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Resettlement
Written by: Brenda (Senior) Rowe. Used with permission.
While the population of many outport communities in Placentia Bay began to decline during the 1940's and 1950's, the population of Port Elizabeth remained virtually unchanged. Thirteen families moved to Winterland in the 1930's but no other talk of moving came until the 1960's.
Even though, at this time, the community had a community council, electricity, telephones, a new government wharf and a new school, the population gradually began to decline. With this decline, it seemed unlikely that the community would receive further services and there was talk of a decline in service provided by the coastal boat.
The services of the Lady Anderson, a hospital boat that visited the island, were taken away in 1967 and the people had to go to Red Harbour and from there to Marystown or Burin to receive the medical services provided by the ship.
In August, 1966, changes were made in the Federal-Provincial Fisheries Household Resettlement Program that made the required percentage of signatures on a petition from ninety to eighty percent. This made it easier to get the required number of signatures on a petition and thus approval to move.
The changes also provided financial assistance to the householders of a community provided they resettled to a fishery growth centre. Now, the whole community would not have to move but the assistance was there for people who wanted to take advantage of it.
A number of families did take advantage of this change in the program and in 1968, six families moved to Black Duck Cove. A number of serviced lots were available in a new sub-division which was being developed and the six families moved their homes with assistance from a barge hired by the government to relocate houses.
Several families also decided at that time to move to Winterland. It seemed that the population of Port Elizabeth would continue to decline and within a year, a petition was circulated and the required number of signatures were obtained. The application for resettlement was approved and this sealed the fate of Port Elizabeth.
The biggest obstacle to overcome was to decide where they would settle. Most of the men in the community were engaged in the fishery and wanted to continue to do so. They felt that if they moved to areas that were far from their fishing grounds they would not be able to fish as they always did and many were not trained to work in other fields although most of the fishermen were very good carpenters and boat builders.
It was therefore suggested that they move to Red Harbour. They could make a community close to the Burin Peninsula Highway, that would be near the medical and school facilities at Marystown and Burin and still be close to the fishing grounds they were familiar with.
The government put up opposition to this idea as just a few years before, in the early 1960's, the half dozen families who had lived in the original community of Red Harbour had been evacuated under the centralization program. To move people into an area that had already been resettled would seem to be defeating the purpose of the resettlement program. The inshore fishery was also declining and it was felt that these people would have to be resettled again if the fishery failed.
However, the people of Port Elizabeth put up strong arguments in favor of moving to Red Harbour. The fishery in their area was good and it seemed unlikely that the fishery would fail in the area. They would be very close to Marystown and since the Burin Peninsula Highway was being paved they would be only fifteen or twenty minutes fromthe medical facilities there.
Also, with the decline in enrollment in school, the children could be bussed to Marystown or Burin. It was simple enough to supply the community with water and sewer facilities and since the power lines ran near that area anyway, electricity should be easy to get.
If the fishery did fail, they would be close enough to the major centres for people to commute to work at the fish plant or shipyard. The community council and merchants of Port Elizabeth continued to pressure the government until the move was finally approved.
Although a number of families chose to move to such areas as Creston South and Baine Harbour, the majority of houses were moved by barge to Red Harbour and the new community was formed.
The move itself is something that will be remembered by the children of Port Elizabeth as phenomenal. Large machines such as bull dozers were brought to the island and one by one the houses were hitched to them and towed to a barge that waited nearby. It was quite something to see your home going out through the harbour while you were still standing there. However, the anticipation of following the house and setting up in a new community was unforgettable as well.
By the fall of 1969, most of the people had been moved. While we don't know who the actual first settler on Port Elizabeth was we know that Raymond Clarke was the last to leave. He remained on the island six months after the last family, that of Ralph Jarvis, had left. Mr. Clarke finally gave up and joined his family at Burin.
It has been 38 years since the people of Port Elizabeth were resettled and the island itself has changed drastically. Unfortunately, we cannot look out over a harbour filled with tall-masted schooners or fishing vessels. The roads are no longer visible and we have to watch our step when we walk around. We no longer see the children playing and enjoying the freedom of roads with no cars or trucks.
It is, however, still a fabulous place to go on a fine summer day to pick berries, pick rinkles or mussels, go for a walk or just sit on the "look out" and let the fresh air blow on your face and relax. Some younger people have gone back to build cottages and visit nearly every weekend when weather permits. These people have gone back to basics to enjoy the peaceful surroundings on the island and the children like to play games their parents and grandparents played when there were no television sets or video games.
For most of us, Port Elizabeth is a part of our lives we do not want to forget and the most generous thing we can do is pass our precious childhood memories of Port Elizabeth on to our children.
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