Restoration of historic beacon becomes a labour of love

by Margo Little

TEHKUMMAH - Throughout the Great Lakes, on both sides of the border, community volunteers are working to preserve lighthouses for posterity. In keeping with this trend, two Tehkummah residents have embarked on a mission to restore an important symbol of Manitoulin's past.

Ron Anstice, a dairy farmer, and Ron Hieron, a retired contractor, have teamed up to rescue the remnants of the former Michael's Bay Lighthouse. The project has evolved into an intense labour of love.

The Michael Point Light established in 1870 on the south shore of Manitoulin was a 25 foot tower visible for 11 miles. It was an essential directional beacon for ships carrying lumber from the once thriving sawmill town at Michael's Bay. The light was decommissioned from 1899 to 1901 and collapsed around 1930.

Mr. Anstice recalls visiting the site as a teenager. "It had blown over," he said. "In the past nobody cared; nobody ever gave it a second thought. Now everything is gone and it will never be the same."

Since his family has owned property in the area since 1937, the neglect of the lighthouse has often come to his attention. From time to time he had discussed the sad state of the Michael Point Light with his neighbour. "One day Ron Hieron came in and said, 'Let's do it; let's rebuild it."

The reclamation of pieces began last August and the recreation of the lighthouse came together during the winter. Construction is scheduled to end this fall.

Perhaps the historic building can never be replicated exactly, but the two farmers are attempting to recapture the essence of the original.

Fortunately, the shell of the lantern house has been retrieved. Although some of the cast iron parts were missing or broken, a craftsman was found to manufacture parts.

"We contacted Chris Hess of Hopper Foundry in Forest, Ontario," Mr. Hieron said. "He did the welding for us and necessary repairs. It will look quite authentic."

Originally the light would have hung in the centre of the metal frame with kerosene or coal oil as fuel. "It would have been like a railroad lantern out on the point and visible all around," he noted.

Since its collapse, many souvenir hunters have raided the old lighthouse, Mr. Anstice said. The lack of road access did not deter people from scavenging for antiques and removing many valuable artifacts.

Despite the looting, the two men were able to collect pieces of the old window frames, sections of the tin roof and even some 130 year old brass screws.

On the recovered fragments of the tin roof signatures from as far back as 1940 have been scrawled.

"We were just lucky to find all this material," Mr. Anstice added. "Every time we went back, we found a few more pieces."

The replica has been built with cedar from Mr. Anstice's woodlot with planing completed by Taylor's Sawmill in M'Chigeeng.

When finished the new model will be over 20 feet tall. Once it is installed on the rock at Michael's Point it will be 25 to 30 feet above the water.

Just getting the new structure to its future home will be a challenge, they concede. "We will have to take it apart to transport it by boat right out to the point at Michael's Bay. We will have to pick our day to put it out there on the rock. It can get pretty rough out there," Mr. Anstice said.

Meanwhile, lighthouse historian, Jean Hastings has been documenting the progress of the venture. The Illinois teacher, currently a Perivale cottager, will add the Michael's Bay restoration story to future slide shows and lectures.

by Cheryl Waugh

PROVIDENCE BAY - Crystal McFarlane remembers a time when the children of Providence Bay would take swimming lessons at the Mindemoya River, close to where the river ends up in Lake Huron at Providence Bay Beach.

"It was deep then," she remembers, of the river. The kids, she says, would jump off the nearby stone wall into the water. "And the salmon, there was so many salmon in the water. We'd try to catch them with our hands, but you had more of a chance of stepping on a fish then catching one."

Today, Ms. McFarlane does not recommend swimming in the river, and the salmon, well, they're almost gone.

Providence Bay Beach, meanwhile, was the pre-eminent beach on the Island. Its distinctive white sand lured tourists and Islanders alike, filling the beach with families out to cool down on a hot summer's day

Today, despite the best efforts of Mrs. McFarlane, her husband Ben, the Young Peacemakers Club, and many others in the Providence Bay community, the Beach has lost its lustre. It is strewn with natural debris, like logs, sticks, seaweed, dead trees and other items that are dumped onshore by the waves of Lake Huron.

