Ancaster
Harry Warkentin designed the Ancaster and it was built by Russel Brothers Ltd., of Owen Sound, Ontario. The launch took place April 3, 1951.
The Ancaster worked on the Ottawa River as a logging tug for the E.B. Eddy Co., maker of wooden matches. In 1979, the Ancaster sank at the foot of the Chaudiere Falls, and was raised and restored in 1982 by Ontario Hydro to be part of the 150th Anniversary Rideau Canal Floating Parade.
Due largely to the efforts of volunteer Don Capel and the Owen Sound Historical Society that purchased the tug for $25, the Ancaster returned to Owen Sound on April 2, 1991. The Ancaster is most famous for being one of two tugs featured on the last Canadian one dollar bill.
Some excellent external resources are:
Russel Brothers Ltd. Hosted by Steve Briggs.
The Community Water Front Heritage Centre, Owen Sound, Ontario.
CCGC Westfort
The Canadian Coast Guard Cutter (CCGC) Westfort was manufactured for the Canadian Government in 1973 at the Georgetown Shipyard in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island. The ship spent the first five years of service in St. Anthony Newfoundland. Named the St. Anthony while in Newfoundland the craft was re-located to Thunder Bay in 1979 to operate in Lake Superior and re-named the Westfort.
The Westfort has a sister ship the CCGC Tobermory which is built to the same specifications and was based in Twillingate Newfoundland from 1973-1978, and Tobermory Ontario from 1979-2003.
The Westfort was acquired by the Town of Meaford on August 19, 2005, and officially dedicated on October 11, 2006 where it remains displayed at the harbour near the Coast Guard base.
The Meaford Canadian Coast Guard station is home to the active search and rescue vessel Cape Providence which was officially commissioned in 2005 for primarily search and rescue options in the waters of southern Georgian Bay.
