Sheringham Point Light facts for kids
 |
|
 Sheringham Point Light
Location in British Columbia
|
|
| Location | Sheringham Point Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°22′36.1″N 123°55′15.6″W / 48.376694°N 123.921000°W |
| Year first constructed | 1912 |
| Automated | 1988 |
| Construction | concrete tower |
| Tower shape | hexagonal tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, red balcony and lantern |
| Height | 19.5 metres (64 ft) |
| Focal height | 22 metres (72 ft) |
| Original lens | Third-order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | none, green light |
| Characteristic | Fl G 15s. |
| Admiralty number | G5292 |
| CHS number | CCG 0186 |
| NGA number | 13800 |
| ARLHS number | CAN-458 |
The Sheringham Point Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It stands near the small community of Shirley. This important lighthouse was built in 1912. Its construction happened six years after a very serious ship accident involving the SS Valencia. The lighthouse is still used today to help ships navigate safely along the coast.
The point where the lighthouse stands was named after William L. Sheringham. He was involved in many naval surveys, which are like detailed maps of the ocean and coastlines. Even though he didn't survey this exact area, the name stuck!
Today, the lighthouse and the land around it are owned by the Canadian Coast Guard. The area is fenced off, but you can still get a good view of the lighthouse from a trail next to the fence. A group called the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society is working hard to take over the property. Their goal is to turn it into a public park for everyone to enjoy.
What is Oceanographic Research?
From 1968 to 1989, the Sheringham Point Lighthouse played a role in science! It was part of the British Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program. For 21 years, people at the lighthouse collected important information every day. They measured the temperature and saltiness of the coastal water for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This kind of work helps scientists understand our oceans better.
Saving the Sheringham Point Lighthouse
The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society (SPLPS) was started in 2003. Local people from Shirley, British Columbia, formed the group. They did this when the Canadian Coast Guard thought about giving up the lighthouse and its land.
The SPLPS has a clear mission:
- To protect the lighthouse buildings and the land around them.
- To make sure the lighthouse and its historic paths stay open for the community and visitors. They do this through education, research, and working together.
- To record and celebrate the important history of the lighthouse and the people who lived and worked there.
In 2010, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) officially said they no longer needed the lighthouse station and its land.
On May 29, 2015, a big announcement was made. The Minister of the Environment, Leona Aglukkaq, shared that 74 historic lighthouses across Canada were now protected. This was done under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.
Just a few days later, on June 8, 2015, the SPLPS received exciting news. Minister Aglukkaq sent them a letter saying that the Sheringham Point Lighthouse was on that list of protected heritage sites!
The Society and the Capital Regional District (CRD) have been working together. They want to get the station and the land to create a park that everyone can visit.
At a news conference on April 3, 2017, the SPLPS announced something amazing. They received the largest private donation ever given to a lighthouse in Canada! The Westaway Charitable Foundation will help with the restoration. They are donating $550,000 over several years. This money will help make sure the lighthouse is well taken care of for the future.
Lighthouse Keepers
A lighthouse keeper is a person who lives at or near a lighthouse and takes care of it. They make sure the light is working properly to guide ships. Here are the people who served as keepers at Sheringham Point Lighthouse:
- Eustace Travanion Arden (1912 – 1946)
- Tom Charles Cross (1946)
- Alfred Dickenson (1946 – 1948)
- Thomas Westhead (1948 – )
- Frederick Arthur Mountain (1959 – 1968)
- James D. Bruton (1968 – 1987)
- Kurt Cehak (1987 – 1989)
