By Spencer Sterritt

Ladysmith waterfront gets a $1.8 million boost

Mar 9, 2018 | 4:48 PM

LADYSMITH — Plans to revitalize Ladysmith’s waterfront kicked into gear after a major funding announcement from the federal government.

Selina Robinson, minister of municipal affairs and housing in B.C. who spoke on behalf of the federal government, announced nearly $1.8 million for repairs and upgrades to the Machine Shop building on Oyster Bay Rd. in Ladysmith on Friday, March 9. It houses an art gallery, the Heritage Centre and the Maritime Society, among others.

“It’s where artists gather, it’s where tourists come, it’s a good economic driver for the community and it also has a historical component to it that helps people remember where Ladysmith started,” Robinson said. “It’s really part of remembering where you come from so that you can also move forward into the future.”

Built in 1943, the building is a central part of Ladysmith’s waterfront area plan, which aims to revitalize the area and bring it in line with the quaint downtown and Transfer Beach.

Minister Robinson said she sees why the shop, tucked away on a hill overlooking the harbour, is the focus point of the larger revitalization plan.

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“It was breathtaking to come up that road, see the view and then come into the building and see how this community has made it into a living building, rather than just an old building to be torn down.”

Ladysmith mayor Aaron Stone said even though the Machine Shop has an art gallery, where the announcement was held, and other community touchstones, there’s “significantly more space that’s currently under or not-utilized because it’s not fit for public use.” The restoration will include structural work as well as making it more energy efficient and sustainable.

With the shop billed as an arts and heritage hub, Stone said it’s a great way to start work on their waterfront plan, which also includes important but less flashy efforts such as redeveloping polluted land and filling in their shore.

The Machine Shop renovations are expected to cost $2.25 million. Stone said the Town is working on other applications and grants to ensure the full amount is available for the project.

The current $1.8 million is provided through the federal Gas Tax Fund, which aims to provide more than $2 billion in financial supports to projects across the country.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit