Tsawwassen to Turkey?

[Mac Write]

I will do (weather pending) the first "Milk run" trip on her round trip to get as many photos as possible.

[Retrovision]

And I'll be on Route 9 while the 'Tsawwassen is filling-in, sure, but what's your point, Mac Write?

[Mill Bay]

I fully intend to be there too... at least once, but I have a longing to do the whole round trip at least a couple times, and hopefully we can make sure we're on the same sailings.

[Mac Write]

The more time on board, the more time for those fine detail photos.

[Mill Bay]

prqueenkid16 said:

Personally, I feel we need to get some work done, we all don't want the Tsawwassen sent to be Scraped.
But if we act now, rather then wait till she's an inch from death we could save her.

Who Agrees with me that we should petition to save the Queen of Tsawwasen or one of our other scrap bound Ferries.
(Points at Queen of Vancouver)

Curtis,

If we all really do want to save one of the ferries, then we need to do our research... read the provincial societies act, then see if you can gather enough interest to form an actual recognized preservation or historical society, and then go out and try to find donors and sponsors for the cause.

If we tried something like that, and formed an actual legal entity, then if we really worked at it, when it comes time for one of the ships to be retired and BCFS starts looking for potential buyers, we might be able to walk into the corporate HQ and set down a cheque for enough money to get us ownership of one or more of the old ships...

Of course that's the easy part, the much larger part, requiring a lot more work and money is the actual preservation and maintaining of the ships, especially if you hope to keep them operating, and finding a place to moor them... that's where the real grease work comes in.

I know that there are many such societies out there, particularly for preserving steam railways, and look at how many operating steam locomotives there are out there, but a ferry is a lot bigger to maintain than a steam engine. In addition, look what's already happened to previous preservation schemes like the Kalakala, and look what has already happened to the Sydney and the San Mateo now sitting on the Fraser River slowly rotting.

It would be incredible to see one or two of these ships preserved, but continued operation would not be likely without a lot of funding from somewhere... the best thing to do is pull them up on shore somewhere, so they won't sink at least, and restore them so that they look as if they were new and then just let people at least have a chance to explore them.

[Northern Exploration]

I am involved a lot in these sorts of things through my work. The only way long term to make it work would be to get museum or institution interested in adding the ship to their displays. Then a major benefactor to grease the wheels. Getting local MP's, MPP's, maybe the town of Tswwassen (her namesake), the city she would be located in etc. all involved wouldn't hurt. Then a full public fundraising campaign.

The money to purchase the ship would have to be raised. The money for the museum or build or modify a pier/washrooms/facility would have to be raised. Then operating or and endowment to fund the display and or long term maintainance of the ship would be needed. Sounds daunting but that is the whole ball of wax.

The first step would be to start a small group called the "Friends of the MV Queen of Tswwassen" or whatever it would be called. Network and push the idea to any contacts that group had. That group would identify some sort of strategy to build momentum. A website would definitely be important. For examples see just two of the following.

Friends of the Haida www.hmcshaida.ca/museinfo.html
Or the SS United States www.ssunitedstates.org/

You could charge a small membership fee for those who were interested to help pay for minor incidentals.

Once the website is up. Do a press release and email to every newspaper, radio, TV, and magazine you can think of. Start small with who you know would run it. Example The Island Times, Georgia Straight. Then hope Breakfast Television or something similar would pick it up. Does anyone know someone influential or a public figure who would be willing to champion this? BCF employees and retirees would be one target market for everyone to go after.

These sort of things usually work if a couple of things fall into place. Firstly there is a core of people who are very passionate about it, can work very hard with lots of discouragement, but still have fun doing it. Secondly, that after what seems as no progress somehow a breakthrough happens and the idea starts to get wheels. Thirdly, the idea becomes self perpetuating and catches on really big. At that stage the professionals need to take over (museum, people experienced with raising money for charities, and business/corporate supporters).

In case someone thinks of establishing a charity to start all this off - a few comments. It is a time consuming thing to get official charitable status. It can take over a year. That is why I suggest linking up with an institution or museum that is already established so that when you begin the public fundraising campaign it is much easier. Plus if a wealthy individual(s) descide to commit funds to this it makes much more sense for them if they can get a tax receipt for their funds.

I am sure the current owners of the Queen of Sidney had something in mind for her when they bought here. I am not sure if getting a museum or BC Ferries to kick in money to restore her was part of their ideas or plans. However, the Tswwassen was built at Burrard Dry Dock. I am fuzzy as to the history but didn't it eventually become part of the WMG. Isn't it owned by a rather weathly gentleman who is up to yachts worths in the tens of millions of dollars? One of which was the 77th largest yacht in the world in recent years. Dennis Washington may be a good person to start with. Jimmy Patterson also has owned yachts for years and maybe another.

Washington has a foundation for charitable efforts. This would not be part of its mandate but for interest see www.dpwfoundation.org/foundation.htm

Anyways I would always love to add whatever expertise or lack there of that I have to keep this rolling.

[Neil]

Oh, jeez. Reality check, guys.

We didn't manage to save even one of the wonderful old Princess or Union boats from the heyday of steamer travel. There was virtually no public interest. And did you guys read the clippings I posted on the other thread about the Cy Peck? How when the call went out for support, there was absolutely zero response, from the corporate or private world? Look at the Kalakala- a truly unique vessel, and after years of people doing everything in their power to raise resources to restore it, it's still a mess.

No one cares that the Queen of Sidney is rotting away on the banks of the Fraser, and it was the first ferry built by the Province for BC Ferries. The Queen of Tsawwassen has even less historical importance. If you really care about these boats, ride them while you can, because there is no public interest in saving them, and Jim Pattison or Dennis Washington are not going to ride to the rescue. That's the reality for old ferries, and it's been proven time after time.

[WettCoast]

Yes, unfortunately this is true. The vast majority of the public is really apathetic when it comes to saving pieces of our maritime heritage. As Neil says, not even one of the wonderful fleet that was once CP's BC Coast Steamship service is left today, and that really is a shame.

Could we at least dream of getting the Tsawwassen beached near the beginning of the Tsawwassen ferry causeway on First Nations Land as a casino and museum?

[Balfour]

We'll still be able to look back at these great ships without having them physically here. Between forum members and other ferry enthusiasts, there are tons of photos out there for us to enjoy for many years to come.

[Mac Write]

Ya many many photos and even some videos will preserve these fine ships.

[Mill Bay]

wetcoastkidjst said:

Could we at least dream of getting the Tsawwassen beached near the beginning of the Tsawwassen ferry causeway on First Nations Land as a casino and museum?

No way... why would you want to disgrace the old ship by turning her into a casino... we should at least treat her with more distinction than the aluminum cats... weren't they supposed to be casinos?

[Hardy]

millbay said:

wetcoastkidjst said:

Could we at least dream of getting the Tsawwassen beached near the beginning of the Tsawwassen ferry causeway on First Nations Land as a casino and museum?

No way... why would you want to disgrace the old ship by turning her into a casino... we should at least treat her with more distinction than the aluminum cats... weren't they supposed to be casinos?

Casinos have deep pockets ... and I think that it was mentioned here as an alternative to scrapping -- given those two options, disgraced yet preserved or scrapped and forgotten, which would you choose?

I actually think that this would be an interesting topic to debate -- those two options (and only those two) -- see what pros and cons we can shove off the diving board here.

[Retrovision]

wetcoastkidjst said:

Could we at least dream of getting the Tsawwassen beached near the beginning of the Tsawwassen ferry causeway on First Nations Land as a casino and museum?

I think that land is slated for development, for possible port expansion, most of it atleast.