It seems this lighthouse has had both a hard life and some good fortune. The hard life encompassed its having been moved three times, in 1884, 1899, and in 1914 and being nearly destroyed by a storm in 1899. Its good fortune came in the form of residents of North Rustico who repaired and cared for it after the big blow of 1899.
Built in 1876, it was tended by a keeper for 84 years, until 1960 when it became automated. Today the light still shines out to sea, eclipsing every five seconds, guiding boats to the narrow entrance to the North Rustico Harbour.
Now declared surplus by the government, a group is hoping to take possession of the lighthouse, restore it and possibly turn it into a summer rental cottage to create income with which to maintain it. This, however, is causing problems. Details follow.
North Rustico’s Emard Court
is living a bureaucratic nightmare
The Journal Pioneer | Sep 15, 2014
The 90-year-old war veteran has lived his whole life next to the North Rustico lighthouse; a lighthouse the federal government doesn’t want.
But despite Ottawa not wanting it – the Department of Fisheries and Oceans declared surplus in 2010 as part of cost-saving measures – there is still a chance Emard could lose his lifelong home, as he believes the government could kick him off his land as it attempts to close a deal to divest the light to the Friends of North Shore Communities. The well-intentioned group wants to save the historic lighthouse and possibly turn it into a seasonal rental cottage.
The disputed property sits on a small parcel of land overlooking beaches on both sides of the point where it stands guard over North Rustico Harbour. Buildings belonging to the Court family stand in various states of repair nearby, including Emard’s house. His brother, Vance, also lived in a house next to the lighthouse before he moved to Charlottetown and they shared the septic bed that is at the heart of the dispute with the government.
The government has to settle with the Court family, and says the septic bed land is part of the deal. But without it, Emard won’t be able to live in the house and there is nowhere else nearby that is suitable for a new septic bed.
His family, admittedly, does not have a deed for the land and has been involved with court cases and attempts to settle the land titles for more than 20 years.
That said, it’s hard to believe that at 90 years old, Emard cares about court battles. It seems more likely he wishes to live out his days in peace in the only place he has ever called home. And because of that, it seems absurd that this dispute cannot find a resolution that is to the satisfaction of everyone.
Kendra Curtis has power of attorney over Emard’s affairs. She says in the two years she has been involved there have been three mediation meetings scheduled with a federal government employee. Each of them has fallen through, including last week when the employee didn’t show up.
This is not acceptable to either Emard or the group that wants to save the lighthouse.
While this issue may or may not be more complicated that it seems, there is no excuse for this to be delayed any further, especially if the only real hold up is getting a government official to attend a meeting.
From the Summerside Journal-Pioneer