McBarge -- Photos and discussion

[lmtengs]

Breaking News!

According to the 5 O'clock news on Global, the McBarge is being moved to Mission for use as a base for a new ecotourism company. They will offer fishing trips, wildlife tours, and sightseeing excursions, all from the McBarge.

I tried to find an online news story, but couldn't. The news is still too new.

I wonder if this will be another Queen of Sidney/San Mateo/Kalakalakala kind of thing? I hope not...
I guess anythings better than her current home, sitting on the edge of Burrard Inlet.


Just in case anyone doesn't remember, the McBarge was a rather fancy floating McDonalds restaurant which was moored on the north shore of False Creek for the duration of Expo 86.
bobbea.com/expo-86/mcbarge.html

[Scott]

From what I've heard from people who've been on it, it'll need a ton of work inside.

[lmtengs]

Boy, 2003 doesn't seem like that long ago.... holy cow. 2003: The year I moved into the house I'm currently living in, the year I learned to ski, the year we learned the Olympics were coming.... wow... 7 years ago? I feel old.

Well, back to topic. Here's what McBarge looked like a decade minus three years ago...
web.archive.org/web/20060926035028/www.wraiths.org/mcbarge.htm

[Scott]

Yeah, I've seen that site too. But I live in North Burnaby now, and from what I've heard first-hand is that it's been a past-time for some highschoolers in the area to sneak on board for various reasons.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

I did a little searching on this and here's the architect's project page related to the new home for the McBarge.

www.eatonarchitect.ca/projects/featured/sturgeon-s-on-the-fraser.html

From what I can tell, this project looks to be happening adjacent to Harbour Ave right beside the train bridge.

[lmtengs]

Interesting stuff!

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Aug 11, 2010 12:56:38 GMT -8 @4roads said:

Not going to last too long. Mission is growing, but the novelty of the McBarge has since worn off. This was way back in 1986.

Maybe you could explain this thought...the project is not about the novelty of the McBarge (in fact, the project will incorporate a restaurant, but definitely not a McD's), but about improving the infrastructure for 2 services already well established at the location. There is already an existing marina that could use the additional services and there are sport fishing and adventure tourism outfits established. The seaplane base already exists on paper, and there was at least one operator working as last year.

I do wonder a little at the decision to include a restaurant and taphouse with Capt's Cabin across the street...not exactly the cream of the crop as I remember, but still has a pretty loyal following for an out-of-the-way pub.

[Northern Exploration]

Aug 12, 2010 6:18:07 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

Aug 11, 2010 12:56:38 GMT -8 @4roads said:

Not going to last too long. Mission is growing, but the novelty of the McBarge has since worn off. This was way back in 1986.

I do wonder a little at the decision to include a restaurant and taphouse with Capt's Cabin across the street...not exactly the cream of the crop as I remember, but still has a pretty loyal following for an out-of-the-way pub.

And if anyone knows pubs, even out of the way ones....

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Aug 12, 2010 7:34:26 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

Aug 12, 2010 6:18:07 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

I do wonder a little at the decision to include a restaurant and taphouse with Capt's Cabin across the street...not exactly the cream of the crop as I remember, but still has a pretty loyal following for an out-of-the-way pub.

And if anyone knows pubs, even out of the way ones....

LOL...when my parents opened up shop, our company's first (non-home based) office was right on the corner of Bridge and Harbour. I was looking through some photos on panoramio, and found this one where my parent's boat is in the row of boats on the inside finger.

[lmtengs]

Aug 12, 2010 9:02:24 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

LOL...when my parents opened up shop, our company's first (non-home based) office was right on the corner of Bridge and Harbour. I was looking through some photos on panoramio, and found this one where my parent's boat is in the row of boats on the inside finger.

Any idea why in the photo you linked to, there's a fishing boat called 'Barkley Sound' that's in the Fraser River? I'd expect a boat with that name to be in it's namesake body of water...?

Well, I guess if we thought like that, the Bowen Queen would still be on the Bowen Island Route, and the Queen of Cumberland would be on the Comox route, since that's closest to it's namesake city

[lmtengs]

There are going to be three restaurants in the old McBarge: A coffee house and a taphouse on the lower floor, and a seafood restaurant on the upper level.

