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Maritime Museum of BC


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#81 Mike K.

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 03:09 PM

MEDIA UPDATE: LEASE NEGOIATIONS TIMELINE EXTENDED FOR MARITIME MUSEUM OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

 

On March 30, 2015, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) offered an additional time extension to the Maritime Museum of British Columbia (MMBC) to negotiate the lease of the causeway level of the Steamship Terminal. Based on recent discussions between GVHA, MMBC, and provincial ministry representatives, all parties have agreed to extend the timeline until April 15th, 2015 to allow for further exploration of leasing options currently under consideration. The GVHA first provided the MMBC with a one-month extension on February 27, 2015.

The previous advisory from February 27, 2015 is included below for context:

 

27 February 2015

 

MEDIA ADVISORY: HARBOUR AUTHORITY OFFERS ADDITIONAL TIME TO NEGOTIATE LEASE OF STEAMSHIP TERMINAL CAUSEWAY LEVEL TO MARITIME MUSEUM OF BC

 

The Steamship Terminal building has anchored Victoria’s Inner Harbour since opening its doors to the world in 1924. As the head lease holder on this iconic BC government-owned building, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has assumed the role of property manager for tenancy.

 

In September 2014, the Province and GVHA signed a six-month exclusive option to negotiate a long term lease of the causeway level of the terminal building for the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. The option to lease expires on February 28, 2015. GVHA recognizes the historic Steamship Terminal provides a potentially ideal waterfront home for the Maritime Museum and consequently has offered to provide 30 additional days beyond the option period (until March 31, 2015) in order to support the Maritime Museum’s efforts to secure financing and to finalize a financially viable long term lease proposal.

 

The BC Government’s Shared Services BC is supporting the Maritime Museum with lease negotiations on their behalf.

 


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#82 Nparker

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 03:43 PM

So this is extension #2...how many more before someone pulls the plug on this altogether?



#83 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 14 May 2015 - 08:06 AM

Looks like the Harbour Authority is moving on:

 

 

Maritime Museum move fails, steamship terminal to seek other tenants for space

 

Talks to relocate the Maritime Museum of B.C. to the CPR Steamship Terminal have stalled, and landlord Greater Victoria Harbour Authority has decided it must seek another tenant to protect its finances.

 

The museum’s chief executive officer said he is “more disappointed than panicked” by the news. “We’ve been around for over 60 years and we’ll re-group and re-focus. We have had interest from other jurisdictions, but we would very much like to keep the collection in Victoria,” Clay Evans said.

 

The museum has been homeless since Oct. 21, when the province requested it vacate longtime premises in Bastion Square, citing safety concerns in the old courthouse building that were disputed by Victoria Coun. Pam Madoff.

 

The failure to come to a decision on new premises, even after months of negotiations on the Steamship site, is “slowly sucking the life out of the MMBC, its society, staff, volunteers and members that have been looking after this collection, on behalf of all British Columbians, for over 60 years,” Evans said via email.

 

 

http://www.timescolo...h.p37MACfv.dpuf


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#84 Mike K.

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Posted 14 May 2015 - 08:07 AM

I think this is the end of the line for the museum.


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#85 Nparker

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Posted 14 May 2015 - 08:12 AM

I think this is the end of the line for the museum.

I think you are probably right Mike. I'd love to see the old Bastion Square court house re-purposed somehow.



#86 thundergun

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Posted 14 May 2015 - 11:24 AM

There has been a number of articles over the last year about this museum and they all seem to point to an inability to get anything done. Not sure whether it's incompetence, lack of funding or both. Either way, I'd be surprised if this place continues operations.



#87 Mike K.

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Posted 14 May 2015 - 09:36 PM

It's a small operation. Why don't they just hold out for RBCM's redevelopment and give up their exhibits to something within the new museum?


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#88 tedward

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Posted 15 May 2015 - 10:06 AM

^ Fair question. Do we actually need a seperate museum? What about bringing it into the RBCM fold but lease the Steamship building space for a satellite space with floating exhibits?


