aerial photos

Craig Stevenson

Craig Stevenson is a descendant. He grew up in the 1970s and 80s visiting his grandfather’s cottage on Moulinette Island, on land provided his grandfather as compensation for the farm he lost on Sheek’s Island.





“That was something. Because, you know, you get the whole variability of ... you have the people for whom this thing was a disaster, right?

Jim talks about his friend watching his house burn down. How do you touch that? It’s incredible.

And I almost feel guilty. I mean, I can sit here and talk about what a wonderful thing it was. For me. But it wasn’t wonderful, obviously, for everyone involved.

And, yeah, I’ve often thought about the fact that, on a personal level, a lot of the stuff that were really important to me as a kid came at the expense of something else.

So, there it is.”




Craig Stevenson’s Voice

Craig Stevenson, Interview Audio Excerpts, Lost Villages Historical Society, LVHS Schoolhouse, Long Sault, Ontario. August 22, 2013




Almost feels guilty. Stuff that was good and important to me as a kid came at expense of others.

It’s hard to imagine Wales as a community when I go duck hunting there now.

Grandfather would tell fascinating stories about house movers. But there was no mention of disrupting lives.

It was a formative experience, learning how to do lots with my grandfather on an artificial island.

Appreciate the problematic parts of the Seaway, locally and nationally.

Video



Video Excerpt: Craig Stevenson, Lost Villages Historical Society, LVHS Schoolhouse, Long Sault, Ontario. August 22, 2013



In this emotional video Craig Stevenson discusses the variety of responses to the Seaway and reflects on how things that were important to him as a kid came at the expense of others and something else.

The loss suffered by those who lost their homes and communities to the Seaway extends to their descendants. 

Bio

Craig Stevenson is a descendant. Craig Stevenson’s grandfather was compensated for the expropriation of his farm on Sheeks Island with a surveyed plot of land on what at the time was high-and-dry farmland. This became riverfront cottage property on Moulinette Island, one of a string of artifical islands between the newly created towns of Ingleside and Long Sault. 

Craig often visited his grandfather's cottage when he was growing up during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some of this fondest childhood memories of learning to skate on the ice in the winter and to swim in the water in summer were formed on the Island.

He lives in Kemptville, Ontario and teaches high school in Avonmore.