The Grand Staircase
Originally published September 25th 2011
The Cowichan Bay Maritime Center unveiled it’s new expansion project under damp skies today, the event taking place in conjunction with Cittaslow Sunday.
Visitors from around the Cowichan Valley and beyond attended the pancake breakfast prior to opening ceremonies held at 1pm.
The expansion is a two story, 2000 square foot timber framed addition to the Maritime Center which features a members meeting room and lounge, kitchen and fireplace areas, renovated fully accessible public wash rooms and which will house new exhibits in a climate controlled environment.
New retail space “The Boatique” is planned and in future months, the Maritime Center library of books, periodicals and related materials will be cataloged and put on public display.
As with most community driven projects there have been a few setbacks along the way. The planned “Boatique” has raised the eyebrows of some local business owners who see it as tax payer subsidized competition, while other residents have remarked that the suggested renting convention and meeting space in the new Center building as a means of raising Center funds, will unfairly compete with that already available at the Oceanfront Suites Resort.
Timber framing salvaged from the Kinsol Trestle project was unfortunately not incorporated into the structure as had originally been planned, and some building materials were sourced outside the country, a move criticized as being out of keeping with the spirit of the project and with promises made to buy materials locally.
According to information published in the Cowichan News Leader, a $210,000 grant was provided through the West Coast Community Adjustment Program, while $140,000 has come from existing reserves, contractor donations and a CVRD grant. An additional $100,000 is being sought to complete phase one. The $450,000 (at last calculation) price tag for the 2000 square foot structure has caused some locals to gasp.
None the less, the unveiling of the new addition was made to an appreciative crowd, who enjoyed the cake and coffee on offer, learned quite a bit about the Center, the new building and the history of boating in Cowichan Bay and who were more than delighted with the way the new addition has turned out.
