Dear Editor,
Re: “$19M to rebuild Net Loft,” News, Feb. 20.
The loss of the Phoenix Gill Net Loft, as a result of irreparable decay, upsets me.
As a life-long British Columbian, I have witnessed the end of many historic icons I held dear to my heart.
I remember the tail end in history of the elegant Canadian Pacific fleet of “pocket ocean liners” that used to grace our coastline, moving people in a civilized kind of luxury that no longer exists.
Those much older than me may recall a night trip from Vancouver Harbour to Victoria Harbour, with fine dining, linen tablecloths, silverware, neatly dressed waiters in ties and jackets, and, of course, a good sleep in a state room with finishes that would rival any high-end hotel.
By the early ‘70s, the automobile had taken over, and the car ferry prevailed, while these ships ran empty, rusting, and demanding ever more maintenance. Their days were over.
No one stepped up to pay for the preservation of these beautiful symbols of a bygone era. These ships were mostly sold cheap, seeing the indignant fate as a coal barge or a dirty, unpainted freighter in a distant country or, and eventually, scrap. Today, all that remains are fading photographs.
Alas, their end was perhaps inescapable, as those who could keep the technology of the era in working order were also fading away.
In this of the Phoenix net shed, I particularly lament the loss of this great and noble part of Richmond’s history. When this structure comes down, the walls that contained the ever-fading echos of the hard work of its workers will be lost forever. To me, this outcome, while probably inevitable, still hits me hard.
I humbly advise our city councillors to mourn our losses, much in the same manner that we mourn a loss in our own family, and then move on.
I also advise that we cannot resurrect the dead with a not-so-cheap, Disneyesque, Las Vegas-style replica. Any rebuilt version of the the Phoenix Gill Net Loft will stink of some kind municipal insecurity disorder.
Let us learn our lesson from the multi-million dollar Richmond Olympic Experience, a pathetic, and slightly embarrassing attempt to hang on to past glory.
If the City of Richmond has $19 million to play with, it should invest in under-built and/or deteriorating infrastructure we need in our day-to-day lives. A city government with prudent spending priorities, in the present, will help us all build on a proud, prosperous and authentic legacy.
Gary Cross
RICHMOND
