The historic Swift Point lighthouse in west Saint John which burned to the ground last summer has been rebuilt by the Canadian Coast Guard.
The original lighthouse dates back to 1869 and in June of last year it caught fire but city fire department wasn’t able to determine the cause.
1/2 The cause of the fire at the Swift Point Lighthouse in New Brunswick could not be determined by the Saint John fire department. pic.twitter.com/ySrcPAIikC
— Canadian Coast Guard (@CCG_GCC) July 20, 2017
Kevin Levy who is with the Coast Guard’s Maritime and Civil Infrastructure team tells CHSJ News after the fire, a review was done and it was found the lighthouse is required for navigation for local sailors and then it was determined they would put up a similar looking structure.
Our MCI team has cleared a path & poured the foundation to begin rebuilding the Swift Point #Lighthouse in Saint John, New Brunswick pic.twitter.com/JrjfSU2CjB
— Canadian Coast Guard (@CCG_GCC) November 20, 2017
In November, the Coast Guard’s MCI team cleared a path and poured the foundation. Levy says the aluminum frames which were built in a shop in Nova Scotia were delivered to Saint John before Christmas and local Coast Guard personnel installed them on-site.
“Once the frames were stacked on site, we then use PVC and vinyl finishings to give it the lighthouse appearance,” says Levy. “We use PVC and vinyl siding that very much replicate the traditional cedar-shake shingles and cornerboards.”
The light in the new lighthouse, which is solar-powered, has been in operation since about the middle of January.
Our Maritime and Civil Infrastructure team rebuilt the Swift Point Lighthouse in Saint John, NB after it was destroyed by fire 7 months ago. This historical navigational aid will continue to provide safety for all mariners. #CCGProud pic.twitter.com/bhV9LkD9gw
— Canadian Coast Guard (@CCG_GCC) February 6, 2018
Photos: Canadian Coast Guard
