Lord’s Cove, population of roughly 150 folks, is best known for a freak tidal wave in 1929.

In its prime, Lord’s Cove had a rich inshore fishing community. On November 18th, 1929, a tsunami struck the town and demolished that fishery infrastructure. The freak event was caused by a rare earthquake in the area, and it claimed the lives of Sarah Rennie and all three of her children.

Today, less than 1% of Newfoundlanders live in Lord’s Cove, and it’s truly a place for the birds. Birdwatchers praise it for its colonies of Leach’s Storm Petrel (a nocturnal bird that can’t walk well!) and the Manx shearwater (shearwaters are so named for the way their long narrow wings look in flight: the birds alternate from black-looking to white-looking as they flap their wings).

Our Manx Shearwater colony is the only known colony in North America for these shy, burrowing birds. Hence the government’s creation of the Lawn Islands Archipelago Provisional Ecological Reserve, which protects not only the Manx Shearwater and Leach’s Storm Petrel, but great black backed gulls, black guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, common murres, and Arctic terns as well.

The Canadian government’s 150 Community Infrastructure Program is currently providing up to $300 million, over two years, to support projects across the country that will rehabilitate, renovate, and expand community and recreational infrastructure. The funding program is honouring Canada’s 150th birthday by rejuvenating communities across the country.

As part of the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, Lord’s Cove will get $42,590 from the federal government, to which the provincial government will add $26,700. The money will improve the Sandy Cove Trail, an existing trail and historical path in the community.

MHA Mark Browne says, “Adventure and destination tourism continues to evolve in Newfoundland and Labrador, and this funding will further enable the Burin Peninsula Trail Network to continue expansion to become an attraction for decades to come.”