Category Archives: Heritage lighthouse

Pat Carney. Continued her fight for heritage protection for lighthouses

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Debates of the Senate (Hansard)

1st Session, 39th Parliament,
Volume 143, Issue 44

Wednesday, November 1, 2006
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker

Heritage Lighthouse Protection Bill

Second Reading—Debate Adjourned

Hon. Pat Carney moved second reading of Bill S-220, to protect heritage lighthouses.

She said: Honourable senators, this bill represents the sixth attempt in as many years to grant protection to heritage lighthouses of Canada. It was introduced five times previously, including during the Second Session of the Thirty-sixth Parliament, the First, Second and Third Sessions of the Thirty-seventh Parliament, and the First Session of the Thirty-eighth Parliament, and it has proceeded to committee stage in the other place. It never received Royal Assent before those parliaments rose.

While this bill was co-authored by me and the late Senator Forrestall, it was introduced five times by him, and it is in his memory that I speak today.

Despite the broad support in Parliament for this bill from all parties, the fact that we have not been able to enact it thus far represents a legislative embarrassment. It should be noted that this bill is supported in principle by the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Fisheries and Oceans. Aside from the obvious negative political optics of such failure, even more regrettable is the practical damage being sustained by the lighthouses no longer in operation and the loss to the communities they have served, and where they stand as a proud pillar of heritage. Each day that goes by without the kind of legal protection afforded by the heritage lighthouse protection bill is a day that lighthouses are left exposed to neglect.

This bill addresses the problem that lighthouses, once deemed to be surplus to operational requirements, have no mechanism for their preservation. In the past they have been blown up, burned down, jack-hammered or left prey to vandalism, because the operational departments have no means of transferring them to interested community groups that are prepared to take on their maintenance. The present heritage designations are too restrictive to apply to most and do not provide a public consultation process.

The main feature of this bill is to facilitate the designation and preservation of heritage lighthouses as part of Canada’s culture and history, and to protect them from being altered or disposed of without public consultation. The bill defines heritage lighthouses as any lighthouse, together with all buildings and other works belonging thereto and in connection with which, as designated by the minister on the recommendation of the board as a heritage lighthouse.

The board referred to is the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board.

It defines “alter” as “to change in any manner” and includes “to restore or renovate” but does not include the performance of routine maintenance and repairs.

Honourable senators, I could take the time of the Senate to read the other main purposes of this short bill, but it would serve the interests of the Senate better to move this bill into committee where these aspects can be addressed.

The key to this bill is that the Canadian public will be consulted before any lighthouse is disposed of or destroyed, because currently there is no method by which to protect those structures.

The substantive provisions of this bill remain the same as they were the past five times it was introduced, and each time it received unanimous support in this chamber. I have been in communication with the government and believe that there may be minor amendments made to the bill at committee stage to align it with other legislation that was passed since this bill was first proposed.

I hope this bill can be referred to committee today.

Hon. Jim Munson: Honourable senators, I agree that this bill should be sent to the appropriate committee today. I have a keen interest in this bill. My great-great-uncle, James Munson, was the first lighthouse keeper in Cape Enrage, New Brunswick. It is a wonderful place just outside of Fundy National Park. It is the home of regulation-sized Munsons. I somehow got short shrift.

It is a great historical story which must be put on the record. I would like to speak to this bill at report stage when it returns from committee.

The Hon. the Speaker: Are honourable senators ready for the question?

Some Hon. Senators: Question!

Hon. Gerald J. Comeau (Deputy Leader of the Government): I move the adjournment of the debate.

Senator Carney: Honourable senators, it was my understanding from my house leader that this bill would go to committee today. Can I be told why the deputy leader has moved the adjournment of the debate when it has been agreed with the opposition and the committee that it be sent to committee?

Senator Comeau: There is no agreement that it would be sent to committee today.

On motion of Senator Comeau, debate adjourned.

The History of the Foghorn at Race Rocks

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foghorn-1From the early 1980’s until January, 1997, fog or heavy rain impeding visibility in the eastern entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca would trigger three double tones per minute from the four trumpet shaped Airchime horns mounted on the South side of the engine room at Race Rocks.

Click below to hear them: 

click on bar below for the current foghorn 

Demolition at Race Rocks

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In 1971  The former lightkeeper, Trevor Anderson documented on 8mm film, the demolition of several of the old historic features of the Race Rocks light station. The Canadian Coast guard decided that demolition was necessary for purposes of “modernization”. In this file we have converted those 8mm films to Quicktime video and now to .mp4 to show these structures and their demise.

