Ontario Heritage Trust can’t fund rebuild of Cole Shoal lighthouse

The Cole Shoal Lighthouse will not be rebuilt, at least not by the Ontario Heritage Trust, which owned the structure before it was destroyed in a fire.

A meeting between the trust and a group trying to restore the lighthouse, which once stood on the St. Lawrence River near Brockville, sealed the structure’s fate, at least for now.

Wayne Kelly, who is with the trust, was near the site of the old lighthouse on Wednesday to discuss the structure’s future.

“We find ourselves in a very difficult position where it would be inconsistent with our mandate to support ourselves going ahead with the replication of the lighthouse,” he said.

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Kelly added that their mandate doesn’t cover the rebuilding of structures, but rather the trusts focuses on maintaining heritage around the province.

The Cole Shoal lighthouse was destroyed by a fire on July 23. Witnesses say a bolt of lightning struck the 162-year-old building.

Since the lighthouse’s destruction, a group of people have been working to get the Cole Shoal rebuilt, hoping that the trust would have funds available to put toward the project.

The trust’s refusal is was disappointing for veteran politician Bob Runciman, who was part of the group hoping to rebuild the lighthouse.

“Sure, it’s disappointing. They seem to be inflexible about that, which is why we suggested an alternative,” said the former MPP for Leeds-Grenville on Wednesday.

Runciman suggested a legal arrangement in which another entity, such as the township, create a replica of the lighthouse. That’s an option the heritage trust says may be possible.

Kelly says that the trust is working on something to remember the lighthouse for the time being.

“Is there a way of remembering the lighthouse through a commemorative plaque?” Kelly said. “We’re not going to give up. We’re going to dig in.”

According to members of the group hoping to see the structure rebuilt, several different parties have stepped forward to offer their expertise, such as engineering and designs firms, as well as others offering to fund a new lighthouse.

A GoFundMe page was created to raise funds to rebuild the lighthouse. It has reached over $3,000 of its $50,000 goal.

With files from Alexandra Mazur