Vancouver developer Howard Meakin has owned the famed Expo 86-era floating McDonald害羞草研究所檚 restaurant vessel known as the McBarge for decades, and despite its outward appearance, by no means is it derelict, he says.
The vessel was made famous during the 1986 World Exposition in Vancouver as a floating McDonald害羞草研究所檚 restaurant, though the vessel official name was the 害羞草研究所淔riendship 500.害羞草研究所�
Meakin said he was surprised to learn in recent media reports that the vessel appeared on the federal government害羞草研究所檚 national inventory of wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels.
It has since been removed from the Canadian Coast Guard害羞草研究所檚 list.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just ridiculous because it害羞草研究所檚 never been abandoned,害羞草研究所� Meakin said in an interview. 害羞草研究所淭he hull is in pristine condition. We害羞草研究所檝e had it surveyed and it害羞草研究所檚 concrete, the hull is concrete. It has a life expectancy of probably well over 100 years.害羞草研究所�
Up until 2019, it wasn害羞草研究所檛 even illegal in Canada to abandon a boat in the country害羞草研究所檚 waters, and now the Canadian Coast Guard is working its way through the inventory, armed with the power to fine owners of hazardous vessels that threaten marine environments or public safety.
So far, only one vessel害羞草研究所檚 owner has been issued a fine under Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
The coast guard害羞草研究所檚 list of wrecks now has nearly 1,500 entries, roughly two thirds of which are in British Columbia, but the agency cautions that all the vessels listed aren害羞草研究所檛 害羞草研究所渧erified and confirmed by the Government of Canada.害羞草研究所�
Robert Brooks, the agency害羞草研究所檚 director of marine environmental and hazards response, said in an interview that the list was launched in November 2022, and since 2017 more than 550 problem vessels have been removed from Canadian waters.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e working every day to refine the accuracy of the national inventory,害羞草研究所� Brooks said.
In July, the Coast Guard updated the list and removed around 200 entries, and Brooks said the agency is working through the 害羞草研究所渟ignificant case volume,害羞草研究所� and welcomes public comments about potential inaccuracies on the list.
The McBarge is no longer on the list, nor is the Queen of Sidney, a former BC Ferries vessel sold off in 2002.
That vessel害羞草研究所檚 owner, Langley, B.C., resident Gerald Tapp eventually renamed the boat 害羞草研究所淏ad Adventure,害羞草研究所� and it remains moored on the Fraser River.
The ship has been used in film shoots over the years, including a 2018 episode of the X-Files.
Tapp complained to the coast guard about it害羞草研究所檚 inclusion on the list, insisting his ship is neither wrecked, abandoned, nor hazardous, but he害羞草研究所檚 been in a prolonged legal dispute,leaving the vessel害羞草研究所檚 future uncertain, he said in an interview.
When asked about the vessel害羞草研究所檚 current state and any future plans, Tapp, 86, said he was unsure as he prepares to deal with his legal issues.
害羞草研究所淭o be honest, I couldn害羞草研究所檛 tell you,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e got no idea. I might be dead before, so who knows?害羞草研究所�
A recently posted video online purportedly from the engine room of the Queen of Sidney shows the grimy and oily state of the vessel害羞草研究所檚 interior, and the Canadian Coast Guard said that it 害羞草研究所渋s aware of the video on social media.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e are looking into this issue,害羞草研究所� Fisheries and Oceans Canada spokesman Craig Macartney said in an email. 害羞草研究所淢embers of the public should never venture into or on a vessel of concern due to the many potential hazards these vessels can pose.害羞草研究所�
Macartney added that the Queen of Sidney was last assessed in 2018 and it was found 害羞草研究所渋n poor condition, but was not a risk to pollute or a hazard.害羞草研究所�
It was added to the national inventory list nonetheless, but later removed after Tapp contacted the Coast Guard, and the agency took if off the list after concluding the vessel 害羞草研究所渨as not a risk to pollute nor is it a hazard.害羞草研究所�
Other derelict vessels on the list havelanguished inB.C. waters for decades, such as the MV Spudnik, a U.S. Navy freighter removed from the Fraser River in 2020, and the cargo vessel Mini Fusion, a human smuggling ship formerly known as the MV Ocean Lady, which was removed from Desolation Sound in B.C. last year.
害羞草研究所淭hey were significant hazards,害羞草研究所� Brooks said, adding they cost 害羞草研究所渕illions of dollars to address.害羞草研究所�
The Coast Guard also continues to deal with the Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski, a U.S. warship that sunk off the coast of Prince Rupert in 1946, whose hull is deteriorating and has been leaking heavy fuel oil periodically for years.
Brooks said the Coast Guard hopes to have the ship害羞草研究所檚 remaining oil removed by sometime next year.
害羞草研究所淐ertainly the Zalinski is a complex case,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t certainly highlights the complexity when you think about the scale of the challenge of addressing wrecked, abandoned, and hazardous vessels across the country.害羞草研究所�
Howard Meakin, the owner of the McBarge, said he is still confident the vessel can have a long second life as a tourist attraction symbolizing Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 journey from 害羞草研究所渕ill town to metropolis害羞草研究所� once the right home is found.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an iconic cultural attraction for B.C. and for Canada,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 definitely, you know, on my bucket list to get done.害羞草研究所�
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
