Maritime Museum of BC

Likely a lot more $$$ than $43 million in the end though, as they're seeking a ton of government operating funding as well (which is why they want "National" in their name).

The Maritime Museum seems to struggle with the ability to achieve the level of respect required which would see various levels of government taking their proposals seriously, and funding them accordingly.

But the use of the old courthouse in Bastion Square is definitely more compatible with the Maritime Museum returning than it is as an "arts hub" (whatever that's supposed to be).

If there was ever an idea doomed to utter failure, it's turning the old Courthouse into the arts hub noted above. Could there be a bigger waste of millions of dollars with no COV plan in place as to how this arts hub is to be funded on an ongoing basis, how space is to be allocated (and to whom), or ultimately how that space is to be used overall, and what benefit it will bring to the folks who ultimately are paying for i?.

The COV already fails on almost every level when it comes to the Arts in Victoria, and this Arts Hub would no doubt turn into little more than an insecure squat for those who might suddenly want to "live" in their subsidized studio space on a full time basis. Eventually the building would once again be in ruin, with much finger pointing and blame ... but still $30 to $50 million in the hole for a now unusable artists squat.

An upgraded and updated National Maritime Museum is a brilliant fit for the old Courthouse, although I'm not sure we'd ever see their proposed annex permitted for construction (which is really the crux of their entire proposal, and a mandatory addition if the museum is to function properly), as it would reduce the current Bastion Square to something better renamed Bastion Alley.

Open Space is one of the few arts organizations with a realistic chance of being a partner in a major project like this. They have equity to play with as they own their building on lower Fort (Koto restaurant is their ground floor tenant). Open Space has been actively searching for new digs for a while.

UVic is a potential player too, with all that Michael Williams/Chard money burning a hole in their pocket. 

Edited by Rob Randall, 01 February 2019 - 08:12 AM.

Come on, that annex as envisioned looks like it would be terrible. Not to mention the modern new entrance? Isn't this where Victoria's noble defenders of heritage should be freaking out and asking if this is a bad joke?

I'm a big fan of the maritime museum, a big fan of the old law courts building, and a big fan of Bastion Square. If this is what it would take to get the museum back in Bastion Square then I'd much prefer that they look for another location.

 

...it would reduce the current Bastion Square to something better renamed Bastion Alley.

I don't necessarily object to *some* new construction where the annex is shown, depending on what it would look like, what the ground floor would be like all around, and what the pedestrian access would be like around the annex and in between the annex and the old building. But my first question would be: why even bother trying to squeeze the museum in this location if the existing space isn't large enough and/or suitable?

Methinks the day tourism in Victoria fully matures will be the day people realize there are a ton of prime overlooked spaces even in the inner harbour area.

Some good pics of the potentially affected areas from earlier in this thread...

As always I await better images of what they have in mind.

Come on, that annex as envisioned looks like it would be terrible. Not to mention the modern new entrance? Isn't this where Victoria's noble defenders of heritage should be freaking out and asking if this is a bad joke?...

I thought I would include the rendering from today's TC article for reference.

I cannot honestly say how I feel about it, since it's just one, relatively simple b/w image. Of course like other local projects that are reliant on federal and/or provincial funding to come to fruition, I don't expect much to ever happen with this proposal.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 February 2019 - 11:07 AM.

 

I cannot honestly say how I feel about it, since it's just one, relatively simple b/w image.

Okay, I shouldn't lose my head about it yet. The modern part actually has vertical windows, which I should probably be applauding since it seems like modern construction in Victoria's old town almost always gets this aspect wrong. I also like the cylindrical references and the idea of having glassy spaces up top for looking out and around.

So that tall stairwell would actually come down from the parkade itself? Meaning there would be no space between the annex and the parkade?

Some good pics of the potentially affected areas from earlier in this thread...

AKA Boomerang Court.

with the way that all ships cause global warning I don’t think we should pay homage to them with a museum.

That's funny. Back in 2008 I was wondering why a small cafe building couldn't be added there. But I meant against the back wall of the parkade, so that the little space would be maintained.

with the way that all ships cause global warning I don’t think we should pay homage to them with a museum.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 February 2019 - 11:46 AM.

 

Not to mention the modern new entrance?

For the record, when the image is viewed full size I admit that the new entrance seems like it might not represent such a big change after all.

But I still come back to my question re: why put the museum in Bastion Square at all?

historical ships also broght the colonizers and settlers too like john a. why celebrate that?
we have a climate state of emergency doesn’t that mean we suspend all construction projects near the shoreline too?

But I still come back to my question re: why put the museum in Bastion Square at all?

Because it contains within it boundaries a glorious, unique, huge, continually empty building within a 5 minute walk of the Inner Harbour, which as we all know is "tourist central", and is full of folks all summer long ... folks who are looking for museums and stuff to take their kids to while visiting Victoria?

Just guessing.

Edited by Cassidy, 01 February 2019 - 05:28 PM.

I'd suggest that the huge building isn't so huge after all if they need to build another building half its size right beside it in order to make things work.

The older I get the more I struggle with the prevailing tunnel vision re: which sites can/cannot not be used for stuff. The back corner of the legislature property is begging for something. The Wharf Street parking lots are begging for something. The space on the Vic West side of the new bridge was begging for something. Nobody notices? Nobody cares? Anyway...

 

...the more I struggle with the prevailing tunnel vision re: which sites can/cannot not be used for stuff...

And the more I struggle with inscrutable determinations re: when spaces are precious and sacred as versus when they aren't, or when new construction in the old town is dangerous and threatening as versus when it isn't, etc.