In 2015, Dry Stone Canada held a festival on Amherst Island. The feature build was a solar alignment structure that consisted of a wall with a Celtic cross, in which the sun’s rays would pass through the crux of the cross and beam onto a receiving wall that held a carved marker. Between the two walls and on either side of the sun’s beam are four pillars that provided seating that was cantilevered into the pillars.

Over time, one of the pillars showed signs of shifting such that it was sinking into the ground. It was determined that there was an issue with the pillar foundation and the pillar was cordoned off.

The site is on Loyalist Township property. In September 2024, Dry Stone Canada Co-op was asked by the township to make the necessary repair to the pillar.

A team of four of our members determined the best approach would be to dismantle the pillar and dig out the foundation. Finding the source of the problem was apparent when we found that the bedrock had a shelf, and that part of the pillar was on bedrock, and another was on gravel/clay mix. The gravel/clay mix was removed to access the bedrock. Large foundation stones were installed to level out the foundation and provide a solid footing. From there, the pillar was rebuilt course by course, using larger stones at the base. The cantilevered seat was set deeper into the pillar as well.

This project was not a heritage restoration, but it is an important part of the community of Amherst Island. The site is frequently visited by tourists and islanders alike.