In the picture gallery below, are stills taken from the video. Click on them for larger images.The stone house connected to the base of the tower as it was in 1967. This was taken before 1975 a view from the South side of the islands. The slate roof had been removed before demolition. A Caterpillar tractor pushes over the last of the walls. The fog tower, made of wood was demolished later, n 1977? The tower crashes to the ground. Flo Anderson and her grandson Jason are in the foreground.

 

 

 

Contemporary History of the Race Rocks Light station 1974-1997

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The Demolition Phase :

  • In July 1966, Trev and Flo Anderson took over responsibility for the light station at Race Rocks. They moved into the keeper’s residence which had recently been constructed. Unfortunately the Department of Fisheries and Oceans ( Coastguard)  demolished the original house at the base of the tower in 1974. The squared rock remains of the old building can still be seen where they had been bulldozed into the shallow water to the south of the tower.
Trev and Flo had unusual retirement plans. They constructed a magnificent forty-four foot ketch right on the shore at Race Rocks. During seven years of construction, Trev had the fledgling hull secured by heavy cables to eyes driven into the rocks to prevent a shipwreck from the winter North East storms before she was even launched. While she was under construction the sailboats ribs looked more like a beached whale.
  • rrwawaOn February 7, 1982 Wawa the Wayward Goose was launched and the Andersons set off on a two year voyage that took them north to the Queen Charlottes and across the Pacific to New Zealand and back aboard their Race Rocks built sailboat.

 

Go to this file on Trev and Flo Anderson: The Andersons started a great tradition of hospitality that built a close relationship with the students of nearby Pearson College.

  • pearsonlogo2_f2Lester B. Pearson College was established in nearby Pedder Bay in 1974. Students from around the world came to study at the College which was named in memory of the former Canadian Prime Minister and Nobel Prize winner. The College was established to promote international understanding. All students attended Pearson College on full scholarship and came from everywhere; from Papua New Guinea to Poland. It wasn’t long until the students started to visit Race Rocks as Pearson College operated a much needed rescue service in the area. Faculty and students in marine biology classes and in the Diving Service began to study the extraordinary marine life at Race Rocks. It became clear that the fast flowing, nutrient rich waters supported large, diverse populations of marine life. After over a century of protecting others, Race Rock was in fact in need of protection itself. From 1978 on, they urged the faculty and students to seek formal protection for the natural environment and the rich biodiversity of the area. In 1980, after Pearson College students and faculty worked with the Ecological Reserves office of the (then) Department of Lands, Parks and Housing, the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established by an order in Council of the Cabinet of the Provincial Government in British Columbia. In the few years preceding this, the Andersons had assisted the students in every way they could and kept a watchful eye over the area.

( Go to this file for a more detailed history of the establishment of the Ecological Reserve.)

redhdAfter a short interval after the departure of the Anderson’s in 1982, when the station was covered by relief keepers, the Redheads took over at Race Rocks. They served more than the station during their tenure; they served muffins! Several generations of Pearson College students the world over still remember hot chocolate and muffins in their kitchen, after a cold scuba dive. Charles and Joan Redhead continued the strong interest in protecting the ecology of Race Rocks. For a few years before retirement, they shared the island with the assistant lightkeepers Warren and Elaine Kennedy. All four keepers often turned out to greet the students as they came ashore. See updates in the file on these four lightkeepers

  • MIKE AND CAROL SLATER-The last lightkeepers of Race Rocks 1990-1997In 1990 the head keeper Mike Slater and his wife Carol came to the station. Carol in particular held strong views about the need to live in harmony with the nature that truly surrounds Race Rocks. The Slaters worked hard to protect the reserve and assist researchers. These volunteer activities fall far outside their regular lightstation duties. During the early 1990’s the ominous signs of the first radical change at Race Rocks became apparent as the Coast Guard experimented with automated equipment to operate the station.rrander In the spring of 1994 the first announcements about de-staffing of lightstations on the British Columbia Coast were made. The decision was surprising and unpopular. In September, 1995, the Minister of Fisheries, Brian Tobin and the MP for Victoria and Environment Minster David Anderson paid a visit to the island and are shown here talking with Mike and Carol Slater and Garry Fletcher and Mike Hobbis, and Pearson students. Most surprising, a few months later was the announcement that Race Rocks was on the list of the seven stations to be de-staffed in the first round of budget cuts. Race Rocks was to be closed on March 1st 1997. Mike and Carol watched as the last of the automated equipment was installed and a maintenance crew measured the windows of their house for shutters. They might as well have measured the keepers for a box too as the end of a way of life would be coming to Race Rocks.
  • TEMPORARY REPRIEVE, 1997:

For the time being Race Rocks and its keepers won a reprieve. In an emergency two year agreement Pearson College undertook to operate the facility in cooperation with the Coast Guard, as an education centre. A private donor agreed to cover the salary costs for the Slaters who were invited to stay on at Race Rocks by Pearson College. The College continued negotiations with the Provincial Government, the actual owners of the land, to operate the facility on a long term basis. Seventeen years later, Lester B. Pearson College is still managing the island on a long term lease from BC Parks.

