When the little provincial park at Tignish Shore was deemed surplus along with several others on the Island by the former Conservative government, a few years ago, members of the community were outraged. Their little park had served the area for many years and was a great spot for families to spend the day and it was well used. When the provincial flag came down no one really knew what would become of the park or how they would find the funding to keep it open.
Residents of the community banded together and formed a committee. They were able to secure some funding and it wasn’t long before they had the park looking better than it ever did under the provincial government.
The Community of Tignish Shore has been threatened by rising tides on many occasions and there was often the threat of flooding. When a government project was approved for a granite rock retaining wall to be built along the shore there was much rejoicing. Spurred on by a desire to see their little community thrive even more, members of the Community Improvement Committee (CIC) decided the time was right to save the old lighthouse that sat at the end of Tignish Run. Some residents of the community had been fighting for years to keep the structure from being demolished and now the whole community will benefit from its salvation.
Built in 1881 it was decommission in 1997. Sitting idle it soon began to fall into ruin, with smashed windows, peeling paint and rotting shingles. It had been in danger of being torn down because it was becoming a menace at the end of the busy wharf.
Fortunately the old lighthouse became part of a bigger plan for the little community and government funding enabled it to be moved to a new location in the Fishermen’s Haven Park. In January it was hauled into the park and over the course of several months it has taken on a new life. It will soon house a display depicting the important role it played in the community.
Along the new breakwater there is now approximately 1,800 feet of new boardwalk that runs from the little park right up to the wharf. It’s a beautiful place for a stroll and it is already well travelled.
Work at the park is finally completed and this weekend the park is being dedicated to the memory of 10 men from the area who have lost their lives to the sea.
It took many long hours of planning to get this project off the ground. A group of dedicated residents who love their unique little part of the Island worked long and hard to save their park and then expanded on that project. They decided to turn a little job into a major project and they accomplished what they set out to do. Tignish Shore has it’s own rich heritage and it can be told in the lighthouse they rescued from the brink of destruction.
The Tignish Shore boardwalk, park and lighthouse are a success story made possible by government funding. It’s the type of project that should be funded by government. It is backed by a dedicated group of volunteers who are a credit to their community and they should receive recognition for what they have accomplished. Government officials might deliver the checks but it is the residents of small communities such as Tignish Shore that are the real heros. They deserve the praise and thanks for bringing such projects to fruition.
Government officials can be thanked for helping deliver the funds but we should always remember that it is community volunteers who sacrifice their time and energy to get such projects off the ground. They are the real community heroes that make things happen.