While some here are ruing the upcoming loss of the SS Keewatin, it’s going to the best possible location.
That’s according to Doug Cowie, manager of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston.
“We’re extremely excited to be getting it,” Cowie says, noting the museum was initially approached about potentially welcoming the ship several years ago “when Skyline couldn’t find any takers.”
During a tour of the Edwardian-era ship on Tuesday, Cowie says his operation offers five intangibles that make it the perfect location to ensure the ship welcomes visitors for years to come.
“We worked a long time with Canadian Heritage," Cowie says. "We have the five things necessary to be successful. Our primary goal is to preserve the ship.”
Cowie notes the museum has the necessary finances to keep up with the high costs of maintaining a ship like the SS Keewatin, which, when it leaves Port McNicoll, will be headed to a shipyard for funnel painting and deck reparations.
“That will cost a lot of money," he says. "You need that initial financial resource.”
As well, Cowie says Kingston already draws a huge number of tourists annually without the SS Keewatin, meaning there will be thousands ready to enjoy what the ship has to offer.
“We believe it will have the tourism base to support the ship thereafter," he says.
The museum also boasts a dry dock, something Cowie says was an important element in granting essential Canadian Heritage designations.
“We have been put through a vigorous review by Canadian Heritage," he adds.
But the visit wasn’t without a touch of controversy.
While Keep Keewatin Home lead Dan Travers was initially invited to board the ship by a Friends of Keewatin volunteer, former Friends president Eric Conroy quickly rescinded the invitation upon seeing Travers.
That led to a tense back-and-forth between the pair, with Conroy threatening to call the police if Travers didn’t leave the property.
Travers, who arrived at the ship to show Cowie a binder featuring comments from some of the more than 15,000 people who have signed a petition demanding the ship remain in Port McNicoll, stood his ground.
“It’s not my intention to cause disruption,” Travers told Conroy as the two stood about 15 feet apart. “I was just hoping to get the 41 pages of comments to the Kingston guys."
But while Travers says he was surprised by Conroy's "hostility" and move to block him from delivering the binder, he says that "in many ways, this says more about Mr. Conroy. I'm taking the high road. I'm here representing the people."
The Travers group wants the Kingston museum to abandon 'abhorrent act' of moving ship to Limestone City while a museum spokesperson previously called the group "well-intentioned but misguided."
The Port McNicoll-based group also recently sent an open letter to Kingston residents, politicians and media over the decision by Skyline Investments to donate the Edwardian-era vessel to the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes.
Conroy, meanwhile, has stated that the Travers group does "not speak for the ship, the volunteers, or the community. The Friends of Keewatin support Keewatin’s move to Kingston.”
And while in this particular instance Conroy worked to ensure Travers wasn’t able to give the binder to Cowie, Cowie says he has no intention of commenting on the situation or the SS Keewatin’s departure from its original home port.
“I’m leaving that to the people up here,” he said, adding he fully appreciates the work, love and care the Friends of Keewatin volunteers have put into the ship over the past decade.
Friends of Keewatin vice-president Connie Cochrane says volunteers are sad the ship will soon leave, but feel it’s going to the best possible location.
“It’s the best for her future,” Cochrone says from one of the ship’s lower decks. “I think she’s sad … I imagine she’s crying.”