They have to raise the funding and manage all utilities and repairs on the island without government help and are  determined to make the island self-sufficient. With that in mind, the Race Rocks endowment fund has been set up for operating racerocks.

slaterpowptIn December of 2008, Mike and Carol Slater retired from Race Rocks where they had been employed by Lester Pearson College as the Ecological Reserve and MPA Guardians since 1997. This Powerpoint presentation touches on some of the aspects of their life in the last few years at Race Rocks.

 

  • During the following years, from 1997 to 2000, The Canadian Coast Guard and the Provincial Parks Department started the process of transferring the property, upgrading essential parts and restoring some of the areas used by the Coastguard back to a natural ecosystem.
  • In 2001, Great Race Rocks was added to the Ecological reserve.
  • In September of 1998, The Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, the Honourable David Anderson, announced the proposal to make the Ecological reserve and all the Islands of Race Rocks into a Pilot Marine Protected Area (pilot MPA) for eventual designation as a Marine Protected Area ( MPA) under the Ocean’s Act. This index contains the information on that prolonged  process.

I wish to acknowledge the assistance of the British Columbia Archives in making the photos from the early years on Race Rocks available to us, and Trev and Flo Anderson, and Joan Redhead for the more recent pictures.

Light Keepers of the Race Rocks Lighthouse 1860-1997

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The original list of the Lightkeepers below was provided by Trev Anderson to students from Lester Pearson College who were doing an assignment on Marine History for their Marine Science class in 1980.

In 2009-10 in preparation for the sesqicentennial of Race Rocks, I have added a number of references for individual stories gleaned from the Daily Colonist Archives. (G.Fletcher)

Ed Note: We appreciate the cooperation of family members and others who have kindly contributed comments about the light keepers and their families. We encourage others to do the same to fill the gaps.
Link to posts on this website with the tag “lightkeeper”

Senior Light Keepers
and Assistants.
Years of Occupancy at Race Rocks
and Hyperlinks in blue to pages of known historical connections
Roberts Feb 1860 – 1861
George Nicholas Davies (and Rosina) Feb.9 1861 – 1866- died on the Race Rocks station, see note above. (b. 1831 – d. 1866)
Rosina Davies 1866-1879- remained on station as keeper after her husband died.Rosina remarried later and her name was then Rosina Harman.)
Nicholas Bertucci Came to Victoria from Italy in 1862, was assistant at Race Rocks for 5 years: from either 1863-1867 or 1863-1868.
John McQuarrie January 19, 1869; 1st Assistant Keeper; age 52 in 1872; pay $410 per year; (British Columbia Report of the Hon. H. L. Langevin, C.B., Minister of Public Works, 1872)

 
Thomas Argyle
(and Ellen)		 Feb 1867 – 1888 (Thomas (1839 – 1919) Argyle & Ellen Argyle (d. 1925) May 23, 1867 – 1888; 32 years old in 1872; Chief Keeper; pay $625 per year. Note however,,,In the 1891 Census Thomas’s, now a farmer in Metchosin— birthday is listed as Feb3 1840, Thomas’s wife is listed as Helen, born Feb 25, 1835, and the daughter is listed as Ellen, born June 22, 1865, And the son Frederick born Dec 25, 1873.
Ellen Argyle 1867-1871- assistant keeper May 23, 1867 – 1871; 32 years old in 1872; 3rd Assistant; pay $150 per year; (British Columbia Report of the Hon. H. L. Langevin, C.B., Minister of Public Works, 1872)
Henry Montrose He was the assistant lightkeeper in 1877 who helped pull the two sailors from the water. (no further information is available so far)
Samuel Askew 1871 September 11, 1871 – ; age 30 in 1872; Second Assistant; $360 per year;
W.H. Berus Assistant? Mar 31-1861- Aug 5, 1879 (d. 1879)
Amelia Berus August 05, 1879 – February 01, 1880
Albert Argyle (son) 1888- Jan 1, 1889
W.P. Daykin 1889-1891 (W. P. (Phil) Daykin & Anna Daykin) (Many newspaper articles on their time at Carmanah)January 1, 1889 – April 23, 1891(Cadieux papers say he started July 03, 1889)From the 1891 census, a P. Wm Daykin  age 48 and W.F. Daykin age 47 lived in Metchosin. Children listed, CT Daykin ( 17) Edward D. (15) WT (9) RS ( 7) Philip CS ( 5) and Elizabeth E  Daykin (age 66) I believe this is the same Daykin family as two of the sons were killed by the sea later ( see link on W.P. Daykin name)
Frederick Mercer Eastwood April 23, 1891 – February 01, 1919; on station in 1910 (Vancouver City Directory 1910, Dominion Government Section) (resigned) (Cadieux papers) (b. March 02, 1862, England – d. 1932) & Annie. 

newspaper reference1905
James Thomas Forsyth (and Ellen) February 01, 1919 – December 10, 1932 (Cadieux papers)(b. November 16, 1870, Halifax, NS, Canada – d. December 10, 1932) & Ellen J. (Cadieux papers)
Arthur Fielding (Ed note: Previously not recorded so added Dec. 2013) In the 1921 census Arthur is listed as a lodger in the household of James Forsyth and as the assistant Light Keeper, govt. employed at $600  per year.  He was 26, born BC in 1895.
Henry I. McKenzie (and Evelyn) Dec 1932 – Oct 24, 1933—another reference says..Henry I. December 15, 1933 as temporary keeper when James Forsyth died (Cadieux papers)
“Henry I. McKenzie (b. May 13, 1884, Nova Scotia) & Evelyn McKenzie (Cadieux papers) From the marriage records Henry I. Mckenzie married Alberta Forsyth on November 24 1931 in BC. He died in Victoria on July 2, 1947
Andrew and Mary Ritchie Oct 24, 1933 – Sept 20,- 1940 (his first station).
Thomas Westhead Sept. 20, 1940 – Sept 15, 1948 (wireless operator in 1927 according to BC Directory; later a lighthouse keeper) He also built three sailboats while on the island.
Arthur Anderson Sept 15, 1948 – Jan 23, 1950 ( drowned while returning to station)
S. Footman Jan 23, 1950 – Feb, 1950
Percy C. Pike Feb 1950 – Oct, 1952
Percival (Percy) Coatsworth Pike (b. May 21, 1898, Durban, South Africa) & Mary Ellen Pike (Cadieux papers spell the name “Pikes”)( married Dec 11, 1919 in Alert bay,) Percy was also a lighthouse keeper at Discovery Island in 1949.
Bruce W. Rogers August 01, 1951 Assistant Keeper
Gordon Odlum Oct 1, 1952 – July 31, 1961, (b. June 17, 1914, Vancouver, BC) & Jean Odlum. See the note on his contribution to UBC research on bird nesting of the Glaucous -winged Gull.
Chris W.Slater Aug 1961 – Sept 1961
Charles Clark Sept 1961 – Nov 1, 1961 (Born March 22, 1888, Ireland) (Cadieux papers)
Ben Rogers Nov, 1961 – July 27, 1964
Alan J. Tully July 27, 1964 – July 26, 1966 ( J. Alan (Al) Tully (d. 1971) & Mona Tully (Cadieux papers))
Curt Cehak summer 1966 to 1968–Junior keeper (Kurt Felix Carl (b. February 09, 1925, Vienna, Austria) & Erika Cehak (Cadieux papers) Link is to video of him talking about sea lions
Trevor and Flo Anderson Jul 26, 1966- March 2, 1982
David Odlum for a short period in the late 60’s. junior keeper. (son of Gordon & Jean Odlum)
Edward and Alice Hay **Junior Keeper 1968-1977
Rudy Dufour **Junior Keeper. ..1977?
Bob Lundy **Junior Keeper 1977
Edward Carson Relief Keeper 1980- 1982 (Edward (Ed) Carson (b. December 30, 1912, North Vancouver, BC – d. 1990) & Karlene Carson (not spelled “Karlene”) (Cadieux papers) Ed remarried in 1982 to Sheryl)
Frank Coffey c 1980..junior keeper on station with relief principal Ed Carson
Joseph Slyth 1981- Relief Lightkeeper at Race Rocks. ( died 2008 in Victoria at age 93)
Charles and Joan Redhead 1982- 1989 (Charles d. 1966).Joan Redhead passed away in 2012
Warren and Elaine Kennedy Junior Keeper on station with Charles Redhead 1982-1990-
Gerry Toner Junior Keeper..1990- 1994? Gerry passed away in Victoria, July 20, 2011 .
Pat Mickey Junior Keeper. Dec 16, 1993- 1995 (and Lorraine Mickey). They became Lightkeepers at Discovery Island 1995-1997
Mike and Carol Slater Oct, 1989- 1997…and continued as Ecoguardians until 2008, see link below.
Station Automated 1997
. ** Explanation of the terms Junior vs Assistant keeper provided by Trev and Flo Anderson:“Before 1961 the senior lightkeeper hired his own assistant . The government then began a system of examining all applicants. Lightkeepers were then all hired by the government ( Trev was in the first group). When the government hired and placed applicants, after posting position openings internally, they were called junior lightkeepers. Relief keepers were hired by the local office but the senior keeper could, and did often, suggest someone as the relief keeper had to live in the personal residences.”

