The problem with Project Ojibwa

I think those involved with Ojibwa have good intentions however I question the feasability of the entire project. To give you a bit of background the Elgin Military Museum (EMM) acquired the Ojibwa in June 2010. They came up with the idea of turning the sub into a museum ship and had intentions putting her in Port Stanley. The EMM and MP Joe Preston landed a $1.9 million federal grant to bring the decomissioned ship to either Port Burwell or Port Stanley. The EMM ultimately choose Port Burwell over Port Stanley due to the placement of the sub.

Here is my problem with this project:

1.) There was never a solid business plan in place for this project the EMM just aquired the sub in June of this year.

2.) $1.9 million is a great deal of money to spend on a project with no business plan.

3.) The museum touts that the Ojibwa will attract up 100 thousand visitors per year. Again no research has been provided to prove these numbers. The numbers have been pulled out of the air it seems.

4.) I think a comparible attraction is the H.M.C.S. Haida which was a destroyer that served Canada in WWII so it has a great deal of significance. The Haida was an attraction at Ontario Place for many years it was taken over by the Federal government in 2002 and declared a National Historic Site in Hamilton Harbour. This attraction in 2008/09 had 11,757 visitors adults pay $3.90 and children are $1.90. This brings me to the problem with the Ojibwa, how will this attraction bring 100,000 visitors when the Haida only brings in 11,000?

5.) Part of the grant deal with the EMM is that they had to raise $2 million towards the attraction for this project. This will be a huge task since the military museum has an annual budget of only $15,000 and gets about 200 visitors a year. Where are they going to find $2 million?

6.) With no plan and no money what happens to this sub when it reaches Port Burwell? My guess is that it will sit there and rust for years to come which in my opinion is a shame.

Stay tuned as I follow Project Ojibwa and it's fate and feel free to contact MP Joe Preston and tell him how you feel about $1.9 million of tax payer money being spent on a project with no plan.