[Northern Exploration]

Aug 12, 2010 9:02:24 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

Aug 12, 2010 7:34:26 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

And if anyone knows pubs, even out of the way ones....

LOL...when my parents opened up shop, our company's first (non-home based) office was right on the corner of Bridge and Harbour. I was looking through some photos on panoramio, and found this one where my parent's boat is in the row of boats on the inside finger.

Is that the same one that rolled down the hill into the pickup?

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Aug 12, 2010 13:08:53 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

Aug 12, 2010 9:02:24 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

LOL...when my parents opened up shop, our company's first (non-home based) office was right on the corner of Bridge and Harbour. I was looking through some photos on panoramio, and found this one where my parent's boat is in the row of boats on the inside finger.

Is that the same one that rolled down the hill into the pickup?

Hmmm...makes me wonder...where was my brother before he parked at the top of the hill... ;D

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Aug 12, 2010 10:48:18 GMT -8 @4roads said:

Aug 12, 2010 6:18:07 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

Maybe you could explain this thought...the project is not about the novelty of the McBarge (in fact, the project will incorporate a restaurant, but definitely not a McD's), but about improving the infrastructure for 2 services already well established at the location. There is already an existing marina that could use the additional services and there are sport fishing and adventure tourism outfits established. The seaplane base already exists on paper, and there was at least one operator working as last year.

I do wonder a little at the decision to include a restaurant and taphouse with Capt's Cabin across the street...not exactly the cream of the crop as I remember, but still has a pretty loyal following for an out-of-the-way pub.

The intiial attraction was the fact it was the McBarge and not
just an aluminium facted structure.

Maybe the initial attraction of the developer was due to the fact it was the McBarge, but I'd disagree with the thought that this will be the big initial draw to the new development.

Mission has excellent outdoor activities, but it is still largely undeveloped compared to other parts of the province that are equally accessible.

Yes, and this is an attempt to capitalize on that fact!

There's restricted fishing on the Fraser (except for the Sto:lo First Nations).

Maybe for commercial fishing, but sport fishing is a whole different story. I would think you should read this as well as the openings and closing and catch limits for all three branches of salmon fishing on the Fraser before exploring this comment more.

The population movement has been eastward, but has advanced more in the Abbostford / Matsqui / Sumas area than it has from Silverdale through Mission to Hatzic.

Regional, this progression on the south side of the river makes sense. The area between Maple Ridge and Mission has lacked the transportation infrastructure afforded the south side of the river for a long time, and, with the exception of the WCE, still lags far behind. But as the south side of the river develops, and the business centres grow east of Vancouver, you will see more demand for services on the north side of the Fraser at all of the major crossings.

The main attraction in Mission is the Mission Raceway, which is not on NHRA's regular schedule. The restaurant business is extremely competitive and whether this concept will make money in Year 3 of its operation isn't a safe bet.

..and these are related how?

Remember when Canadian Fibreglas came to Mission to make those Fibreglas Pink insulation battens. They did well for a time, but economics had them close the plant later on. It was well serviced with railway and relative easy haulage to Highway 1 south via Hwy 11 to Abbotsford.

Yes, Owens Corning (Fibreglas Canada) probably hurt the local population quite a bit when it shut down, but that was hardly a "Mission" thing...Owens Corning idled many plants around that time including the one a few miles from my home here. However, the development that has filled its place has been robust for many years, and, while the stores probably appreciate race day volume, they don't have to rely on it to survive year round.

Mission is growing but even money if the economics of the region will support this project. The condo project in the renowned West Coast area around Ucluelet went pffft.

mmm...hardly a comparison...Ucluelet is a little less convenient destination compared to Mission...the relative short distance to a large population base puts this venture in a different light.

[lmtengs]

Aug 12, 2010 14:38:07 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

The area between Maple Ridge and Mission has lacked the transportation infrastructure afforded the south side of the river for a long time, and, with the exception of the WCE, still lags far behind.

The Express (WCE) barely even counts as an effective transit system. 5 trains to Vancouver between the hours of 5am and 7am only serves the small group of commuters who work in Vancouver yet live in Maple Ridge/mission/etc.

There's only 5 trains back too, and even those are extremely limited hours, a bit better than the morning schedule, but still horrible for people wanting to spend the day in 'Couver, and anyone without super-early hours. Trains run back between 4pm and 5:50pm.

I do not comprehend why Translink is making the Evergreen line (new rapid transit line into upper Coquitlam) so short. It's barely a third the length of Canada line, and much shorter than Expo or Millennium lines. If they [translink] were even partially sane, they'd realize that Maple Ridge is part of Metro Vancouver too, and we need the same kinds of transit levels as the rest of 'em.

I believe Translink horribly neglects Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Langley, Delta, White Rock, and even parts of North Van, and they really need to step it up a notch, even if it means raising our taxes and transit fares by a percent or too.

[lmtengs]

Here's the McBarge from the Express train:


Her front


Her back.

[Nickfro]

McBarge, a floating relic from Expo 86, gaining new friends on Facebook

Plans to turn ship into floating restaurant in Mission

METRO VANCOUVER - McBarge has friends. In fact, it has at least 350 friends on Facebook, and counting.

The former McDonald's Friendship 500 was a floating restaurant built for Expo 86, as part of the fair's tribute to future technology and architecture. Nicknamed McBarge, it became a popular icon of the exposition while it was anchored in Vancouver's False Creek for the six-month event.

Now, 26-year-old Adam Lewis, who was just two during Expo, created the Save the McBarge Facebook site to try to keep the dream alive. It began when Lewis came across the dirty relic while on an aimless drive along Indian Arm in north Burnaby with friends.

Lewis is passionate about the kind of futuristic architecture that was promoted by Expo 86, and when he saw the old Friendship 500, he was smitten.

"I saw it and I knew what it was. I began to look into its history," he said.

A year ago, he began to compile the details and photos on the Facebook site.

When asked why do it, he said "Why not?"

"There's all the history behind it and it's just such a cool barge. People have tried and tried to make it into something, and finally we've got a plan that makes sense," he said.

Since its Expo 86 heyday, the barge was towed to a site near an oil refinery in Burnaby and was forgotten for more than 20 years. Developer Howard Meakin and his wife Kathy bought it about a decade ago. They hope to give the vessel a new life by anchoring it at Mission's waterfront and turning it into a destination restaurant complex called Sturgeon's on the River, with a marina and seaplane terminal.

Lewis is thrilled with their plan. 'Dedicated to the preservation of the McBarge,' the Save the McBarge Facebook site is loaded with photos and details on the vessel's history.

Among those who wrote in are Claire from England, who recalls her visit to Expo 86 and who now has a "soft spot" for the barge, and Mark, who vividly remembers eating McDonald's on the McBarge when he was five.

Lewis has met with Meakin, and is helping the developer promote the revival of the McBarge through the Facebook site, which will be renamed the "Sturgeon's on the River."

Lewis even drove down from Kelowna to the Mission council meeting on Monday to lend his moral support to Meakin.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Link to article HERE.

[lmtengs]

Mickey B's been abused recently by some ignorant hags:

Yes, I mean the graffiti.

[Retrovision]

This 'asset' is now listed as SEABORNE 11 and Pacific Boat Brokers (.com) is asking $685,000. What interesting times we live in. (As seen in the classifieds of Western Mariner: The Magazine of the Coast)

[Brandon S]

Close to 40 years later, and the McBarge is still kicking around...

[FNS]

Feb 18, 2024 23:54:05 GMT -8 Brandon S said:

Close to 40 years later, and the McBarge is still kicking around...

It's amazing this neat thing on water is still afloat after all these years.  I think about 38 years and possibly no drydocking after that fair ended.

I think, and after a thorough drydocking with new hull plates et al, this might be a good waterfront depot for the cat services in Vancouver.  The second deck could resume serving McFish sandwiches and McBurgers of all kinds.  Put this alongside the SeaBus/Cat Multimodal Terminal next to Canada Place.

Wishful thinking.  Would it work?  Maybe.  Daydream believing.