Thursday, January 14, 2010

Wrong Investments


No story more clearly illustrates the Campbell government than the one I meant to post yesterday.

Being a 2000-year old man, I got caught up in other matters (The Lady and the Library really had me going...) and I plain forgot.

Here is the story.

Victoria promised money to build a maritime centre in North Vancouver. This would replace the hopelessly inadequate Maritime Museum currently languishing on Kits Point.

For those who continue to live in the Popsicle delusion that this is a city fueled by latter and real estate, surprise.

We are a port.

Potash and compact cars, that's who we are, kids.

So, a multi-purpose centre on the waterfront that celebrates our very nature and offers educational, historical, archival, entertainment, shopping and dining opportunities is a no-brainer.

uh...

That is if you're not putting all of your eggs into a 12 day event in one February, and anything that's left over into a new Teflon roof for your stadium.

With much fanfare, including a 2008 announcement by Premier Gordon Campbell, the province put up $9-million in funding, and was expected to contribute an additional $20-million to $25-million in capital costs for the 110,000-square-foot centre.

The federal government pledged $20-million in funding, contingent on provincial support.

Kiss that goodbye.

“I was afraid something like this would happen, given that it had been taking so long,” said James Delgado, president and CEO of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology based in Bodrum, Turkey.

“[I'm] heartsick, absolutely heartsick.”

Delgado, who was one of the best people we have ever had plying these local waters, left because he saw the handwriting on the wall years ago.

Jim was Executive Director of the Maritime Museum. He was also a wonderful writer, world-famous deep sea diver and relentless booster for Vancouver.

We lost his terrific energy because of this kind of short-sightedness.

Did you know that in the basement of the current Museum are actual relics from the Titanic?

I've seen them, but that's because I've bothered to go down there.

Me and 12 other people in the last 20 years.

So...back to Gorgeous Gord.

The priorities are clear and unmistakable.

Billions for the Big O, which used to mean something else altogether.

But when it comes to the relative lunch money for something that truly speaks of Vancouver and British Columbia heritage, the cupboard is bare.

Let's just rename the fellow Short Stick Gord.

3 comments:

Evil Eye said...

David,

The big "O" is bankrupting our province and the cadre of 'flim-flam' men/women running VANOC, is truly scary.

Here we have group the supersedes Canadian, provincial and civic law and the people do nothing. That is truly scary as well.

Campbell is running this province into deficit as his band of 'get rich quick' artist don't have the savvy to run a peanut stand, but here is the clicker.

The Campbell Legacy Line or $4 billion UBC SkyTrain subway, coming to taxpayer in 2011.

Designed to take taxpayer/voter minds off the Olympic deficit, the Campbell Legacy Line will be Gordo's final gift to Vancouver and also to Bombardier Inc. (got to keep those directorship options open) who got second prize with the SNC Lavalin/ROTEM RAV/Canada line.

Gordo riding the rails to toot his teeny weeny horn!

Norm Farrell said...

Apparently the BC Liberals, to get maximum federal funding for the Olympics, negotiated away commitments for various other projects. You can bet the $20 million that would have gone to the maritime centre will now help pay for the giant security bill for that cool sporting event that takes place in British Columbia between 2009 & 2011.

Anonymous said...

David, the maritime museum along with the museum that was housed at Main and Hastings and the BC Building with the challenger map are all victims of SocialCredit/ NDP/ Liberal neglect. All of these were excellent places to spend a day. All were mothballed to save money. Saving money by closing educational facilities is short sighted to say the least.
While I dont care for a lot of Gordos schemes I have to remind myself that the olympdicks were brought to us by the NDP.

So remember that both of our beloved political parties are responsible for the enormous waste of money to entertain the rich and famous.

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