HISTORY
Learn about the 1857-8 light station, with its beacon of light guiding ships through the canal between Lake Ontario and Hamilton Harbour for over 100 years.
VISIT
We look forward to offering guided tours once the stone tower and the keeper’s cottage have been restored and opened to the public.
Next General Meeting:
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
7:00 p.m
HOPA Headquarters,
605 James Street North, 6th Floor, Hamilton
Featured Presentation: Robin McKee, BCLG Board Member: “Radial Line and the Beach”
Memberships are now due. Visit out Join/Contact Us page for instructions or bring cash or a cheque to the upcoming meeting (made out to BCLG)
A living piece of
Ontario’s history
In 1823, the Burlington Bay Canal was proposed as one of a series of waterways which would open Lake Erie to sea traffic from the Atlantic. Local residents supported this proposal as a way of making Burlington Bay into a usable harbour by linking it to nearby Lake Ontario.
Get involved!
become a part
of our group
In May 2003, two residents of the Beach Strip approached the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the owner of the Light Station, to discuss placing the structure in preservation. Encouraged by the positive response of the DFO representatives, they began to organize what became the Beach Canal Lighthouse Group.
On November 16th, 2003, thirty-two people attended a founding meeting. To date, over 200 have joined the group, including city councillors from both Hamilton and Burlington, engineers, artists, architects, members of local heritage organizations, and the last lighthouse keeper, Peter Coletti, now retired and living in New Brunswick. In June of 2004, the BCLG was incorporated by being accepted as an affiliate of the Ontario Historical Society
