The ThunderBlogs

It was a sad day in North Vancouver when the Versatile Pacific Shipyards shut down. The shipyard opened by the Wallace family in 1906 built 379 vessels before being closed in 1992. During its peak the shipyard was the largest in BC and a vital part of the local community. Workers applied their trade building tugs and barges for the lumber industry, supply ships for both World Wars, ferries for BC’s coastal waters, and icebreakers for Canada’s Arctic. Renamed first in 1921 the Wallace Shipyard became the Burrard Dry Dock Company; then in 1985 became the Versatile Pacific Shipyards. The old shipyard has now been transformed into the Shipyard Historic Precinct. It sits half developed, a prime piece of waterfront real estate awaiting urban gentrification. The development of the area was stalled when the provincial government pulled funding from a proposed National Maritime Centre. Now local residents are unsure what their community will look like in the next five years.

Currently the Shipyard Historic Precinct contains the Pinnacle Hotel, Atrium Condos (with three more condo buildings planned), Shipbuilder Square, and 71,000 sq. ft. of waiting space. At the north end, propped up on a huge cement stand, sits the 80 ft. tall stern of the HMS Flamborough Head. Covered in white tarps it waits to be integrated into the new development. The stern section was to be used as the entrance to the National Maritime Centre before plans for the Centre were cancelled.

Surrounding Shipbuilder Square sit many of the old shipyard buildings, which are beautifully refurbished but remain empty. An old crane looms above. Moved and freshly painted in its original yellow, it stands in contrast to its rusting contemporaries still in use next-door at the Vancouver Drydock. The businesses that will move into the space remain a mystery and local residents like, Arlene Simpson, are getting frustrated that plans to complete the area’s development have stalled.

Simpson, who lives across the street from the stern of the HMS Flamborough Head, moved to lower Lonsdale with her husband five years ago. She has witnessed first hand the development of the old shipyard and now enjoys taking walks along the seawall and pier to snap pictures of the changing area and the passing cruise ships in the inner harbour. She was excited about the development of the Shipyard Historic Precinct including the National Maritime Centre. The provincial government’s decision to cancel promised financial contributions frustrates Arlene, as does the municipal government’s inability to approve a suitable alternative. “We were told that we would have this great place in the community and that all these buildings would be used for a market like Granville Island,” she said.

Local residents are growing impatient with the lack of progress. Many of them sit around the beautiful refurbished seawall and stare into the empty buildings. A new digital clock beside one of the buildings remains the only indication that any progress is being made.