Municipality adopts $4.3M plan to upgrade Cape Forchu Lightstation

The Municipality of the District of Yarmouth, N.S., has adopted a $4.3-million master plan to upgrade the Cape Forchu Lightstation.

The recommendations in the plan include upgrades to the 77-step circular staircase within the 23-metre tower so that visitors can climb to the top for the view, the construction of a new restaurant and gift shop, and the expansion of a local trail to the beach and salt marsh area.

"To me, this is our most important project that we have and we should spend as much as we can," said Coun. Gerard LeBlanc.

Dave Warner, the vice-president of the Friends of the Yarmouth Light Society, a non-profit group that operated the 7.7-hectare site for about 25 years, is also impressed by the master plan.

"It will be well maintained and create some new opportunities," he said. "I hope they do well with it and I think it's a priority of the whole region."

The projects could be done in six phases over a 10-year period. Each one will need approval from county council.

Coun. Patti Durkee warned against expecting too much too soon.

"We're not saying that we're just going to do everything as they have suggested," she said. "We need to set our own timeline and pick away at the projects as we see fit."

The original lighthouse was built in 1839. It was replaced with a hexagonal tower in 1961 and a fog alarm building was added to the site.