Port Stanley’s Industrial Harbour

Meeting Highlights

Chair David Russell opened the meeting at 1:30 PM and welcomed everyone. Nora Sanders shared the land acknowledgement.

• Minutes Approved: The October 23 meeting minutes were approved as circulated.
• Treasurer’s Report:
  Presented by Anne Kent.
  • General account balance: $1,644.85
  • GICs: $8,000 and $3,000
    The report was adopted as presented.

Executive Update

• Website improvements are ongoing, with additional historic postcards being added.
• Smaller discussion-focused meetings will be introduced for members interested in deeper conversation.
• Four new oral histories have been recorded (Skip Taylor, Steve Martin, Carmen Speers, and Bob Hubert) and will be edited using grant funding.
• Repairs to heritage signage are being reviewed.
• The walking tour is being updated.
• An Indigenous presentation is being planned in conjunction with PSVA.
• Members were reminded of Heritage Port Stanley’s participation in the upcoming parade.

Constitution Update

A proposed change will rename the Director of Promotion and Social Media position to Director at Large, along with minor editorial revisions. These changes will be voted on at the Annual Meeting. Members are encouraged to consider volunteering for this role.

Upcoming Meetings

Heritage Question of the Month

Question: What was the original use of this building and what is unique about its construction?
Answer: It was a customs building for non-Canadian ships. It is uniquely constructed entirely of concrete and built like a bridge. The only other building in Canada of the same construction style is the Queen’s Quay Terminal in Toronto.
Winner: Robert Langlois

Heritage Announcements

• Jane Austen 250th Birthday Celebration:
  Hosted with the help of Joan Clayton on Saturday, December 13.
  • 2:00 PM at Lake House Books
  • Followed by a wine and cheese reception at the original Mitchell House on George Street
  • Screening of Persuasion

Feature Presentation

Speaker: Dan McNeil
Topic: The Naval History of Port Stanley and Its Role in Canada’s Naval Story

Dan McNeil presented a richly illustrated talk tracing Port Stanley’s connections to Canadian naval history. Highlights included:

• Early international shipping through Port Stanley
• Artifacts such as an ice-clearing sail mallet and a historic anchor
• Naval vessels including the Petrel, Vigilant, Elsie Doris, and HMCS Sackville
• The Rush-Bagot Treaty and Port Stanley’s role in naval peacekeeping
• The Ojibwe submarine and challenges posed by Lake Erie seiches
• Historic naval traditions, surveillance tools, and ship models

Robert Langlois also displayed his detailed model of a 1942 corvette.

Closing

Chair David Russell thanked Dan McNeil for his engaging presentation. Attendees had the opportunity to view the model corvette before the meeting adjourned at 2:50 PM.