The future of 21 lighthouses on Prince Edward Island looks very bright.
Five years ago, Ottawa declared 37 Island lighthouses surplus but invited interested local governments and community groups to submit a business plan if they were interested in operating them.
As of the June 1, 2013 deadline, 21 business plans have been submitted along with 12 other petitions for ownership.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF 21 LIGHTHOUSES WITH BUSINESS PLANS
Those 12 lighthouse petitioners have been given until 2015 to submit a business plan.
Carol Livingstone, president of the P.E.I. Lighthouse Society, believes the government will work with Islanders to place lighthouses in the right hands.
“The sooner the better. I believe strongly they are going to do all they can to get these lighthouses into the hands of caring people,” she said.
There are 63 existing lighthouses on Prince Edward Island, 13 of those are privately owned, while a municipality or community group owns another 11.
In the House of Commons June 4, Environment Minister Peter Kent said the lighthouse preservation program has been very successful.
Some of the business offers consider moving the lighthouses.
Livingstone is confident most, if not all, of the 37 lighthouses will be saved.
“It just says how much they care, we’re surrounded by water and the lighthouses have always been an important part of our history and also part of our future.”
The four lighthouses without a petition are Georgetown Back Range, Annandale Front Range, Brighton Beach Back Range and Warren Cove Back Range.
People think lighthouses aren't being used anymore, said Livingstone.
“To some degree they are. Smaller pleasure boats that don’t have the GPSs, they certainly still use them.”
She said lighthouses are the most unselfish form of architecture.
“Houses are built for ourselves and businesses are built for income. The lighthouses are there for everyone, it doesn’t matter what country, the rules are international. They are there to help everybody. To me they are a symbol of hope, help and guidance and there are beautiful to me.”
The following is the list of lighthouses for which business plans have been submitted:
Annandale Back Range
Blockhouse Lighthouse
Brighton Beach Front Range Light
Cape Bear
Cape Tryon
Covehead Lighthouse
Haszard Point Front Range Light
Haszard Point Back Range Light
Indian Head Lighthouse
Leard’s Back Range Light
Malpeque Outer Range Back
Malpeque Outer Range Front
Murray Harbour Front Range Light
New London Lighthouse
North Cape
North Rustico
Northport Range Light
Panmure Head
Point Prim
Seacow Head Lighthouse
St. Peter’s Island Lighthouse
