almost directly into it, and we'd like to put some protection out in the water to have the waves break before they get to the range light. So there's a couple different methods that we've had studies done. One is to put large stones out in the water to have the waves break on or build a concrete wall around it to protect it. Those are things to do in the future. We will be fundraising for that.," he continued. "In the near future, we will be fundraising for Imperial Tower that's on Chantry Island. It's in need of a restoration. There's like 90 stones needing replacing."
"And also, it's been discovered that all three of them, the range lights and the tower, years ago, were painted with the wrong paint," he revealed. "The paint that they use was a great outdoor paint, but however, what that did is it sealed the moisture inside the structure, where, if you use a whitewash on stone or stain on the cedar, it allows the cedar ..and the stone to breathe. So if any moisture gets in, the sun will dry it and let it out. So that needs to be fixed. We're fixing it on the range lights. It's just going to need to be fixed on the Imperial Tower as well."
Kaufman said the range lights are designated a historic site under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. And he added it draws photographers from all over.
"You can't go anywhere in town without seeing a picture of one of those icons. There's buildings named after them. There's Lighthouse restaurant," he said. "We boasted the Front Range light that we just restored in 2022 is likely the most photographed historic site on the Bruce coast."
Kaufman added, “It was a privilege for MHS volunteers to work on the restoration and we are honoured the ACO recognizes the Range Light as a beacon of community cooperation for other groups to follow.”
The Marine Heritage society first launched in 1997 with a project to restore the keepers house on Chantry Island.
"They took on restoring the keepers house beside our Imperial Tower on Chantry Island," he said. "They restored it to its original condition of 1859. When they went out to start the work, there was only two walls of the keepers house standing, so the walls had to be reconstructed, the floors, the ceiling, the roof, and then many volunteers went hunting for historic items to populate or to fill the keepers house to its original 1859 furnishings."
Over nine decades of ACO history, the non-government group has saved hundreds of structures in Ontario and increased public awareness of the cultural, economic, and environmental benefits of preservation over demolition.
Peter Stokes (1926 - 2013) was one of Canada’s most notable restoration architects, with a lasting influence seen in preserved buildings in Upper Canada Village, Ottawa’s capital region, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and other locations across Canada.
Attending the award ceremony were MHS board members Deb Kaufman, Vicki Tomori, and Chair Wayne Kaufman who thanked ACO leaders and highlighted the community effort for all attendees.