1461 replies to this topic

[Jacques Cadé]

Brilliant idea to put the museum's collections and the provincial archives atop a gravel pit that will slide into the sea in a major earthquake: http://cmscontent.nr...S_GM2000-01.pdf

[todd]

Brilliant idea to put the museum's collections and the provincial archives atop a gravel pit that will slide into the sea in a major earthquake: http://cmscontent.nr...S_GM2000-01.pdf

What are the objects that look like small laptop computers?

[On the Level]

Brilliant idea to put the museum's collections and the provincial archives atop a gravel pit that will slide into the sea in a major earthquake: http://cmscontent.nr...S_GM2000-01.pdf

 

Ahh...the current location in your map shows the provincial archives a high risk zone with a high liquefaction hazard, going to a moderate risk in Colwood.  

Edited by On the Level, 18 September 2020 - 08:01 PM.

[Jacques Cadé]

Current location has higher relative hazard, yes, but it isn't on the James Bay infill that has the high liquefaction hazard. And it doesn't have the slope hazards of Royal Bay.

Edited by Jacques Cadé, 18 September 2020 - 08:13 PM.

[Mike K.]

Here’s the release:

To make the Royal BC Museum’s collections and archives more accessible, the B.C. government will build a new collections and research building in Colwood.

“Today we are taking the first major step to modernize the Royal BC Museum,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “Our government is building a state-of-the-art facility to preserve our history for future generations. This construction project will create jobs for people on Vancouver Island and help support B.C.’s economic recovery.”

The 3.2-hectare (eight acre) piece of land at the Royal Bay development in Colwood will include a new approximately 14,000 square-metre facility. It will use mass timber construction and meet CleanBC energy efficiency standards. Building construction will generate more than 950 direct and indirect good-paying jobs.

The proposed facility will house the Royal BC Museum’s archives, collections and research department. It will improve research activities by providing dedicated research labs and learning spaces. It will also improve access to the museum’s vast collections. The new building will offer learning opportunities for students, both in person and online.

The collections and research building will hold the following collections, as well as the BC Archives:

birds and mammals
botany
fish
entomology
history
paleontology
modern history
In October, crews will begin preparing the site for construction, including surveying and earthworks. The government will undertake a competitive procurement process in the coming months to select a design-build team to lead the development of the project. Project funding details will be released upon successful execution of the contract with the successful bidder. Government expects the project to break ground in winter 2021 and to be complete in summer 2024.

This is the first phase of the Royal BC Museum modernization project. The main museum and public galleries will remain at the downtown site in Victoria. The B.C. government is committed to redeveloping the museum space downtown and will announce plans in 2021.

[todd]

Brilliant idea to put the museum's collections and the provincial archives atop a gravel pit that will slide into the sea in a major earthquake: http://cmscontent.nr...S_GM2000-01.pdf

Oak Bay: “heavy rains in January, 1949, flooded many
basements throughout the municipality, including the basement of the Municipal Hall where many legal and historic documents were destroyed”

http://www.webturf.c...ones/index.html

[Victoria Watcher]

The 3.2 hectare or eight-acre parcel of land, purchased for $14 million and located at the Royal Bay development in Colwood, will include a 14,000 square-metre facility that meets CleanBC energy-efficient standards. Using mass timber construction, 950 jobs will be generated – with 644 construction jobs and 320 indirect jobs.

 

The new building will house the Royal BC Museum’s archives, collections – including birds and mammals, botany, fish, entomology, history, paleontology and modern history collections – and research department, with additional research labs and dedicated learning spaces.

 

In October crews will begin preparing the site for construction, including surveying and earthworks. A competitive procurement process will be announced by the government in the coming months to select a design-build team to lead the development. Funding details are expected to be released when a contract has been secured.

 

This is the first phase in the Royal BC Museum modernization project. The main museum and the public galleries will remain at the downtown site, with plans to redevelop the museum space expected to be announced next year.

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....ilt-in-colwood/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 September 2020 - 05:27 AM.

[Rob Randall]

The original plan from ten years ago was for the Downtown site to be redeveloped partially with commercial office space, and as the years went on the RBCM/Archives would take over that office space for themselves as they required. I don't know if the current plan replaces this one in part or in full. 

 

I was told the basement of the current archives building on the Harbour is below sea level.

 

This photo of a model from ten years ago represents a rough sketch of what the RBCM intended. The wood blocks are existing buildings, the translucent plastic represents what could have been new construction.

 

 

Anyway, I don't know what happened in the end but I guess the new museum CEO came in and said this whole idea is stupid and this grand masterplan revitalization project died in the crib.

 

[mbjj]

It's a shame the archives are moving so far away. We've visited them in the past to read old newspapers. I don't think we'd bother going all that way out to do so. I think they also get a lot of students going there, many of whom don't drive.

[Mike K.]

That area is transitioning into a large population and employment base. Transit will vastly improve to serve that growth.

[Nparker]

That area is transitioning into a large population and employment base. Transit will vastly improve to serve that growth.

But who wants to take transit? 

[Cats4Hire]

But who wants to take transit? 

considering the UVic and Camosun exchanges when they're in session the students mbjj was talking about at least don't mind (I assume it's college/university students looking at achieves rather than high school)

[Nparker]

My question was rhetorical.

[aastra]

Victorians know the middle of the city exists, right?

[aastra]

Sometimes I wonder.

[rjag]

A little over 10 years ago they approached us to partner with them to build a new offsite Archive repository. The land in question was around where the Holiday Inn is in Colwood. They were looking at approx 75,000 ft including approx 10,000 ft of various cold/fridge/freezer rooms as they were literally housing loads of old photo stock etc in hundreds of residential fridges and freezers. The requirement included work areas, viewing rooms and general high security storage. The real challenge was to build something that could meet stringent archival environmental standards on a large scale. It’s possible but it’s very very expensive. Of course they thought they could pay close to standard commercial lease rates based on a 30/40 year long lease...nope. Impossible. The cost to construct this was estimated at around $500/ft when you factored in all the environmental controls and redundancy. Heck the dual fuel power generators were close to a $1/2million, they wanted NG Generators plus a 30 day diesel Backup To run 100% of everything 

[Rob Randall]

A little over 10 years ago they approached us to partner with them to build a new offsite Archive repository. The land in question was around where the Holiday Inn is in Colwood.

 

The Downtown museum plan was announced to the public in February 2010. Are you saying the Colwood plan was before this?

Edited by Rob Randall, 19 September 2020 - 08:22 AM.

[Mike K.]

One thing we’re not yet discussing is the demise of the Fanin Building. It’ll drop from Victoria’s highrise list.

I wonder what the heritage advocates will say in this instance?

“Had to be done...”

“It’s for the greater good...”

Or “we should protect this heritage asset.”

[aastra]

What are you saying?

[todd]

It's a shame the archives are moving so far away. We've visited them in the past to read old newspapers. I don't think we'd bother going all that way out to do so. I think they also get a lot of students going there, many of whom don't drive.

 

 

Yep. Some weird stuff in there lot of it probably not looked over since it was put there.