Vancouver developer Howard Meakin has owned the famed Expo 86-era floating McDonald香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 restaurant, though the vessel official name was the 香蕉视频直播淔riendship 500.香蕉视频直播�
Meakin said he was surprised to learn in recent media reports that the vessel appeared on the federal government香蕉视频直播檚 national inventory of wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels.
It has since been removed from the Canadian Coast Guard香蕉视频直播檚 list.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 just ridiculous because it香蕉视频直播檚 never been abandoned,香蕉视频直播� Meakin said in an interview. 香蕉视频直播淭he hull is in pristine condition. We香蕉视频直播檝e had it surveyed and it香蕉视频直播檚 concrete, the hull is concrete. It has a life expectancy of probably well over 100 years.香蕉视频直播�
Up until 2019, it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 even illegal in Canada to abandon a boat in the country香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 owner has been issued a fine under Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
The coast guard香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檛 香蕉视频直播渧erified and confirmed by the Government of Canada.香蕉视频直播�
Robert Brooks, the agency香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e working every day to refine the accuracy of the national inventory,香蕉视频直播� Brooks said.
In July, the Coast Guard updated the list and removed around 200 entries, and Brooks said the agency is working through the 香蕉视频直播渟ignificant case volume,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 owner, Langley, B.C., resident Gerald Tapp eventually renamed the boat 香蕉视频直播淏ad Adventure,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 inclusion on the list, insisting his ship is neither wrecked, abandoned, nor hazardous, but he香蕉视频直播檚 been in a prolonged legal dispute,leaving the vessel香蕉视频直播檚 future uncertain, he said in an interview.
When asked about the vessel香蕉视频直播檚 current state and any future plans, Tapp, 86, said he was unsure as he prepares to deal with his legal issues.
香蕉视频直播淭o be honest, I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 tell you,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e got no idea. I might be dead before, so who knows?香蕉视频直播�
A recently posted video online purportedly from the engine room of the Queen of Sidney shows the grimy and oily state of the vessel香蕉视频直播檚 interior, and the Canadian Coast Guard said that it 香蕉视频直播渋s aware of the video on social media.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淲e are looking into this issue,香蕉视频直播� Fisheries and Oceans Canada spokesman Craig Macartney said in an email. 香蕉视频直播淢embers of the public should never venture into or on a vessel of concern due to the many potential hazards these vessels can pose.香蕉视频直播�
Macartney added that the Queen of Sidney was last assessed in 2018 and it was found 香蕉视频直播渋n poor condition, but was not a risk to pollute or a hazard.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播渨as not a risk to pollute nor is it a hazard.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淭hey were significant hazards,香蕉视频直播� Brooks said, adding they cost 香蕉视频直播渕illions of dollars to address.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 remaining oil removed by sometime next year.
香蕉视频直播淐ertainly the Zalinski is a complex case,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t certainly highlights the complexity when you think about the scale of the challenge of addressing wrecked, abandoned, and hazardous vessels across the country.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 journey from 香蕉视频直播渕ill town to metropolis香蕉视频直播� once the right home is found.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 an iconic cultural attraction for B.C. and for Canada,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 definitely, you know, on my bucket list to get done.香蕉视频直播�
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