NATIONAL MARITIME CENTRE (2006) Canada has a rich maritime history. Not only did many of our ancestors arrive by ship to found our great nation but the use of the waterfront for industry as well as tourism and cultural recreation has provided and will continue to provide economic and cultural opportunities locally, provincially and nationally.
The vision behind the National Maritime Centre (NMC) is to create a destination attraction well beyond the scope of a traditional museum. The National Maritime Centre will be the destination for local, Canadian and international visitors to celebrate, discover and participate in the unique maritime fabric of the west coast and the Arctic.
With the provincial government looking to double tourism revenues over the next ten years there is a need for the province to develop new world class products to attract BC residents and international visitors that are demanding new and original experiences. The NMC will provide just such an experience and will enable BC to attract US visitors who share much of the same rich maritime history and also share Canada’s connection to the sea. But more importantly it will also provide BC with a unique opportunity to attract the emerging Asian tourism market while providing another attraction for cruise ship passengers to explore and generate further provincial economic activity.
As important as its role as a tourism destination the NMC will be an educational and information portal to British Columbians. Indeed the site will be dedicated to maritime experiences and learning – a hub and gathering place for all things maritime. To this end, meaningful relationships with the community, maritime, educational, business and tourism, will be key to its success and indeed these relationships are being built. The facility will serve as a training centre for all aspects of maritime activities such as boating safety and restoration, promoting active, experiential learning on the water and on land.
The Centre’s indoor and outdoor spaces will have the capacity to host events such as business forums and trade shows, sea festivals, film festivals and education programs. Interactive and educational exhibits will celebrate national and regional stories from the sea in a way that is entertaining and inspiring for visitors and residents alike.
This concept of a NMC has generated considerable cooperation and partnership between a diversity of stakeholders at all levels, these partnerships will remain vital to the success of the project.
Governments at both the provincial, through the Ministry of Economic Development, and federal, through Western Economic Diversification, level have indicated support for the project. In addition the project has also received the enthusiastic and growing support of potential partners in the following sectors:
• Public and Cultural Organizations
• Local Government
• Commercial Enterprises
• Facility Programming Organizations
• Media
• Related Event Planners
• Tourism/Travel Organizations and Attractions
• Facility Operators
• Education and Training
• First Nations
The Chamber acknowledges that the proposed National Maritime Center for the Pacific and the Arctic is a project that has been led by the City of North Vancouver in conjunction with these key stakeholders.
We also acknowledge that previous study results have indicated that the a prime location for the NMC would be Vancouver Harbour’s North Shore. The chamber understands that the City of North Vancouver has made a significant time and financial contribution to the NMC project. Subject to a sustainable business model the city is prepared to provide a further contribution of land, infrastructure and retail income to the present day value of $27 million. The business model is critical to the validity of this project and must ensure that the NMC is located on the best possible site in terms of good access for visitors as well as a community that has a rich, maritime history.
The sustainability of this location is further backed by two primary studies. The most recent one was funded by Western Economic Diversification, Government of Canada, and the Ministry of Economic Development, Government of British Columbia. The report stated that the location is ideal from a historical and heritage standpoint: “A significant part of BC’s shipbuilding industry was once situated on the site and the St. Roch and many other famous ships were built there. It is located at the center of Canada’s largest and busiest port and is within clear view of downtown Vancouver, the nation’s gateway to the Pacific and Asia”.
Although significant private donations are expected, it is only through the financial involvement of senior levels of government that both the necessary studies and capital costs can be met. Having said this the chamber does not see this as a project that requires significant, or continued, public financing. Indeed analysis indicates the National Maritime Centre can be operationally sustainable in its third year with a modest surplus.
The National Maritime Centre will tell the maritime history of our country and bring to British Columbia and Canada a nationally significant amenity that will be of lasting economic, cultural and educational benefit, to both citizens and visitors.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
Subject to positive NMC feasibility and sustainability and other working study results that the Federal and Provincial Governments, in partnership with the private sector, support the capital investment required to construct the National Maritime Center in BC with a goal of completing the project in time for the 2010 Winter Games.
