By Spencer Sterritt

Despite earlier claims, proposed Ocean Discovery Centre now asking for City money

Jun 26, 2018 | 4:49 PM

NANAIMO — Two years into the process, organizers behind the Ocean Discovery Centre for downtown Nanaimo’s waterfront are coming to the City for cash.

Lorne Hildebrand, president of the Nanaimo Deep Discovery Association who’s behind the roughly $50-million aquatic science centre, requested $100,000 from Nanaimo City Council. The money would pay for two different feasibility studies and a proposal for architectural services.

“What we have to do now is assure ourselves, the City and the community that this is in fact an organization which will not require annual and ongoing funding. However, to do that, we’re going to need some money to get these feasibility studies done,” he told Council Monday evening.

The request is in sharp relief to an earlier statement from Hildebrand where he said the proposed tourist attraction would be funded solely by private investors, the provincial and federal governments.

“I think everyone wants to know this isn’t some big cash cow drain that’s going to pull at everything and become an issue later on,” Hildebrand said back in May 2017.

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Instead of approving the funding, councillors referred the matter to the finance and audit committee, where much of the financial decisions for the City are made.

“I don’t like motions on the fly,” coun. Jim Kipp said. “I don’t know where the money’s coming from, who’s giving it up. And it hit the table, I understand, just before tonight’s meeting.”

Coun. Jerry Hong said approving such funding wouldn’t fit within how the City normally operates.

“We like to see organizations are doing the work first, that other organizations have stepped up with funding so we can match.”

Hildebrand said in recent weeks the organizers have met with Snuneymuxw First Nation to discuss the feasibility studies and he hinted approving the money would be a great win for City and SFN relations. The Centre will be on waterfront land and was included in the waterfront master plan, which SFN expressed concerns about.

“The City has a chance to fund a feasibility study they’re interested in and want to be a part of. This is an amazing opportunity,” Hildebrand said. “I think you really need to think carefully about that.”

City staff will now have a chance to assess the funding request and a staff report is expected at an upcoming finance and audit committee.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit