[Halifax] Battle of the Atlantic Place | -- | -- | Proposed

[TheNovaScotian]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Damn the cost full speed ahead !!
Who threw out the $200 million number ?
Let us accept that for the moment.
HRM throws in $20 million.
Canadian donors throw in $50 million
Ottawa throws in $65 million
Nova Scotia throws in $65
If Ottawa throws in $65 million for a population of less than 1,000,000 other provinces on a pro rata basis will want $2.3 billion.
The cost needs to be slashed and HRM needs to decide its own priorities for capital expenditure and I place affordable housing for low income people, a performance auditorium and a civic museum well ahead of this project. I know a convoy vet and I'll ask him how he feels about the issue.
Nova Scotia was given the Maritime Museum by a private donor.

This is the point trying to be made, they already get the $2.3 billion, we just decide not to even try for our piece of the pie.

Colin, you crack me up. You say we need affordable housing but when a tower goes up you talk about how empty they are and why would someone ever invest in this city. The new developments regulate rent prices by downgrading older units and making them more affordable. I've seen the effects already as my landlord didn't raise rent this year while they have the last 3 years prior.

We should stay the course and follow the strict debt repayment, we might pay off the last generations spending spree by the time all our children retire. We need to stop spending frivolously on the plans of tomorrow, we have the debts of yesterday to deal with. We should just stop all non essential services and cut back on city beautification, these hard decisions need to be made to release us from our poverty.

The comical part is the fact that you seem to think the last part is an accomplishment, it just reminds me of the history of neglect Halifax receives from the province and how it's grown in spite of such terrible governance.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Any updates on this? The last item in their "news" section is from last June.

https://www.battleoftheatlanticsociety.ca/news

[eastcoastal]

I believe there was a funding announcement today - federal gov't providing $3.5m? Enough for some work on HMCS Sackville, but not for a museum/monument.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Well, that was a timely question...

Here's the news story, and yes, it sounds like it's only funding for the HMCS Sackville, but that's the most important part of it IMHO.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3988968/f...mcs-sackville/

Hopefully there will be some movement towards creating some kind of museum for it, but mainly the ship has to be preserved as part of Canada's history.

[JET]

saw a TV show where the SS Great Britain was in drydock, and it had a air seal (to protect the hull) that looked like water. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Gre...l_for_hull.jpg
The Cutty Sark in Greenwich is also out of the water, and has a museum surrounding the hull https://www.artfund.org/assets/what-...ime-museum.jpg

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Well, that was a timely question...

Here's the news story, and yes, it sounds like it's only funding for the HMCS Sackville, but that's the most important part of it IMHO.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3988968/f...mcs-sackville/

Hopefully there will be some movement towards creating some kind of museum for it, but mainly the ship has to be preserved as part of Canada's history.

We need money for CSS Acadia, looks a mess and is a very important part of the maritime history of Canada

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Colin May

We need money for CSS Acadia, looks a mess and is a very important part of the maritime history of Canada

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by JET

saw a TV show where the SS Great Britain was in drydock, and it had a air seal (to protect the hull) that looked like water. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Gre...l_for_hull.jpg
The Cutty Sark in Greenwich is also out of the water, and has a museum surrounding the hull https://www.artfund.org/assets/what-...ime-museum.jpg

That's pretty cool!

[beyeas]

The Vasa Museum still ranks as my favourite museum displaying an old ship.
https://www.vasamuseet.se/en
Pictures don't do it justice!

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by beyeas

The Vasa Museum still ranks as my favourite museum displaying an old ship.
https://www.vasamuseet.se/en
Pictures don't do it justice!

You are so right. The Vasa is awe inspiring. The Acadia is not, shall we say, in the same league.

[OldDartmouthMark]

The Vasa museum looks to be impressive. I'm sure even more so in person.

I'd be surprised if Halifax could ever conjure up something to that level, especially given all the resistance to this proposal thus far.

Who knows? We'll see I guess...

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

... I'd be surprised if Halifax could ever conjure up something to that level, especially given all the resistance to this proposal thus far...

I didn't remember significant resistance to the project. In my mind, it was struggling because the people who wanted to start the museum assumed they would get significant funding for a war-related project, approaching Canada 150, from the federal Conservatives. I assumed the change in gov't might have impacted that potential for funding initially... and now that Canada150 is passed, it's another level of lobbying for public $$$.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I didn't remember significant resistance to the project. In my mind, it was struggling because the people who wanted to start the museum assumed they would get significant funding for a war-related project, approaching Canada 150, from the federal Conservatives. I assumed the change in gov't might have impacted that potential for funding initially... and now that Canada150 is passed, it's another level of lobbying for public $$$.

I'm sure you are correct. I was referring to the resistance on this forum by some members claiming that it wasn't a practical enough use for tax $, and I was making the assumption that many Haligonians have a similar mindset given our track record of the past.

We do have the library, however, so there is some hope... and maybe once the tax $ start rolling in from legalized pot there will be more federal money available?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I didn't remember significant resistance to the project. In my mind, it was struggling because the people who wanted to start the museum assumed they would get significant funding for a war-related project, approaching Canada 150, from the federal Conservatives. I assumed the change in gov't might have impacted that potential for funding initially... and now that Canada150 is passed, it's another level of lobbying for public $$$.

The proponents estimated the pricetag at $200 million 4 years ago. Assume it is $300 million or more now. So the funding announced for the Sackville is a little over 1% of what they want. I presume it is to keep the thing from sinking.

I still maintain this is a ridiculously expensive low priority project for taxpayers to fund.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The proponents estimated the pricetag at $200 million 4 years ago. Assume it is $300 million or more now...

I would think for a major national museum and monument (which is how it was pitched), that $200m might have been low. Low-balling may have even reduced likelihood of funding if someone looked at the numbers and felt the Naval Memorial Trust hadn't put enough planning into it.

Originally Posted by Keith P.

...So the funding announced for the Sackville is a little over 1% of what they want. I presume it is to keep the thing from sinking...

Right - the funding was for the ship, not the museum complex.

[OldDartmouthMark]

At the very least, investment should be directed at the ship. If you let it slide (or sink...), it will be much harder to recover after the fact. There's no visible history and no museum without the ship (though that statement is not entirely true...).

So, it makes sense, and by no means is this any indication that the museum complex will every happen. They are just attempting to ensure that the ship remains, and if a museum happens then great. If not, the ship will still be around for awhile anyhow...

[mleblanc]

Several designs have been posted about this, I'm not sure where this project is currently at but I don't believe I've seen these before and thought they were interesting.

From Nycum + Associates:

Our team ranked #1 in the design portion of a competition to design a new home for Canada’s National Naval Memorial with accompanying interpretive exhibits, memorial spaces and an urban design to suit its intended prominent home on Halifax’s burgeoning waterfront. The team developed multiple scenarios through close work with the Canadian Naval Heritage Trust and based on three approaches to managing the long-term preservation of HMCS Sackville, the last remaining Canadian-made corvette from WWII and Canada’s National Naval Memorial. Each of the three methodologies for sheltering and displaying the ship led to different urban and architectural approaches. The entire facility was designed to tell the story of HMCS Sackville and the Battle of the Atlantic.

The Convoy:




The Gateway:




The Shipyard:

[MolteN]

Originally Posted by mleblanc

Several designs have been posted about this, I'm not sure where this project is currently at but I don't believe I've seen these before and thought they were interesting.

From Nycum + Associates:



The Convoy:




The Gateway:




The Shipyard:

All of these designs look awesome, I'd rate from best to worst 1. Gateway 2. Convoy 3. Shipyard

Any of these projects would be an amazing addition to downtown

[Keith P.]

They all look oversized for the space available and wreck the view to/from Summit Place.

[Colin May]

Any memorial to the Battle of the Atlantic should focus on the members of the Canadian Merchant Navy who served around the world in shipping vital supplies to the war effort. The death rate for the seamen was far greater than for those serving in the armed forces.
Allan Harvie was torpedoed 9 times and he was the sole survivor in 2 sinkings.
Read 'Running the Gauntlet' by Mike Parker, the personal accounts of men who lived to tell of their experience.