The problems of the Mindemoya River - Providence Bay Beach are acute. Both environments are suffering from low water levels and erosion, not to mention a lack of attention. The river grows algae, the beach grass. There is so much grass growing at Providence Bay Beach that it is threatening to engulf it, turning a once beautiful beach into a grassland

In the spring, a group of about 20-25 Providence Bay citizens cleaned the beach, taking out a trailer load of debris. "You never know what will show up on the beach," says Ms. McFarlane. "One of the things we took out was an eight-foot log that had beaver teeth marks at both ends."

The Young Peacemakers Club, their parents, as well as other community members cleaned the beach again once the summer school break started.

Looking around at the beach last Saturday, Ms. McFarlane could only shake her head. The beach was once again strewn with debris.

The McFarlanes live near the beach so they try and concentrate on keeping the children's play area clear and free from grass. However, it is a practice that requires a permit. There are also some environmentalists, .Ms. McFarlane explains, who don't want anyone to interfere with the 'natural process' of the beach.

"There are too many people who want us to leave it, and not clear it," says Ms. McFarlane. "But, if we leave it, we won't have a beach."

She noted with some irony that while beach is being lost to grassland, beach is also being gained because of low water levels.

"I think we've gained about 20-feet of beach," says her  husband, Ben McFarlane.

Unfortunately, lake bottom doesn't make for a quality beach.

The grass problems are new to the beach. It wasn't that long ago that the beach was clean and clear.

"It's really only been the last four to six years that it's been a problem," says Mr. McFarlane. "But, it seems every time we try to do something, somebody doesn't like what we do."

Getting rid of the grass is only one step in cleaning up the beach. Next year, before the beach opens, the hope is that a sand sifter can come in and help clean the beach.

"It's used at all the big beaches, including Wasaga Beach," says Mr. McFarlane.

The sifter lifts the sand, sifts it of debris and then places the sand back on the beach. It's going to cost the community about $2,000 a year to do it, if not more. It is also likely that when the sifter is brought in a screen cloth would have to be put down in order to protect Lake Huron.

Then, there is the Mindemoya River. The river is only about eight kilometres in length, but is a tributary between Lake Mindemoya and Lake Huron. A dam, controlled and monitored by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), regulates the amount of water that flows from Lake Mindemoya into the River.

The river's head is at Providence Bay Beach. During the fall salmon run, the river becomes a salmon spawning ground. In the spring, rainbow trout can be found there. At one time, salmon could make the trip all the way to the dam, and some would even try to jump the dam and climb into Lake Mindemoya. These days, salmon can't make that trip. Water levels are so low in the river salmon are grounded early in the trip.

At one time, the mouth of the river was a swimming option for parents with young children who were at the beach. Not any more. Ms. McFarlane knows too many people, not to mention pets, who have come down with rashes after being in the river.

"There's not enough flow, not enough water, and too much algae," she says.

She complained recently to the MNR about the water levels problem. They responded by opening the dam a bit by lifting a stop log.

"It will help," she says. "Although, I don't know for how long. The river needs to cleared. There's dead animals, dead trees, algae, there's maybe two inches of water in some places, there's no flow, something more than lifting a log needs to be done."

MNR area supervisor Bud Hebner says his ministry has a dam management strategy for every dam that it controls. "Every dam is different," he noted. "The plan is based on what you can expect for normal rainfall."

A complaint that Ms. McFarlane has with the mouth of the Mindemoya River is a sand bar that makes it difficult for the water from the river to actually get into Lake Huron. Not to mention the salmon, who are trying to get into the river.

"That sand bar is a regular occurrence," said Mr. Hebner. "It's a constant problem every year." He said the sand bar would likely have to be dredged in order to fix the problem, and even that may not work.

But, he also explained that the MNR tries to balance the eco-system. It has to consider not only the Mindemoya River and Lake Huron, but also Lake Mindemoya.

Year-round precipitation has been low the last the few years on Manitoulin, which has affected water levels on Lake Mindemoya.

Mr. Hebner explained that the MNR could open up the dam wide to let the water from Lake Mindemoya flow into the Mindemoya River, which would help with the problems of the sand bar and low water levels in the river, but then what about the levels on Lake Mindemoya?

It's a balancing act," says Mr. Hebner, who adds that the MNR did have someone at the dam last week, and a stop log was lifted.

Ms. McFarlane notes the river and the beach are important to Providence Bay's tourism industry. Fisherman arrive in the spring for the rainbow trout and in the fall for the salmon. She's been down to the beach talking to the fisherman, she says, and fishing is not good.

"The MNR, they're supposed to keep the water levels accurate. They are the only ones that have a key to the dam," says Ms. McFarlane. "I understand that they have to keep the balance between the river and the lake, but they're not doing it. I guess I've just had enough. There needs to be something major done, not just moving a log."

She's already looking at next year. The beach is the main area of interest for now. It's where the tourists go and the area children play. Along with bringing in machinery to clean the beach, not to mention getting rid of the grass along the shores (but not on the dunes), Ms. McFarlane would also like to see that sand bar dug out, and the boardwalk fixed up.

"We used to dig up that sand bar every year," she said. "The trees around the boardwalk need to be trimmed, it's completely overgrown. We need to clean it up, make it look  more presentable. But, it's a lot of work. We need some help getting it off the ground."

Ms. McFarlane adds that if anyone has any concerns, ideas, or questions they can call her.

"We're losing our beach," says Ms. McFarlane. "It'll be gone in a couple of years if we don't do something about it."

To reach Ms. McFarlane, phone 377-5155.

M'Chigeeng abattoir takes shape

by Michael Erskine

M'CHIGEENG---It isn't easy to open an abattoir in Ontario these days, just ask Richard and Marian Williams, but with perseverance and determination, a lot of local help from Richard's hockey buddies and an unfailing faith in the Lord, the M'Chigeeng First Nation couple's much-anticipated abattoir is finally rising above its poured concrete floors.

Driving by the Highway 540 construction site, you can see the building that will house Manitoulin Meat and Bakery has already taken shape. Just behind the 55-foot-by-50-foot retail operation, sits a concrete pad with innumerable plastic drains poking up across its surface; this is where the 30-foot-by-70-foot steel building that will house the abattoir operation will arise in the next two weeks.

It has been quite a travail to get to this point, one marked by a seemingly endless stream of bureaucracy and Catch-22 legal conundrums that would have made a less determined pair of entrepreneurs throw their hands up in despair.

The need for a local abattoir accessible to local cattle farmers is beyond dispute, currently they must travel far to the east beyond Sudbury if they want to process their cattle.

"It is going to help to a certain extent," said Harley Bayer, of Mindemoya, who raises both beef and hogs. "It will save quite a bit of travelling to Sturgeon Falls, three-and-a-half hours one way, and then a second trip back to pick it up."

Tehkummah Reeve and cattleman Jim Anstice was more expressive about his feelings on the project.

"It's great," he said. "We have been waiting with bated breath for this to happen!"

The business model the pair have put together is solid and funders are ready and willing to back the operation, local politicians from all levels of government call asking how they can help move the project forward, everybody, it seems wants this project to go forward and be successful.

But time and again, new rules, even conflicting rules, arise to place new hurdles between the couple and their goal.

One of the most frustrating of those hurdles is the requirement by Indian and Northern Affairs, ABC (Aboriginal Business Canada) and the funding conduit Waubetek for the abattoir to be licensed before funding can be released. Unfortunately before the province grants the license, the building has to be in place. It is this Catch-22 that has slowed construction to a standstill.

"It's crazy," said Mr. Williams, shaking his head ruefully.

Mr. Williams is quick to point out that Waubetek Business Services and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada are supportive, and that Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Brent St. Denis has personally called to ask what he can do to help.

His praise flows freely for local provincial Ag-rep Brian Bell, but he is somewhat less enthusiastic about the provincial inspectors that he has had to deal with during the construction of the facility.

Mr. Williams was also effusive in his gratitude to people like Kevin O'Conner, Barry Cooper, Murray Werbeski and Bill Cox, most of whom he played hockey with, and who have, as local construction and business-people gone the extra mile to help make this endeavor a success.

