133 replies to this topic

[sdwright.vic]

If they are shutting her down hope they have to dispose of her also so that she doent sit in the harbour and rot.

[Fairbanks]

Victoria's largest tourist attraction is the "Inner Harbour". The causeway the marinas, historic buildings like the Empress, the various craft and food vendors and the buskers, the RBCM and Legislature.

All this crying over Tropical birds, Wax figures and a rundown oversized fish tank...really?

I am so sick and tired of the "old guard" in this town. Embrace the future!

[jonny]

If they are shutting her down hope they have to dispose of her also so that she doent sit in the harbour and rot.

+1!!

Would make a great space for parking a mega yacht or two...

[arfenarf]

I got it:

Tow it up above the Selkirk Trestle (whilst lowering its masts on the way under the JSB, pls), and moor it there as low-cost housing, using the Tinto Rocks for ballast.

Problem solved!

Next!

[amor de cosmos]

Undersea Gardens closing after 50 years in Victoria area
Inner Harbour aquarium outdated, says Oak Bay Marine Group; eight employees affected
Carla Wilson / Times Colonist
October 17, 2013 06:03 AM

Pacific Undersea Gardens, first built in Oak Bay and later moved to Victoria’s Inner Harbour, is now closed after 50 years of operations.

“Quite frankly, it’s dated and it would require significant investment to bring it up to just a basic standard that Oak Bay [Marine Group] would be proud of and that the city of Victoria would be proud of,” said Susan Barcham, spokeswoman for the attraction’s owner.

Every year, about 83,000 people have been stepping onto the floating exhibit and going 15 feet below the ocean surface for a close-up look at sea life, she said Wednesday.

But the 150-foot-long vessel is getting old. Upkeep is expensive.

Visitors’ tastes have changed since Undersea Gardens was created. Smaller aquariums such as Undersea Gardens are being replaced by much larger attractions offering more hands-on experiences, and are typically owned by big companies or non-profits, Barcham said.

Building a bigger facility is not the answer, she said. It would not be the right fit for the Inner Harbour or allowed under the existing lease.

http://www.timescolo...a-area-1.662514

Loss of Undersea Gardens worrisome for Greater Victoria tourism
By Steven Heywood - Victoria News
Published: October 17, 2013 1:00 PM
Updated: October 17, 2013 1:55 PM

While he says the closure this week of Undersea Gardens in Victoria' Inner Harbour was not completely unexpected, Angus Matthews of the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre (SODC) in Sidney added it will impact tourism throughout Greater Victoria.

"It's a cause for concern when we lose a major tourist attraction like the Undersea Gardens," said Matthews, the Discovery Centre's executive director. "It's a big loss for the tourism market in Victoria and Greater Victoria, including Sidney."

http://www.vicnews.c.../228237181.html

Inner Harbour tourist icon goes dark in Victoria
By Don Descoteau - Victoria News
Published: October 17, 2013 11:00 AM
Updated: October 17, 2013 2:50 PM

Undersea Gardens, a floating fixture on Victoria's Inner Harbour since 1969, has closed its doors for good.

The floating attraction, known for its live octopus show and for taking customers beneath sea level to marvel at local fish and marine species in saltwater tanks, had its final day Wednesday. Owner Oak Bay Marine Group, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, made the decision to close the aging vessel after doing a review of all of the company's properties, said spokesperson Susan Barcham.

"It's been a tough summer for us," she said. "We lost our founder (Bob Wright) and regrouping and rebuilding has been a process. Everybody understands that these tough decisions have to be made occasionally, but these decisions have to be made so we can be stronger for the future."



The attraction operated on the site of the Oak Bay Marina from 1963 to 1969, when former owner and fishing guru Charlie White sold it to Wright, who moved it downtown.

It formed a key part of the Victoria Attractions Association early on with such nearby facilities as the Royal London Wax Museum and Miniature World. It remained a popular spot to visit during the annual Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown spring promotion.

