A $30,000 visit to Japan, led by Coun. Bill McNulty to secure a contract with the crew of the 110-metre tall ship Kaiwo Maru, has been unanimously approved by city councillors.
The recruitment of the Japanese tall ship is for a special event to be tentatively held in May 2017 as part of the City of Richmond’s celebrations for Canada’s 150th anniversary.
Close to $600,000 of casino revenue will be spent bringing the ship to Steveston. Its visit will compliment the city’s annual Ships to Shore event on Canada Day.
McNulty has previously stated that city representatives must meet face-to-face with the crew in order to secure a visit by the ship. Last April, he travelled to Japan to initiate the negotiations.
In a report to councillors this week, McNulty contends the visit will develop relationships with Pacific Rim tall ship ports in Japan, Russia and Korea.
The event is said to meet some of Richmond city council’s goals, such as supporting active living, wellness and a sense of belonging, as well as creating a vibrant arts, culture and heritage opportunities.
The arrival of the Kaiwo Maru is “fitting to celebrate Richmond’s connection to the Pacific Rim and Japan. In addition to 2017 being Canada’s 150th anniversary, it is also the 140th anniversary of the arrival of Mr. Manzo Nagano, the first Japanese settler to B.C. who transited up the Fraser River,” wrote McNulty.
The money for the trip includes expenses such as airfare, accommodation, rail passes, transit, meals and car rentals. City staff will accompany McNulty.
Meanwhile, in order to host the Kaiwo Maru, the city will have to remove docks from Imperial Landing and move them to a row of steel pilings at Garry Point Park.
That’s because the ship’s hull is too deep and docking it in Steveston Channel wouldn’t be possible.
The pilings have been highly contentious due to their unsightliness and lack of use.
Coun. Harold Steves previously said removing the otherwise unused pilings would be “costly,” however the city told the News it has not conducted a cost analysis of removal.
According to Fraser Pile and Dredge, it is not possible to provide an estimate until the pilings are assessed.
Steves said he wants to see tall ships visit annually, so the pilings could be put to more use.
However, he said when Steveston Harbour’s development plan is put in place it is possible that a pier could be built at the end of 7th Avenue, which could warrant the eventual removal of the pilings, which were placed in 2010 and have seen but a few weeks of use since then.
“When there is no float attached, the pilings aren’t beautiful, but they are not that imposing to warrant premature removal,” said Steves. “When we left the floats there after the last tall ships event, fishing off the floats was very popular and there was more support for the piles and floats than there were complaints. The piles look OK when the floats are in place. The complaints arise when they are unused and there is no access.”
McNulty’s Itinerary
April 17 – Depart Vancouver
April 18 – Arrive in Tokyo
April 19 – National Sail Training Institute/maritime museum visit in Yokohama
April 20 – Yokohama/Tokyo
April 21 – Travel to Wakayama (courtesy visit to mayor and council of sister city)
April 22 – Travel to Nagasaki, evening arrival. Meet city staff, visit Kaiwo Maru, present letters of invitation to vessels in attendance (Korea, Russia, Japan) at Nagasaki Tall Ship Festival.
April 23 – Meeting with Kaiwo Maru crew.
April 24 – Meet with City of Nagasaki.
April 25 – Nagasaki (area and closing event or travel day TBD)
April 26 – Tokyo
April 27 – Train to airport/flight to Vancouver
