Lighthouse landscaping plan could feature new boathouse

PORT CLINTON - Six months after relocating to its new permanent home overlooking the shores of Lake Erie, the historic Port Clinton Lighthouse remains a hot spot for tourists and locals alike.

“There seems to be unanimous agreement that she is a head-turner,” said Rich Norgard, president of the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy.

Norgard said the relocation to Waterworks Park would not have been possible without the “unwavering support” of citizens, the business community and city officials.

Historical Port Clinton Lighthouse reaches new home

Norgard said the number of visitors has been rising when the lighthouse is opened to the public for special events.

However, even when the lighthouse is not open there still has been a steady stream of visitors, many of whom remark on how much Waterworks Park has been “enhanced” by the lighthouse’s presence, Norgard said.

The lighthouse even has become a popular destination for weddings, as area residents decide to tie the knot with the historic local icon in the backdrop.

Norgard said the over $40,000 raised for the lighthouse in 2016 shows the overwhelming support the community has offered.

Much of the funding came from membership dues of the Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy, which now has over 300 members, or “Keepers.”

“We are very proud of our success,” Norgard said. “Raising upwards of $200,000 to restore, move and landscape to maintain the lighthouse. It would not have been possible without the support of this community, which has embraced this lighthouse in a way that continues to amaze us.”

With one of the prior concerns from Port Clinton City Council being the cost of maintaining the lighthouse, the conservancy put $20,000 into a fund strictly for emergency maintenance only, Norgard said.

“That money will always be there,” he said. “Routine maintenance, which will not amount to more than a few thousand dollars a year, will come from our general fund.”

The regular tour season for the Port Clinton Lighthouse will run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with the structure open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Depending on the availability of volunteers, more days may be added. The conservancy will be keeping close tabs on the number of visitors in an effort to measure economic impact.

The lighthouse will also open for certain events, such as the Walleye Festival and the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival.

One of “the most anticipated events of the year,” however, will be the Port Clinton Lighthouse Festival on Saturday, Aug. 5.

“The excitement and enthusiasm generated by the lighthouse so far reinforces our belief this lighthouse will serve as a mainstay for a thriving tourist economy tied to Port Clinton’s annual position as a strategic north coast destination,” Norgard said.

Norgard said there is a proposal for a greater landscaping plan surrounding the lighthouse at Waterworks Park, which would include a walkway around Derby Pond and construction of a replica boathouse.

The historic boathouse was originally built in 1902 for the Port Clinton Lighthouse keeper, but it was torn down in 2010. Norgard said building plans for the original boathouse were recovered from archives.

The new landscaping proposal would have the replica boathouse built on the west end of Derby Pond.

“That project would be totally funded by private money raised by the conservancy,” Norgard said.

The proposal has been vetted by residents on East Perry Street, who all supported the plan, Norgard said. But it would require approval from city council to amend the lease agreement the conservancy has with the city to include additions such as a boathouse.

“There is a new feeling of excitement among the local population — a sense that great things could be done here,” he said.

jstinchcom@gannett.com

419-680-4897

Twitter: @JonDBN