On March 9, 2018, the town of Ladysmith on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada received $1.8-million in federal gas tax funding through the B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to assist in the restoration of the historic Machine Shop, the centerpiece of the town’s waterfront revitalization effort.
Rod Smith, Managing Director of the Ladysmith Maritime Society said, “Revitalization of the Machine Shop will allow us to continue educating the public about Ladysmith’s proud and interesting marine history, foster our community’s heritage and culture, and ensure our beautiful and unique waterfront area is available for future generations to learn from and enjoy.”
The Machine Shop.
Photo courtesy of Town of Ladysmith.
Ladysmith’s Comox Logging and Railway Shops Building, generally referred to as the Machine Shop, will receive a $2.25 million renovation. The Town’s Waterfront Area Plan, created in partnership with the Stz’uminus First Nation, played an instrumental role in helping to secure the funding. Ladysmith has applied to the Island Coastal Economic Trust to secure the remainder of the needed funding.
Ladysmith’s Mayor Aaron Stone enthused, “This funding represents an important first step in realizing our joint vision with the Stz’uminus First Nation regarding future development of Ladysmith’s waterfront area. This and future funding opportunities will help to ensure the Machine Shop and surrounding Arts and Heritage Hub will continue to play a pivotal role in Ladysmith’s unique waterfront experience for decades to come.”
The Machine Shop, highlighted as a central anchor within the Arts and Heritage Hub of the revitalization plan for Ladysmith’s waterfront area, will undergo architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical repairs and upgrades to ensure this important heritage building remains an operational and publicly accessible arts, culture and heritage fixture in the Ladysmith harbor.
Kathy Holmes, President of the Arts Council of Ladysmith explained, “As an arts, culture and heritage hub in Ladysmith, the Machine Shop provides a wonderful location for people of all ages to appreciate and enjoy art in its many forms. Each year, thousands of people visit this treasured community space, and we are delighted that the Town was successful in its efforts to secure such a significant amount of external funding to renovate the building.”
Originally constructed in 1943, the Machine Shop already been repurposed, and now only needs to be renewed. It currently houses the Ladysmith Waterfront Art Gallery, Harbour Heritage Centre, artist studios, and administrative spaces for the Ladysmith Arts Council and Ladysmith Maritime Society.
Selina Robinson, B.C. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said of Machine Shop, “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. It’s really part of remembering where you come from, so that you can also move forward into the future.”
Ed Nicholson, President of the Ladysmith & District Historical Society concluded, “Many of our residents may not be aware of how unique this facility is – the transition from train to truck as a method of transporting timber was a major step forward in B.C’s logging history. Restoration of this important structure signals the Town’s commitment to preserving our rich history and revitalizing the waterfront area.”
Photo of downtown Ladysmith courtesy of VancouverIsland.com.