"Even Lyman Construction, he's family, but he has done so much to help out. Our accountant, Darcy Williamson really helped us in setting up the business plan," he added. "Darcy told us straight up, 'If the numbers don't support it, if it doesn't feel good, I'll say don't do it!"

From the farmers' perspective, the need is there beyond any shadow of a doubt.

"Any abattoir that will kill cattle is a good thing at this point, large or small," said Mr. Bayer. "We need the slaughter capacity. We just don't have enough of it in this country."

"I was hoping when the government announced funding for new slaughter capacity, that there would be some money for small local abattoirs," he said. "But then it turned out that the money was for two or three big ones. I think that is a big mistake. They would be better off with small regional operations."

With large meat plants, a single incidence of disease or health issue would back up a huge portion of the system, pointed out Mr. Anstice.

"With small regional plants," he noted, "there would almost no impact on the supply line."

The abattoir may be the main focus of interest for local farmers and politicians anxious to find a path through the challenges facing the cattle industry today, but it is only one part of the business mix that will help make this project a success.

There are actually two businesses arising here. The abattoir, aptly bearing the moniker 'Island Abattoir,' and the aforementioned Manitoulin Meats and Bakery, a combined retail butcher shop and baked goods store.

The need for two separate names, and two buildings separated by 80 feet, stems from the way the two operations will be regulated, explained Mr. Williams. If they were to be all housed in the same building, or even operated under the same name, there would be two sets of inspectors, two sets of regulations to meet and even more headaches trying to reconcile the two.

"It's just a lot simpler this way," he said.

One thing that simplifies his operation is being on 'town' water, although he will have to dig and install a significant length of piping to get to where the current connection lies.

A bit of a complication will be the septic system. For the time being, the waste water from the operation will be going into huge 2,000 gallon holding tanks. It is going to take a while under operation before it can be determined whether the local water table can safely absorb the amount of water in a septic system.

Politics plays a big role here, because even though he is only 80 feet from the Band's sewer system, there is no extra money to run a connection for the business.

"They told me maybe when the sun rises in the west," said Mr. Williams. "Because the band has been fighting with the government, there is no extra money available for anything."

Mr. Williams shrugs philosophically.

"It would be nice," he said, of the sewer connection. "But we go with what we have and make the best of it."

Manitoulin Meats and Bakery will have a small sit-down coffee shop, a mini-Timmy's as Ms. Williams describes it, where people will be able to sit back and relax have a coffee and sample the cakes, pies, soups, salads and ready-made pizzas baked in the operation's complete set of convection ovens.

Owning her own business has been a life-long dream for Ms. Williams, but one which was held in abeyance for the past 23 years, while she worked in the cafeteria at Manitoulin Secondary School. Now, together with her husband, she is seeing that dream come to life.

Near the back of the bakery section of the building, a window will allow clients to ring a bell and order (or pick up) their meat orders from the climate-controlled butcher shop located in the back.

Mr. Williams, who spent several years working as a meat inspector, and at the Island's previous abattoir, once located in Spring Bay, will be preparing every type of custom meat cut for his customers.

Island Abattoir, located on the other side of the property, will also take up part of his time, as farmers make appointments to have their beef processed.

"We will have a barn, but it will only be for temporary holding," explained Mr. Williams. Because of the semi-residential location of the operation, holding animals for any length of time will be out of the question.

"Cattle, and especially hogs, can be very noisy," he said. In order to minimize the impact of noise on any of his neighbours, a quick throughput is very desirable.

"We will process heifers, steers, bulls, cows and calves," he said, "but no downers."

Dealing with cattle who cannot come in under their own steam would be simply too expensive and risky for the fledgling operation.

The cattle will enter the 'knock box,' where a powerful and humane stun gun will immediately render them senseless before decapitation and de-hiding.

Rails will keep the meat high above the ground, avoiding contamination, throughout the carcasses journey through chilling, curing and final processing into sides, quarters and hinds of beef.

"Beef typically cures for seven to 10 days," said Mr. Williams.

The storage system will be able to hold at least 10 carcasses at one time, and that has set the initial capacity of the operation.

Throughout the process, inspectors will be checking the meat to insure it meets proper standards.

