Heritage Award

In 2006 Cass Bell presented the Heritage Business Award to one of the oldest, White Contracting & Barging...

Cass Bell spoke of the three generations of building service.

The White family moved into the area in the 1880s. Gerry White’s great-grandfather was the first Lock Master at Port Severn when the locks were finished in 1915 and held the position until he retired in 1948. White’s Falls is named after the same man. Gerry’s father Art White and the family moved to Honey Harbour around 1937. He started his own business in 1946. Art died in 1963 and Gerry, at the tender age of 24, took over the business.

At the age of 12, Trevor started to work for the family business. Gerry’s brother David has worked continuously for the business, Gerry’s older brother Art came back to help in the business for several years after he retired from the Air Force. Gerry’s daughters Janine and Megan have been active in the office for many years. Gerry has a wonderful sense of creativity, and is skilled in layout and design, materials and techniques of building. One of their first projects was building the Harrington cottage in Big Dog Channel. (They went to work by row boat.)

Other projects include the original Severn Boat Haven, the Delawana Inn (twice!), and many cottages and septic systems. They have been associated with Viceroy Homes for many years and have won a number of awards for their Viceroy work. Their fine quality workmanship has caused some people to persuade them to take on jobs in the city. Congratulations to the White family on 60 years of good business !