Nottawasaga Lighthouse

Top 10 Endangered Places List: 2016

The Nottawasaga Lighthouse was decommissioned in 2003 after an engineering study noted that the lighthouse’s exterior masonry, which had been damaged by lightning strikes and subsequent water infiltration, was at risk of collapse. It was included in the 2016 Top 10 Endangered Places List.

The Nottawasaga Lighthouse Preservation Society raised funds and is in the process of taking ownership of the property for its eventual restoration. The structure was assessed and deemed sound and perfectly upright. Restoration work was planned for 2017.

“Having Nottawasaga Lighthouse included on the Top 10 Endangered Places List gave our campaign national exposure and credibility,” said Robert Square, Nottawasaga Lighthouse Preservation Society.

History

Erected in 1858, the Nottawasaga Lighthouses was one of six Imperial Towers built to light the shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The whitewashed limestone light rises 95 feet above the shore, guiding ships to safety in Collingwood Harbour. It played an important part in the establishment of safe navigation routes along the coastal waters of Lake Huron following the opening of the Bruce Peninsula.

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