Following two weeks of unrelenting criticism for not yet having done so, the BC government released its business plan for the nearly $800-million Royal BC Museum project..The significantly redacted business case, as set forth by BC tourism minister Melanie Mark, shows the cost of demolishing and rebuilding the museum as cheaper than the would-be cost of repairing it..The massive $789 million project will result in a seismically safe facility intended to, as the province puts it, reflect the experiences and perspectives of all who contributed to BC’s history..The current museum will close in September, with the new facility scheduled to open in 2030 at the same location in downtown Victoria..Citing concerns of asbestos, seismic safety, and sewage, Mark said “we need to act now,” noting that the exorbitant cost of building a new museum on the current site would be lower than repairing and upgrading the current facility, as set forth in the province’s business case..The case shows $239 million for costs such as demolition, project management, and insurance in addition to $550 million for construction..Government estimates suggest the cost is nearly $300 million cheaper than seismically modernizing the existing building and removing its asbestos..“I understand that this investment is a lot of money,” said Mark on Wednesday..“But we will simply not kick this project down the road. We are not willing to take the risk of wiping out our culture, our collective history.”.The museum is in possession of at least seven million artifacts and 27 kilometres of archival records..BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon has viciously criticized the project since its announcement on May 13, calling it a “billion-dollar vanity museum.”.“This half-baked project must be stopped, and the money reinvested in helping British Columbians today while the museum is renovated, modernized, and upgraded for a fraction of the cost of this monument to the premier’s ego," said Falcon, confirming he’ll scrap the project if elected..However, the timeline set forth Wednesday confirmed crews will begin demolishing the building in March of 2024, seven months prior to the next provincial election..Hosting more than 880,000 visitors each year, the facility, which opened in 1967, has not been substantially renovated in more than 50 years.
Following two weeks of unrelenting criticism for not yet having done so, the BC government released its business plan for the nearly $800-million Royal BC Museum project..The significantly redacted business case, as set forth by BC tourism minister Melanie Mark, shows the cost of demolishing and rebuilding the museum as cheaper than the would-be cost of repairing it..The massive $789 million project will result in a seismically safe facility intended to, as the province puts it, reflect the experiences and perspectives of all who contributed to BC’s history..The current museum will close in September, with the new facility scheduled to open in 2030 at the same location in downtown Victoria..Citing concerns of asbestos, seismic safety, and sewage, Mark said “we need to act now,” noting that the exorbitant cost of building a new museum on the current site would be lower than repairing and upgrading the current facility, as set forth in the province’s business case..The case shows $239 million for costs such as demolition, project management, and insurance in addition to $550 million for construction..Government estimates suggest the cost is nearly $300 million cheaper than seismically modernizing the existing building and removing its asbestos..“I understand that this investment is a lot of money,” said Mark on Wednesday..“But we will simply not kick this project down the road. We are not willing to take the risk of wiping out our culture, our collective history.”.The museum is in possession of at least seven million artifacts and 27 kilometres of archival records..BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon has viciously criticized the project since its announcement on May 13, calling it a “billion-dollar vanity museum.”.“This half-baked project must be stopped, and the money reinvested in helping British Columbians today while the museum is renovated, modernized, and upgraded for a fraction of the cost of this monument to the premier’s ego," said Falcon, confirming he’ll scrap the project if elected..However, the timeline set forth Wednesday confirmed crews will begin demolishing the building in March of 2024, seven months prior to the next provincial election..Hosting more than 880,000 visitors each year, the facility, which opened in 1967, has not been substantially renovated in more than 50 years.
