Anyone who has enjoyed the view of our Lake Superior spectacle has likely witnessed and admired the ice breaking duties performed by the ship the Alexander Henry.
The Henry faithfully cracked our harbour ice formations in early winter and late spring so our transportation hub could remain open longer to service the seagoing vessels. It was also used as a search and rescue vessel, tended the buoy locations and serviced the lighthouses with supplies and fuel when needed.
Local ship builders constructed Henry at the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company in the 50’s. It was launched July 18, 1958, put in service in 1959 and was decommissioned in 1984.
The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston took it on as a museum ship and gave it a makeover to
accommodate tours by the general public.
But a few years ago, the Lakehead Transportation Museum Society (LTMS), a local organization that works to preserve connections to our transportation past received word that the City of Kingston wanted to move the ship elsewhere. LTMS approached Kingston to express their interest in the artifact and to explore what could be done to bring Henry back home.
The Society was excited not only to preserve the connection to our transportation hub, but also dream about how the Henry could invigorate and contribute to a more active waterfront experience.
The city council in Kingston gave $50,000 to bring the vessel to Thunder Bay and in December of 2017, Thunder Bay council also got behind it financially and a local fundraiser last January helped to top up the ¼ million dollars required to bring the vessel back to Thunder Bay. Lock fees and Transport Canada tickets all needed to be secured. Ten days after getting things in order the vessel began it’s journey from Kingston to Thunder Bay.
Paul Morralee, the managing director for Canadian Lighthouses of Lake Superior said there was a sense of pride in the vessel that we didn’t truly understand. “Enthusiasts were interested in the move of the vessel – following its progress through the locks in St.Catharines.
There was a kind of inertia attached to it – history is being saved”, said Morralee.
After the ship arrived home, a lease at Pool 6 was hung up for a few months while the Henry was moored at the local iron ore dock. “We secured a lease with the city and the Port Authority and purchased insurance which then cleared the way for a move to the desired location”.
Morralee says the ship will be able to accommodate Walking Tours, house a gift shop and 9 museum cabins, opened up for a mini museum within the ship. The Henry also has the potential to be used for community events such as rentals for art classes, photo shoots, weddings, etc
Thunder Bay Tourism predicts about 8,000 people will potentially visit the Henry each year and there is lots of buzz within the tourism community about the enormous potential.
And how does it remain sustainable? “Build slow and steady on a frugal model” admits Morralee. “It’s been a labour of love for all involved. I believe it will animate our wonderful waterfront. Henry has a true connection to our local history and to our great lake. The excitement of having Henry home has motivated all of us as volunteers, and helped us reconnect to this historic artifact. We need to reconnect to our history – the Alex does just that”, Morralee states with pride.
For more, visit the Transportation Museum website: ltms.ca
