Serving Lake Erie’s North Shore Friday May 23, 2014
INSIDE Ojibwa season opener
The MV Rhea’s bell comes home to the Port Stanley Legion
Fun was the watchword as HMCS OJIBWA celebrated the opening of its first full season on Saturday, May 17. STORY PAGE 2
War of 1812 Report May 30: British Infantry march north to Bordeaux France to set sail for North America. STORY PAGE 2
Port Burwell Report A Polestar is a guiding light. The name aptly describes this group of individuals who saw the opportunity to revitalize Port Burwell one hydro pole at a time. STORY PAGE 4
Drivers Urged to Watch for Deer The Ministry of Natural Resources is asking motorists to be extra cautious on Ontario roads this spring as wildlife becomes more active. STORY PAGE 4
Andrew Hibbert Part One of a Two part series
Port Bruce Report The Township of Malahide is hosting a Community Engagement meeting on Wednesday, May 28, 2014. STORY PAGE 4
Port Stanley Report
The U.S.S. RHEA was originally an American Navy Minesweeper, built in Oakland, California in 1942 by William F. Stone and Sons. The RHEA (AMS 52) was originally commissioned as the YMS (Yard Mine Sweeper) 299 on 7 April 1942 with Lieutenant F. H. Gentry USNR as the first Commanding Officer. This ship was a wooden-hulled minesweeper with an overall length of 136 feet and a beam of 25 feet. Her displacement was 300 tons, her draft nine feet. Two
The following is a review of a new police allowing vendors on the beach in Port Stanley. STORY PAGE 5
LOOK AHEAD Community Events
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Classifieds & Service Directory Page 7 Business Roladex
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Richard & Helen Haddow
Sales Representatives
Centre City Realty Inc Brokerage
Independently Owned and Operated
The market is HOT in Port Stanley! If “We live in you are thinking of Port listing ...DO IT NOW! Stanley
You 519-495-0789 should too” Richard
Direct
500-Horsepower General Motors diesel engines powered twin propellers for a maximum speed of about 15 knots.
Above Left: Port Stanley Legion President Paul Caldwell showing the RHEA bell and photo display.
The YMS 299 saw service in the Pacific during the Second World War and was among the minesweepers that led the U.S.S. Missouri into Tokyo Bay at the end of the war. The complement of the ship was four officers and 30 enlisted men. This vessel spent the Second World War in the Pacific and was commanded by Lieutenant Edward James Foley Jr., USNR until the 2nd of April 1945 when Lieutenant Commander Warren Arthur Wisler,
Above Top: The RHEA crest adopted by the Courageous Sailing Club. Above: The RHEA at harbourside in Port Stanley from a painting by R. B. Donaldson 1992. USNR took command. During this period the YMS 299 won her first "Battle Star" the Asiatic-Pacific Medal. This star was earned while participating in the Assault and Occupation Continued On Page 5
The issue of accessibility Sauble Beach are accessible.”
Andrew Hibbert Port Stanley, like many other lakeside communities, depends on tourism as its primary source of income. Tourists come in all shapes and sizes and some are wheelchair users. It came, as something of a shock when a tourist sent a note to the Beacon saying, “Port Stanley is one of the least accessible tourist destinations that I have been to.” The tourist, Jason Neyers of London, is not disabled himself but does have a daughter who is a wheelchair user. Even with accessibility often being an issue Rebecca and Jason take their daughter Sophie with them everywhere. This has included
holidays to the beach, the cottage and trips to Florida. Jason was in Port Stanley on Mother’s Day with his whole family including his mother. The Neyers have a cottage at Sauble Beach and spend many of their vacations there. Referring to Port Stanley Jason says “I don't think that there was a shop that we could get in to besides the one that told Rebecca that they had an elevator that was turned off (but could be turned on if needed in The Festival Theatre Building). As a comparison almost all the shops in
This is quite a damming statement on a subject that, I’m sure, many of us have not considered. Almost any stairs or steps would be a deterrent to someone in a wheelchair. I know that the elevator at the Festival Theatre Building has been used on occasion to access the upper level retail area and the Stork Club Interpretive Centre. That’s great but there is no signage outside the building to tell tourists that an elevator is available. On the Ontario Provincial front the Ministry of Economic Development, Continued On Page 7