Like any steel vessel, Undersea Gardens has suffered wear and tear over the past 44 years. Custom-built for its purpose, the facility would take a major investment to bring it up to modern standards for aquariums, Barcham said. Oak Bay Marine Group, a privately owned company, is looking instead at "investing in places that are going to reflect well on the communities in which we do business," she said.

http://www.vicnews.c.../228213471.html

[jwreal]

The remaining value is in the water lease. The natural fit is a floating seafood Restaurant. Does Victoria need another restaurant? Maybe not, but this could be something really high end like this: http://fishhousestanleypark.com/

Yes, this would fit in with the Mega yachts.

[Hotel Mike]

The CTV story indicated the Undersea Gardens would be removed in the coming weeks. Nice of them to donate the products in their shop to charity, but their departure will be a boon for Victoria's Inner Harbour.

[Mike K.]

There's no question that the Undersea Gardens was a disgrace in many ways for the City, but some of you are actually championing the closing of the Crystal Gardens and the wax museum? Really?

I loved the Crystal Gardens and I was disappointed when the Provincial Capital Commission decided that Mel Cooper's ridiculous BC Experience was a better fit. It took no time for that disaster to shut its doors and now we have a largely vacant historic building that sits unused, and we're supposed to be thrilled about this and label it as a sign of progress? And the wax museum's crypt on the first level was incredibly well done and a real thrill for those who could stand looking at depictions of torture throughout history. Despite decades of being a fairly renowned and well received operation it all of a sudden became an embarrassment?

I don't think I've ever said this to anyone but some of you really have to give your heads a shake and recognize that empty spaces, over priced mediocre restaurants and patios do not make a city.

[VicHockeyFan]

How about we get a Glacier Skywalk.

[ZGsta]

You may now consider yourself

OWNED

[HB]

How about we get a Glacier Skywalk.

They could place it over the 18km long sewage solids conveyor belt pipe that will be taking turds for a ride out to hartland

[VicHockeyFan]

They could place it over the 18km long sewage solids conveyor belt pipe that will be taking turds for a ride out to hartland

How about an underwater glass pipe that is right over the (coming soon) Inner Harbour sewage pipe, the one that runs from James Bay to McLoughlin? So it can double as an inspection platform for that pipe.

[HB]

How about an underwater glass pipe that is right over the (coming soon) Inner Harbour sewage pipe, the one that runs from James Bay to McLoughlin? So it can double as an inspection platform for that pipe.

Yes and the Harbour Commision can charge inflated rates and give the CRD their cut to help pay for everything

They would have to train new tour guides so that instead of identifying fish and sea life they can identify objects the would be found in a sewer system.

It could be built like a stationary glass bottomed boat.

Look at nature (or a natural process) and get some excersize.

[Nparker]

Take heart all those who weep at the demise of PUG...our neighbours to the near(ish) south (Newport , Oregon) have an almost exact replica of the Undersea Gardens, complete with a nearby museum for those who want to "wax" nostalgic for Victoria of the recent past. Check these links out:

http://www.marinersq...dersea-gardens/

http://www.marinersq....com/wax-works/

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=FG9U-wY9JSk

https://www.facebook...UnderseaGardens

Perhaps we're not as unique as we think.

[HB]

It looks the same because it is the same its all built and owned by Oak Bay Maring Group (Bob Wright)

[Holden West]

Wow--how bizarre to discover a perfect replica of a structure I used to think was unique.

An excerpt from a brief letter to the editor of the TC from the original architect:

The city refused jurisdiction because it was a “vessel” and the maritime authorities refused jurisdiction because it was a “building,” so we had to use our own judgment regarding code requirements for such things as safe exits.

We added a considerable amount of superstructure and, at 3 a.m. one morning during the design stage, I began to worry about the possibility that it might compromise the vessel’s stability. I spent the next day calculating exactly how much weight we were adding and found, to my relief, that it would not be a significant factor.

http://www.timescolo...losing-1.663207

[tedward]

Saw this on the way to work this morning. It might have something to do with the Steamship Grill patio construction but it was parked next to the abandoned hulk of the Undersea Gardens.

[VicHockeyFan]

Oooh, good catch tedward.  I've put a call in to the Harbour Authority.

[G-Man]

Is it too early for a   ?

[HB]

I just drove by there and could see they are starting the removal
There are workers on board USG and a gangway has been removed and is on the barge now