 

 

See this file for the Ecoguardians now provided by Pearson College UWC and who have been in residence from 1997 to present at Race Rocks.

OUTPOST- A video About Pearson College and Race Rocks

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http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/archives_2/vidday1.htm
This video was filmed by Alan Bibby in 1997. It features a visit by Dr.Joe McInnis to the islands to dive with students of Lester B. Pearson College.
Narration by Angus Matthews.

OUTPOST: RACE ROCKS
Marine Education Centre
See this file with stills and the script from OUTPOST

Heritage Character Statement for Race Rocks Lighttower, FHBRO-1994–

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90-85
Race Rocks, British Columbia
Race Rocks Lighttower Vancouver Island

HERITAGE CHARACTER STATEMENT

The Race Rocks Lighttower was built in 1860 by the Crown Colony of Vancouver Island, with the assistance ofthe British Colonial Office. Its light was replaced in 1988. The manned station continues to serve its original function. The Canadian Coast Guard is the custodian. See FHBRO Building Report 90-85.

Reasons for Designation
The Race Rocks Lighttower was designated Recognized as a result of its environmental significance, its early association with the provision of navigational aids on the Pacific Coast, and its functional design and use of materials.

The Race Rocks Lighttower dominates its site, a small barren island located about twelve miles from Victoria in an area of strong tides and reefs. Given its important function in these treacherous waters, the Lighttower is a regional landmark among mariners.

The Lighttower, one of the first built on the west coast, was constructed in response to the increased maritime traffic arising from the Fraser River gold rush. By locating the
light on an island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, local authoritie s aided merchant and passenger ships headed to Victoria and naval vessels destined for the base at Esquimalt. The influx of settlers hoping to benefit from the gold strike quickly changed Victoria from a fur-trading fort to an inco rporated city, and ensured the continued need for a lighttower.

The Race Rocks Lighttower is one of a very few Canadian examples of its type. The design is derived from one commonly employed by the British for “Imperial” lighthouses associated with colonial trade routes. Built of local stone and by local craftsmen, the lantern and original light were supplied by the British.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage character of the Race Rocks Light tower is defined by its profile, functional design and materials, and by its importance in its environment.

The tall tapered profile of the Race Rocks Lighttower is typical of the “Imperial” design, with limited decorative detailing and stately proportions. The character of the Race
Rocks Lighttower is found in its robust stonework: large, rusticated blocks of granite composing the base and lanter n, and similarly finished sands tone in the body of the
tower. The raised door and lower-level windows are set in arched openings in the thick masonry wall, while the upper window-openings form small squares.

In 1962 the original lightkeeper’s residence, which was physically connected to the lighttower, was demolished.  This required the provision of an exterior staircase to the second-floor tower entrance and some patching of the tower stonework. Care should be taken to avoid further changes to the tower’s profile.

Given the highly exposed site, remedial masonry work has been required on several occasions and will continue to be required periodically. Since the stonework determines to a large extent t he character of this structure, inspection and maintenance by qualified masonry conservation professionals should be undertaken regularly. The black and white identifying colour scheme is original, and should be retained. The interior stone stairway should be preserved, as should all original interior fittings.

The light station is the sole occupant of the eight-acre Race Rocks in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Secondary structures associated with its operation surround the lighttower, and merit preservation. The surging tides make the island relative ly inaccessible except by helicopter; the rugged isolated character of the site should be preserved.

1994.12.02

Victoria Times Magazine article on Race Rocks July 15-1950

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On June 22, 2015, Ecological Reserves Board Member Jenny Feick sent this e-mail with the scanned image of a newspaper page.  Click for large version.

“I  found an old newspaper article on Race Rocks from 1950 that I was hoping to give you.  It was inside a wall in our house.  That’s how they insulated houses here in the 1950s.  When we had blown in insulation installed a few years ago, I kept a few of the old newspapers, many which dated back to the late 2nd world war years. I re-discovered it again this week while purging paper files and other items in our basement, and thought you and others in the Friends of Ecological Reserves of BC would be interested in the article.”

TC1950 Lighthouse