$2M lighthouse reno threatened

A $2-million renovation to a lighthouse in western P.E.I. could be swept away in the next storm, says the area's MLA.

Rob Henderson is lobbying the province to help fund a protective barrier around the West Point Lighthouse. The sand dune protecting the lighthouse from the sea was destroyed by a storm surge in December.

"There's a fair bit of vulnerability to the structure now it's basically on the beach," said Henderson.

"The community's very concerned about ice and another storm surge that may do damage to the structure."

A $2 million renovation to the interior of the lighthouse was recently completed to update it as a major tourism attraction in the area. Henderson does not want to lose that investment.

Based on an earlier estimate of building a barrier, the province has committed $60,000 to the project, but engineers now estimate the project will cost $400,000.

Henderson recently met with the Premier to ask for more funding.