Weeklong events ‘bring sense of community’ to Norfolk

A miniature replica of an Alligator Tug, designed and made famous in Simcoe, chugged across the grass on Saturday beside the Port Dover Harbour Museum.

At the control was John Brook of Toronto, a member of the Confederation Marine Modellers who spent more than four years painstakingly building the Alligator model.

Brook said he was inspired after seeing one of the tugs at the Algonquin Logging Museum.

“I thought, what a piece of junk, but it has got character.”

Built by the West and Peachey Company in Simcoe, the Alligator was an ungainly awkward-looking, scow-shaped amphibious boat that could haul more than 60,000 logs at a time, a boon to the logging industry for decades beginning in the late 1800s.

Brook said it was fun to show off his model in the area where the tug was designed.

“Several people have come through who recognized it right away,” said Brook, who was with other members of the Confederation Marine Modellers as part of Norfolk Community Days.

Following the success of the inaugural Norfolk Community Day last year, Norfolk County staff expanded this year’s event to an entire week.

County facilities including community centres, museums, libraries, fire halls, pools, arenas and parks in each ward hosted free recreational and socio-cultural activities.

Community Days concluded with the newly expanded Norfolk Night Market called Fairgrounds Festival, hosted by the Norfolk County Agricultural Society, on Friday and Saturday.

Among the other events were a barbecue and fireworks in Langton, a bird banding demonstration at the Long Point Bird Observatory, a sandcastle building contest in Port Dover and Beach Day in Turkey Point.

Members of the Hamilton-based Confederation Marine Modellers displayed a variety of their projects, including warships, tugs and a miniature Thomas the Tank Engine, all radio controlled and seaworthy.

Inside the Harbour Museum, Rick Misner, captain of the LEONARD S fishtug, was talking about his lifetime of experience in the commercial fishing industry on Lake Erie.

Museum curator Katie Graham said Community Days was meant to “bring a sense of community back to Norfolk County that might have been lost during the pandemic.”

“It’s a great start to the summer event season.”

The Harbour Museum will host The Arbor Dog Races on June 24 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Riverfront Park. There will be a dog costume contest, followed by a parade to the pier; a Dachshund Arbor Dog Race; and Heinz 57 races.