Masonry for Heritage Cairn honoured at council

Mike de Palma, CEO of Flintstones Masonry, was recognized at last night’s council meeting for his work on an Oak Bay cairn honouring the historical significance of the Trial Island Lighthouse.

The Oak Bay Heritage Foundation proposed Trial Island Lighthouse for protection through the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. In May 2015, the Government of Canada announced that Trial Island Lighthouse had been granted heritage status.

The lighthouse that currently stands was constructed in 1970 to replace the original one built in 1906. There are eight other buildings on the site that contribute to the heritage value of the lighthouse including two dwellings (built 1906 and 1957) and a boathouse built in 1965.

The cairn was an initiative of the Oak Bay Heritage Foundation, and Flintstones Masonry volunteered to construct and pay for it as a gift to the community.

The Heritage cairn was completed this spring. It is built out of full dimension salt and pepper granite stones, as opposed to the veneer stones that are commonly used today in construction.

“It feels good to be a part of the community and build monuments that will be here forever,” says de Palma.

De Palma has been owner and operator of Flintstones for 10 years, growing it to a staff of 50. They do a lot of work in Oak Bay, as 95 percent of their business is renovating older houses.