Synergies and partnerships with other community organizations is what makes Mystic Seaport the success it is, according to Coun. Linda Barnes, who recently returned from Mystic, Connecticut where she hoped to learn its best practices in order to apply them to historic sites in Steveston.
"What I found most interesting is how Mystic works with private and other institutions," Barnes told the News.
For instance, Barnes noted, the Mystic River Historical Society works with a number of post-secondary institutions. It makes its extensive archives on maritime history accessible to the schools, which in turn form maritime courses.
Britannia Heritage Shipyard is part of a city submission for National Historic Site designation for Steveston from Parks Canada, a first step in applying for UNESCO World Heritage Designation for the village.
Loren Slye, chair of the Steveston Historical Society, largely fostered the idea.
Barnes said while Slye has been instrumental in bringing such a possible designation to the attention of the city, there needs to be more community involvement at a grassroots level to make the shipyard a more well-balanced, more encompassing experience. "In Mystic, there was a vision. Moving forward, the (City of Richmond) is a good partner, but the community needs to step up and champion this," said Barnes, noting sponsors are also needed.
Mystic's operating cost is reported to be about $20 million, whereas Britannia's is about $220,000. It draws about one-third of its funding from a $42 million endowment fund and has 17 full-time shipwrights among its pool of employees.
Barnes noted the Mystic experience is year-round and touring it can last two to three days with its seaport museum and aquarium, whereas community groups in Steveston have tended to make the village an afternoon destination in the summer.
"Certainly, Britannia is a large destination. But destinations need to work more closely together to provide a larger destination in general," she said.
She noted Mystic has a leg-up in that it has several more decades of planning put into it than does Steveston.
Barnes is confident Steveston can become the West Coast equivalent of Mystic in terms of offering maritime programming.
Slye told the News events such as the Ships to Shore are a stepping-stone.
"If we keep bringing in these events we can prove ourselves as a true maritime destination," he said.
