It’s a lighthouse that’s seen by thousands of tourists every day – and it has a new look.
Travelling on the ferry between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, you can't miss the old Caribou Island lighthouse, which has been guiding ships and attracting visitors since Confederation.
In October 2016, a structure built around the tower was torn down because of high levels of asbestos.
When the work was done, the tower looked pretty shabby, so locals formed a group calling themselves the Friends of Caribou Island.
They wanted answers about the future of the beacon.
“It was pretty run down,” said Corey Matheson, a member of the group. “We had a lot of comments from people that would come in here and say, ‘oh it’s a shame that lighthouse wasn't looking better.’ The grounds were messy here. The driveway had potholes everywhere.”
Earlier this month, the Coast Guard and DFO stepped forward to repaint the tower and fix up the grounds. It followed months of persistent inquiries from the community.
“I think they just finally realized, ‘you know what if we paint this, it's going to go a long way with the people on the island and making everybody happy.’” Said Matheson. “And we’re so glad they did.
The beacon itself remains vital for ocean traffic, including the Northumberland ferries.
It’s visible to thousands of tourists every day who travel one of the Maritimes’ busiest ferries.
“In terms of tourists, and people coming to visit, that's what they want to see in nova scotia,” said Shawn Poirier, a Caribou Island resident.“They want to see those icons.”
Fellow island resident Nancy Grant agrees.
“People have told me that it’s very visible,” she said. “It's wonderful. I think it's just a wonderful thing that people can see it, fixed up.”
Matheson says the community group is still hoping to take control of the property someday. If approved, it could become a small picnic park, for visitors and locals alike.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Dan MacIntosh.
