The Gatineau

 

Project update May 2002, Waterfront Alliance Kingston (W.A.K.)

 

Crown Assets Disposal has agreed to accept postponement of the purchase of the HMCS Gatineau for one full year (to March 31, 2003) providing a deposit of $30,000 is made by May 16, 2002. The deposit is refundable should talks with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) not unfold to the mutual satisfaction of W.A.K. and MNR. Thanks go to MP Peter Milliken for his help in negotiations with Crown Assets.

 

This delay will allow W.A.K. the time required to raise the necessary funds as well as obtain the permits required to proceed with the creation of the artificial reef.

 

W.A.K. has received word that their application for funding to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs OSTAR Rural Economic Development Program has been approved in the amount of $248,400. with a couple of conditions. Thanks go to MPP Bob Runciman for his help in making this funding a reality.

 

One of the conditions is that W.A.K. have in hand the necessary permits required from the various government agencies to sink the ship before any matching dollars are released.  W.A.K. expects that this will take some weeks yet.  Obtaining these permits from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will be priority one.

 

W.A.K. is currently working with the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources' office to address issues of long term responsibility and liability associated with the vessel once it is scuttled.  W.A.K. is also working diligently  with the local and regional MNR office with respect to the policy that will lift the moratorium on ship sinking in Ontario waters. It is W.A.K.'s intent to gift the artificial reef to the Province of Ontario after one year once the HMCS Gatineau has been sunk.

 

Approval from the Corporation of the City of Kingston for the mooring of the HMCS Gatineau at the "Block D" site has yet to be ratified.  Permission to use the site will depend on W.A.K.'s proven ability to ensure that the project can be completed as proposed.  However, alternate private mooring sites are currently being investigated in Kingston and in Gananoque should Block D prove not to be a feasible mooring site.

 

Revised timelines for the project are as follows:

 

A successful bid to acquire the HMCS Gatineau was forwarded to Crown Assets Disposal in October 2001.  Payment for the ship in full is due March 31, 2003.  However, W.A.K. will aim to purchase the ship October 1, 2002.

 

The ship would then be towed to the 1000 Islands Region with an estimated arrival of October 12, 2002.   Preparation of the ship to comply with environmental and dive safety standards would be undertaken from mid-October 2002 to mid-May 2003.

 

The following dates are tentative.  The ship would be used as a tourist attraction throughout June and July 2003.  Final preparations for sinking would be executed in early August so the sinking of the ship could take place Sunday, August 10, 2003. This would coincide with celebrations of the 25^th Anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary in Kingston that weekend.   Depending on finances, the sinking date may have to be extended into fall 2003 to maximize revenues from tours of the ship.

 

The regional tourism sector has been supportive and the dive community from all over Eastern Ontario is very excited about the project.  They recognize the tremendous potential that the creation of an artificial reef in the region will have on garnering new tourism revenues as well as generating new investment into the dive tourism infrastructure.  Many local interest groups have also shown their support and have presented some intriguing plans for partnerships in the venture.

 

From a publicity and marketing perspective, communities within the 1000 Islands region can boast about a world class product.  An additional $10 million in tourism revenues as a result of dive tourism will create jobs and enhance economic diversity.

 

Throughput the world, other organizations that have undertaken similar projects have had nothing but good economic impacts to report as a result of increased visitation by SCUBA divers to those destinations.  It's a big project, but it can be done!

 

Candice Christmas