Callander’s Ryan Farquhar has plans to build a lighthouse on East Morrison Island, and council has moved that dream one step closer to materializing.
East Morrison Island is a stone’s throw from Callander’s municipal dock at the lakeside of Lansdowne Street. The small rocky island was home to another lighthouse, which stood for about 25 years before a storm blew it down in July 2006.
That lighthouse was never operational, more a hangout for card playing and drinking—according to local lore—rather than lighting a traveller’s way.
Farquhar now owns the island, and his vision is to construct a fully functioning lighthouse compliant with all government and coast guard regulations.
See: Callander lighthouse on the horizon?
According to the Government of Canada’s website, our country is home to “more than 750 lighthouses,” although “close to 100” of those have been transferred to individuals, community groups and municipalities who conserve “these important heritage sites.”
Canada’s oldest surviving lighthouse was built in 1759 and stands on Sambro Island, at the entrance to the Halifax Harbour.
The first lighthouse in Canada was built in Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in 1734. The structure was damaged in fires, “rebuilt several times,” and the lighthouse standing in that spot now was built in 1923.
Currently, the federal government operates 51 staffed lighthouses—one in New Brunswick, 27 in British Columbia, and 23 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
If Farquhar’s lighthouse plans reach fruition, it will not require staff to run it. Like most lighthouses, the operation will be fully automated.
Prior to December 21, the island was designated an environmental protection zone. After Callander’s last council meeting, the land is now zoned for open space use.
Specifically, the island is “open space exception two (OS-2) zone,” council laid out in their by-law motion.
This means “no persons shall within an open space two” zone “use any land, or erect, alter or use any building or structure except for a Lighthouse.”
So, lighthouses only on East Morrison Island. And there are provisions.
The lighthouse can cover a maximum of 25 per cent of the island, the maximum height is 12.5 metres (41 feet), and the light within the lighthouse “shall have a maximum luminosity” of 20 candelas which “shall shine a total of no more than 112 degrees out towards the Callander Bay entrance on Lake Nipissing.”
No additions can be made to the lighthouse once complete, and no “accessory uses and/or structures are permitted” on the island.
“The structure is not to be used for human habitation,” the municipality made clear.
During the December 21 council meeting, councillor Jordy Carr expressed concerns about insurance liability, and whether the municipality would be on the hook for any accidents or issues involving the beacon.
“My understanding,” explained Ashley Bilodeau, the senior municipal director, “is that would fall solely on Mr. Farquhar” as the owner of the lighthouse.
“The onus is on the owner,” she continued, “and that lighthouse will be registered by the owner with the coast guard.”
“The liability is fully on the owner,” confirmed Taylor Craig, Callander’s planning administrator, and “there is a full maintenance schedule” lighthouse owners must follow as outlined by the coast guard.
With the island rezoned, what’s next? Currently, Farquhar is working to have the island renamed to Farquhar Lighthouse Island.
See: Callander island might be set for a name change
The application for the name change is through the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, and the ministry is seeking input from residents “to determine what names are in local usage” for the island, “and if there is support for this name proposal.”
There is a link to that survey posted on Callander’s website. The deadline for responses is December 31, 2021.
An environmental study is also underway to determine the effects of construction on the island.
Indeed, the plans for the lighthouse are in the preliminary stages, but with council’s decision to re-zone the island, the town might eventually see the revival of a popular landmark appear on the horizon.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
