A Future Built On History
about
The Maitland Tower is the landmark of the site. It’s historical value is unprecedented and has such a unique history with many different uses along the way. Our first step in order to ensure this tower remained available for not only us, but future generations, was to do a complete overhaul of the stonework and ensure its structural integrity. There are several ideas on the table for what it will be used for in the future. – P.L
maitland tower
Maitland Tower is a historically significant 13+ acre site on the St. Lawrence Seaway, along Highway 2. It is located about 100 kms south of Ottawa, 100 kms east of Kingston, and 200 kms west of Montréal. One of the five buildings on the property is an iconic 80ft stone tower built in 1828. In 2016 Philip Ling purchased the eastern 6+ acre section of the property, and has spent the ensuing time learning about the history of the site, the local community, and structurally restoring the tower and one other stone building on the site. In 2019 he purchased the western portion of the site to reconnect the whole point as one property, further honouring its history as well as reuniting and preserving the ecologically sensitive forest, wetlands, and over 675 metres of natural waterfront.
In the spring of 2018, Philip Ling registered the site as a Living Community Challenge – the highest standard for sustainable and regenerative buildings and communities in the world. This step was a significant commitment to ensure that whatever the use, we would meet the highest bar for development with the people and the ecosystem in mind. Our vision for the site will build on the historical buildings and history, refresh and integrate into new uses that bring economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs, business owners, artists, and residents, promoting health, economic prosperity and ecological regeneration. Unfortunately, the Living Future Institute “Sunsetted” the Living Community Challenge essentially retiring the program in 2022. This hasn’t halted our ambitions though, as we’ve quickly moved onto the One Plant Living Program, a sustainability program developed by Bioregional in partnership with the World Wildlife Foundation. Backed by science and many years of hands-on experience, it’s a highly flexible framework that is helping organizations around the world to achieve their vision of a brighter, better future.
The land the Maitland Tower Site is located on is the traditional territory of the Anishnabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), Oneida and Haudenosaunee (St Lawrence Iroquois) peoples.
about
We feel the key is to honor the past while creating a new and relevant commercial purpose , for today , and for the future. In this way, this amazing place that started as Pointe-au-Baril so long ago, with an iconic tower, can lead the way for the next 200 years. – P.L
Philip Ling
Philip is a licensed professional engineer (electrical), LEED AP. In 1996, he co-founded Powersmiths International Corp. where he is VP of Technology. Powersmiths is a clean-tech company with a long history of market leadership in ultra-high efficiency low voltage dry-type transformers, internet data center power distribution systems, advanced metering and Sustainability Management.
Philip has written and presented dozens of technical papers over the past 25 years covering efficiency and power quality, and received a national award for technological leadership in energy efficiency from Natural Resources Canada. He also sits on multiple professional and community advisory committees.
He volunteers on several committees in his community including Markham Environmental Advisory Committee. He is committed to wildlife preservation and owns 87 acres of provincially significant wetlands, and has signed a conservation agreement for 400 acres with the Couchiching Conservancy. He has both solar hot water and solar PV systems on his home, and is on his second electric car. He believes in leading by example and making a difference.
As an environmentalist who has been on and led committees, written and presented papers, took Janine Benyus’ Biomimicry Course, and adopted solar power and electric vehicles before they were trendy, he is now using the the recent sale of his business as an opportunity to further lead in regenerative action with the purchase and transformation of the Maitland Tower site.
it all started with...
A childhood fasination with exploring the ocean ( and an adult bike ride).
The best way to keep history and its old buildings alive, is to give them active integrated roles in the community today but restored with adaptability for the Future.
– P.L
In August 2016, Philip was cycling from Markham, north of Toronto, to Acadia in New Brunswick, and passed the Maitland Tower site with a For Sale sign. He mused that this would be the next place history would get bulldozed to make way for some new development and history would forget about this place. Then he realized that he could be the one to buy it and do the opposite – bring it back to life, honoring the past and taking it into the future. So by the time he reached the Atlantic ocean, he had bought the Maitland Tower property….
