Heather Wright/The Independent

The historic jerker lines at the Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs have a distinctly new look.

Construction crews have been replacing the posts and wooden rods which, with the help of a powerhouse, pull oil from the grounds of the site.

Megan Sinclair, the museum’s curator, says there have been a couple of updates at the site since August.

The weathered wood at the Blacksmith Shop has been replaced already. 

“Right now they’re working on replacing all of the poles for the jerker line system and the rods,” she said. “The poles and the rods, they’re just getting old and starting to rot.

“We just want to make sure that we’re replacing the historic infrastructure as it as it needs, so we can keep it all running.”

Andrew Meyer, general manager of cultural services for Lambton County, which runs the museum, says the work is “part of our ongoing commitment to historic building restoration and maintenance.” Meyer and Sinclair aren’t sure when the historic items were restored last, but Sinclair expects it would be at least two decades.

“This is a multi-year commitment that will include improvements to the train station, cabin and Canadian Rig structures as well, to ensure these important historic buildings are preserved for future generations and contribute to a positive visitor experience,” Meyer said in an email.

So far, the renovations to the Blacksmith Shop and jerker lines has cost about $24,000.

Sinclair says the next project will be the powerhouse. “They’re going to lift up the powerhouse – it’s all sinking. So (they’re) putting helical piles in and then putting the shop back down on the new piles.” That work will likely start in mid-October.