For possibly the first time since it opened in 2009, the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea will be closing for an extended period for updates and repairs.
The entire aquarium and store space will be closed from January 15 to 22 for needed maintenance, says Executive Director Mark Loria. He said the scope of the work is such that significant portions of the Centre would be exposed while repairs are done.
B次元官网网址淭his is the first time the Centre has closed for such a duration since opening in 2009,B次元官网网址� Loria stated in a brief announcement Tuesday, B次元官网网址渂ut due to almost nine years of salt-water related operations, we need to close completely for larger updates and repairs.B次元官网网址�
One of those areas is the space beneath the CentreB次元官网网址檚 classroom. Loria said in an interview that the system under the floor operates the tanks in the classroom as well as the tanks in the nearby hallway. The floor would be open for the work and not usable.
At the same time, Loria said workers will have to access a valve for maintenance B次元官网网址� and that will likely mean tearing open facility walls to reach it.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a key valve,B次元官网网址� he said, noting itB次元官网网址檚 operating normally now, but has had issues of being stuck in the past.
Loria said that staff of the Centre have, in the past, conducted repairs and maintenance during after hours,but the aquarium itself as stayed open. This time, the work will have a significant impact on regular operations necessitating the closure. As a result, part-time staff of the Centre will be impacted over that period.Full-time staff will continue to work, being involved in the maintenance and Centre updates.
One of those updates, Loria added, will be the preparation of the outside area near Beacon Park. Work will be done during this time to ready the site for the CentreB次元官网网址檚 Coast Salish Project that will feature art installations from area First Nations. That work is expected to begin on Monday.
The Centre applied to the Town of Sidney in July 2017 to erect two pieces of public art, created by Tsartlip artists Charles Elliott and Chris Paul. The Centre received a BC/Canada 150 grant a well as $16,000 from Diane and David Ressor and the Salish Weave Foundation, as well as in-kind support from RJC Engineering and Knappet Projects to install the works.
Loria said they donB次元官网网址檛 like the impact the closure will have on their revenue, but felt to do all the work they needed, it was necessary. He said other than that, the repairs and updates arenB次元官网网址檛 costing the Centre any additional money.
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea is expected to re-open to the public on Jan. 23.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
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