A group on Caribou Island, N.S. is trying to save and restore an historic lighthouse in the community after a section of the property was recently torn down and removed.

“It’s kind of sad to see it go, you know,” says Nancy MacLeod, who lives near the Caribou Island Lighthouse. “At least they have the chimney and a lot of birds nested up in there and so we’re hoping we don’t get them up on our roof.”

The first lighthouse was built on the property in 1868 and it was replaced with another in 1916. A structure built around the tower for storage purposes was torn down on Thursday and now all that remains is the tower.

Residents say it has always been a popular spot for taking photos and watching the ocean.

“It takes getting used to and it certainly looks different than the previous structure and it certainly needs some work to make it more appealing,” says Caribou Island resident Janice Cruikshank.

The beacon itself remains vital for ocean traffic, including the Northumberland Ferries, which sail between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

When the Canadian Coast Guard divested itself of lighthouses in 2012, communities were invited to submit ideas for local beacons. At the time, no plans were submitted for Caribou.

Now, a Facebook group called Friends of Caribou Island is trying to assume guardianship of the lighthouse, in conjunction with local government.

“We’re a community that will make the best of what we have and I think we can come up with some great ideas to accentuate and highlight what we have left, as long as we are able to keep it,” says resident Jennifer Sullivan.

“If we can get it fixed up, maybe with a group on the road, put some picnic tables here and I think, you know, people would really enjoy it,” says MacLeod.

Residents say whatever happens to the lighthouse – whether it’s fully repaired or simply receives a fresh coat of paint – they hope it happens soon so it will be ready ahead of next summer’s tourist season.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh