The Gabarus Lighthouse is just five feet from slipping into the sea, and residents are asking for something to be done before it’s too late.
“At one point, one corner of the lighthouse is seven feet from the edge – that’s not very far,” said Janet McGillen, chair of the Gabarus Lightkeepers Society. “We lost five feet of ground in one rain storm.”
For 125 years, the lighthouse has stood overlooking the small village. Over that time, the land around the building continues to disappear.
The Lightkeepers Society’s goal is to have the lighthouse moved to more stable ground. But nearby resident Tim Menk fears that process is taking too long.
“If we get heavy rain in the fall, which can happen, the lighthouse appears to be leaning somewhat towards the water, which makes it even more perilous if that's the case.”
The society recently won $50,000 in a contest to help repair the building. However, they can’t gain access to the money until they take ownership on the lighthouse from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
McGillen says the group has made anapplication for a license to have the work done, but due to policies and protocol, the process is taking longer than expected.
“We can't find an insurance company yet that will insure us,” she said “Without the insurance we can't get the licenses, without the license we can't get insurance, so it goes back and forth.”
Menk feels there may not be enough time to go through all the steps to save the landmark.
“Take into consideration the urgency and to look to co-operate to every extent possible, so we don't have a disaster that could take place here in the near term,” he said.
The lighthouse is one of 74 in the province that was given heritage status.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.
