Pelee tip tower still idle after 16 months

A Leamington resident concerned about the lack of access to the Point Pelee National Park Tip Tower has contacted the federal government regarding the time it’s taken to re-open the tower.

The observation tower located near the Tip parking lot in the southernmost reaches of the park was opened in August 2020 at a cost of $1.5 million.

Jordan Kniaziew reached out to several government officials hoping for an answer as to when the tower might be re-opened to the public.

“As a frequent visitor to Point Pelee National Park, I — like many others — have been eagerly anticipating the re-opening of the tower for the past 16 months,” he said. “However, I was concerned about the delay and the reasons behind it.”

That’s when he started going through the channels to get an answer, reaching out to the federal government for a response.

“In their lengthy response, I was informed of a potential construction issue with the Tip Tower guard rail system in May of 2022,” he says. 

Following a visual inspection by the engineering firm in charge of the tower’s design, concerns over the welding of the guard rail system were confirmed, leading to the closure of the tower as a precautionary measure. 

Since then, various solutions have been explored, and a structural inspection was recently carried out by a third-party engineering firm in September of 2023, as per Parks Canada’s directive for the management of pedestrian structures.

It appears there is no timeline to getting the repairs done and re-opening the tower.

Kniaziew feels this lack of urgency to fix the problems with the tower needs to be addressed.

“I understand the frustration felt by many of us due to the lack of urgency from the federal government on this matter, despite its positive impact on our community,” he says. “The fact that 16 months have passed before the completion of the initial assessment is concerning, and the absence of a specific timeframe for the resolution, is disheartening. If this observation tower were in the private sector, it would have been repaired and reopened within weeks, not years.”

He’s hoping to start a groundswell of support by appealing to the local community to contact their local Members of Parliament to urge the feds to find a solution.

“With nearly 500,000 visitors each year, the park brings valuable economic benefits to our community, especially during peak seasons for birdwatching in the spring and fall,” he said. “This supports local businesses and creates job opportunities in the surrounding area.”

Julia Grcevic, Pulic Relations Officer for Parks Canada, sent the Sun a statement from Parks Canada regarding the issue.

“Parks Canada has been working to correct the issues identified with the railing system and ensure the best value for taxpayer dollars,” said the statement. “We do plan to reopen the tower but unfortunately, we cannot offer a timeline as we are in ongoing discussions with relevant parties.”

 The statement went on to say that safety is their priority when it comes to the tower.

“Parks Canada understands that visitors are eager to experience the tip tower. However, the safety of visitors is our top priority and public access to the tower will only be permitted when the tower is certified to be safe for use.”

The Sun reached out to Chatham-Kent Leamington MP Dave Epp, who said he’s been in touch with Parks Canada and has had ongoing communication with the federal government about the Pelee tower.

A meeting scheduled between Mr. Epp and Parks Canada officials last month has yet to materialize, but Mr. Epp encourages constituents to contact him about any federal issues they feel strongly about.

“That’s what an MP is for,” he said. “I or my staff will certainly field any comments about this or any other issue.” Mr. Epp can be reached via email at [email protected]. 

Residents can also contact the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, at [email protected].