Mariners Memorial Park

Mariners Memorial Park Will Be Opened Sept. 17 [1967]

South Marysburgh Township's Centennial project will be officially opened with the turning on of a light instead of the traditional cutting of a ribbon.

The unique official opening is suited to the project . . . a Mariners' Memorial Park, featuring the historic False Ducks Island lighthouse turret, mounted on a new base.

The park, situated at the head of South Bay, near Milford, will be officially opened at three p.m., Sunday, Sept. 17th.

Kettlewell print lighthouse — Extract from William Kettlewell's limited edition print (see text). A full imgage, with text, is vavailable here. Ref: Naval Marine Archive, RClapp fonds.

Invited to participate in the ceremonies are Federal Transport Minister J. W. Pickersgill, Ontario Minister of Tourism and Information James Auld, A. Douglas Alkenbrack, M.P. for Prince Edward Lennox, Norris Whitney, MLA for Prince Edward-Lennox and Prince Edward County Warden Rabert Boyce.

Also attending will be South Marysburgh Reeve Harold Miller and members of the township council. The general public is invited to attend the event, which will include free servings of apples and cheese.

A number of copies of a sketch by widely-known Milford area artist William Kettlewell will be available for sale at the opening to help raise funds toward the project. The sketch shows the original lighthouse before it was removed and the schooner Fleetwing weathering a storm in the background. A printed history of the lighthouse and the schooner accompany the sketches. A limited edition of 150 of the sketch, measuring 10 by 13 inches, numbered and signed by the artist, suitable for framing, will be available for $10 each. Other reproductions of the drawing will also be available on slightly cheaper paper, unsigned and un-numbered, for $5 each.

Apart from the lighthouse tower, which will be turned on to signify the official opening, the museum houses other marine relics from the history of shipping on the Great Lakes, and a lifeboat from the ill-fated Greek freighter Protostatis, which grounded off Point Traverse for several days in the fall of 1965.

Former lighthouse keepers of the False Duck Island lighthouse are also expected to be present for the event.

This document, from our Al Capon fonds is unsourced and undated. We tentatively suggest that it may have been written for the Picton Gazette, but cannot determine publication.