Temperature is a critical consideration in this type of operation, and a number of extra doors and separations were added to the initial design to help insure that everything stays at the proper level. The vast majority of the building must stay below 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cooler house must remain below 10 degrees.

Great care has been taken to insure the system remains closed, he noted, while standing in a puddle of water in the middle of the concrete pad.

"Kevin is really proud of this puddle," he laughed. The water makes it clear that the shape of the concrete flooring will keep processing water flowing properly into the holding tank drains. "It took a lot of work to get this just right."

The business will also process wild meat. Mr. Williams said that it is very important that he gets the business up and running before the start of this year's influx of hunters. The location of the business is ideally suited to the hunter trade, and in order to take advantage of that source of business, he points out, you have to actually be in business.

Mr. Williams is currently working on partnership arrangements with another Island business to meet the demand for 'pepperettes,' smoked meat products and organically produced meats, areas he feels he simply will not have the time to focus on himself.

Another Northern operation, Charlebois Farms, has been very supportive of the project, he noted.

"I really want to stick to working together with Northern businesses, Northern farmers," he said. "We will be drawing from Blind River to Sudbury."

The initial cost of the abattoir section of the business skyrocketed from $10,000 to over $26,000, he noted, with each visit from a provincial inspector seeming destined to add to the final tally.

Still, the couple have been receiving a steady stream of calls from farmers wishing them well and inquiring as to when the operation will be up and running.

As the Williams link arms and gaze back at their dream taking shape under the carpenter's hammers, they are acutely aware that the hopes and dreams of cattle farmers across the Island and the North Shore are riding along with them.

"For everything we do we ask God's blessing," said Ms. Williamson.

Island Bands. Interview with "Tyme Well Wasted"

 First in a series of interviews with some of Manitoulin's up and coming bands

by Matt McHarg

Late last Thursday night I had the pleasure to get an interview with one of Little Current's better young bands "Tyme Well Wasted".  I wandered  into their garage located towards the end of town on Draper street and took a seat to watch these masters of music show me what they could do. With Devin Manitowabe as the lead singer and guitar player, Matt Bond backing up the vocals and playing bass and Darren Deboskie on the drums, this tightly knit band plays almost nightly in their 15 by 20 foot garage. Though a young band, ranging 19 to 24 years old their schedule is  packed, opening for Hoobastank and receiving an offer form Mike Oldfield at MCTV to perform at this years MCTV Christmas telethon. Unfortunately Darren could not stay for the interview due to obligations he had elsewhere, but he sends his regrets. 

What style of music does your band put out?

(Matt) Basically  we play alternative  rock, but we love experimenting with

different effects and sounds to add our own style and feel to all the music

that we play. 

How long have you guys been together as a band?

(Matt) We have been playing together for 6 months, and have gone through several drummers until we met Darren.

(Devin) Once we found Darren, we gained the ability to better elaborate on our music and to keep pushing a more original sound. 

What message, if any would you say your music has to tell people?

(Devin) Each song has its own meaning, however when I sit down and write, I tend to write about making it through everyday life and making a name for yourself in this competitive world. 

Are you guys in this band for the fun, fame, or potential to make money?

(Devin) Everything!

(Matt) When we started this band it was just a hobby, and as we progressed that hobby turned into a goal in life, to make something of ourselves and this band. 

How do you guys feel about other young Island bands?

(Devin) There's  far too much competition between all the younger bands on the Island, but alot of talent out there.

(Matt) All of us bands, no matter the style of music, should be more supportive of each other and try more to help each other out with shows and gigs. 

Are you happy with the music that you create, and do you think others will respond well to it?

(Matt) OH YEAH! The best is yet to come.

(Devin) We feel others will like our style of music. It has a mainstream sound with our own evolving style tied into it. 

Finally, is there any shows for "Tyme Well Wasted" coming up in the near future?

(Devin) Our promotional agent is setting up various shows for us to play in the next few months.

(Matt) We are also opening for "Hoobastank" at  the Corner Stone in North Bay, and we are hosting a D.I.Y here in Little Current October 8th with TragedyEnds, Blind Spot, Red & White and AfterThink.