Park House gets $10k donation for Pensioner’s Cottage restoration

Park House Museum curator Kat Bezaire announced last week they have received $10,000 from the Stephen P. Copeland Foundation. That will help restoration efforts at the Pensioner’s Cottage.

The Pensioner’s Cottage at the Park House Museum has reached its fundraising target for repairs to the Pensioner’s Cottage.

Thanks to a $10,000 donation from the Stephen P. Copeland Foundation, the museum has met – and actually surpassed – its fundraising target of $9,000 that was estimated for the repairs. Curator Kat Bezaire said rotting wood will be repaired, the thresholds around both doors will be replaced and the building will be weather-proofed. 

Bezaire stated the donors behind the foundation live on Bois Blanc Island and saw the story in the Aug. 20 edition of the River Town Times. Wanting to keep donations local this year, the foundation stepped up and made a large donation to the Park House Museum.

“That was amazing,” Bezaire said of the donation. “He pledged $10,000 to help us restore the cottage.”

Restoring the cottage and keeping it in the best condition possible is “pivotal,” Bezaire added, particularly since next year is the 175^th anniversary of the Pensioners  coming, getting off their boats and claiming their cottages.

“We’re looking to do a combined event with Fort Malden,” she said. “There’s going to be more details in the new year.”

Bezaire thanked Marsh Historical Collection collections co-ordinator Meg Reiner for sharing information on the pensioner’s era. She added she wants to make sure people in Amherstburg know of what was known as the “Pensioner Scheme” and how the Pensioners settled in town.

Work is expected to begin in October and will be carried out by Gem Home Renovations, an Amherstburg-based business owned by Sean Girard. Bezaire said that company has also done work in the past on the caboose at the Gibson Gallery.

It is not quite known as of yet how long the work will take, with Bezaire pointing out there is a possibility of finding other issues once pieces of the building are taken apart, though the hope is no further damage is found.

“Definitely, by Spring 2026, we will have the cottage open again,” she said.

Noting there can be unique discoveries when renovating historic buildings, such as horsehair or old newspapers used as insulation, Bezaire said Gem Home Renovations has been asked to let the museum know if anything of interest is found.

In addition to the $10,000 donation from the Stephen P. Copeland Foundation, fundraising efforts such as the GoFundMe page, private donations, the recent barbecue and tinware sales have raised approximately $2,000.

“We’re really grateful for the community rallying together to save the building,” she said. “We are so fortunate to be able to restore this building and teach this side of Amherstburg’s history.”

Bezaire added they want to keep inspiring people for generations to come.

“That’s what it’s all about,” she said.

The Park House Museum is located at 214 Dalhousie St. For information, visit www.parkhousemuseum.com or call 519-736-2511.

Park House gets $10k donation for Pensioner’s Cottage restoration

By Ron Giofu