A fire damaged a building at Fort La Tour in Saint John on May 19, 2021. (Image: Elizabeth MacLeod)
Money is being raised to repair the damages to the Fort LaTour historical site following a fire there on May 19.
Chair of the Fort LaTour Development Authority, Beth Hatt says prior to the fire, they were holding a fundraiser to help cover remaining construction and start-up expenses.
“We were just a little behind of where we want it to be, so we were going to fundraise,” she said. “Then this happened and then it created whole other costs.”
The fundraiser has expanded its scope for expenses related to the fire and increased costs for enhanced security. Hatt says they are going to put up a wrought-iron fence around the entire plaza.
Despite the unexpected setback, Fort LaTour is still hiring students, seven in total, for pop-up events and reenactments near Harbour Passage.
“We decided, same as the fort was in the 16th, 17th century, that we’re going to be resilient and we’re going to just try to create awareness,” she said. “We want to make sure that we are still telling the history.”
The fundraiser will run throughout the summer and has raised an estimated $4,600 thus far, along with larger donations from individuals and organizations.
“We’d love to see it continue, to make sure that we’re in a strong position to keep going, to make sure that it looks the way we wanted, that it’s secure and that it’s safe,” said Hatt. “The Fort LaTour story is a really important story for our community and we really want to see that continue and be part of the story.”
Those interested in learning more about making a donation can visit The Fort LaTour fundraiser website.