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#89 thundergun

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Posted 15 May 2015 - 11:14 AM

^ I like the satellite idea, but IIRC the museum is undergoing an expansion/renovation soon so it wouldn't make sense to take out space a block away.



#90 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 May 2015 - 11:22 AM

^ Fair question. Do we actually need a seperate museum? What about bringing it into the RBCM fold but lease the Steamship building space for a satellite space with floating exhibits?

 

Well, it comes down to money I guess.  RBCM would need to find the money to lease the space from somewhere.


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#91 tedward

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Posted 15 May 2015 - 11:43 AM

^ I like the satellite idea, but IIRC the museum is undergoing an expansion/renovation soon so it wouldn't make sense to take out space a block away.

 

I disagree. The Maritime Museum should at some point incorporate floating exhibits and space for visiting historic ships so they need a chunk of waterfront space. Using a historic building that is actually part of the story is a bonus.

The Smithsonian Institution is a collection of seperate musuems in Washington DC one next to the other down the Mall. It is a spectacular tourist attraction. A satellite space a block away that has a purpose makes sense.


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#92 Bingo

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Posted 15 May 2015 - 09:21 PM

Put the entire display onto a mothballed BC Ferry and tow the show on the road...er. " ta sea Billy".

#93 todd

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Posted 19 June 2015 - 10:07 PM

Times Colonist  June 19, 2015

 

B.C. should honour 1977 Maritime Museum promise: trustee
 
The province should live up to its decades-old promise to house the Maritime Museum of B.C., the museum’s trustees say.
 
In 1977, the City of Victoria signed over the former courthouse at Bastion Square to the province for $1. The museum had relocated there in 1965. 
 
That agreement came with “the obligation to house the museum in perpetuity — either in the courthouse or another mutually agreeable location,” trustees said in a statement. The agreement was signed by then Victoria mayor Mike Young and provincial secretary Grace McCarthy, according to stories published in the Victoria Daily Times.
 


#94 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 07:07 AM

The B.C. government denies claims that it has an obligation to permanently house the Maritime Museum at its current location in Bastion Square or anywhere else. - See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.YDAb15HS.dpuf
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#95 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 07:14 AM

The place only attracts 55 visitors per day. It's time to give it up.

I was at Craigdarroch Castle on Friday and for the 45 minutes I was there there was over 55 people.

The RBC Museum gets nearly 2,500 visitors per day.
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#96 todd

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 02:53 PM

The place only attracts 55 visitors per day. It's time to give it up.

I was at Craigdarroch Castle on Friday and for the 45 minutes I was there there was over 55 people.

The RBC Museum gets nearly 2,500 visitors per day.

 

Bet they would have got more than 55 a day in the steamship terminal.


Edited by todd, 20 June 2015 - 02:53 PM.

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#97 todd

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 03:03 PM

The B.C. government denies claims that it has an obligation to permanently house the Maritime Museum at its current location in Bastion Square or anywhere else. - See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.YDAb15HS.dpuf

 

The City of Victoria said they will try and track down the document in their records,

 

Interesting to see if they find it.

 

I know if Christy has the document she's flushed it by now.



#98 insanelydeadlydisease

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 04:44 PM

Bet they would have got more than 55 a day in the steamship terminal.

I bet more than 55 tourists walk past it everyday right now and not once think about going in.



#99 todd

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 04:56 PM

I bet more than 55 tourists walk past it everyday right now and not once think about going in.

 

It's closed right now because they have been evicted by the provincial government, would think 55 tourists would walk by any tourist attraction on any given day in any slightly major city.


Edited by todd, 20 June 2015 - 04:57 PM.


#100 todd

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 06:34 PM

We've lost four tourist attractions in a short period of time The Wax Museum, Undersea Gardens, Crystal Gardens and now the future of the the Maritime Museum is not clear.



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