It was announced on August 14th 2010 that Port Burwell was going to be the new home for the H.M.C.S. Ojibwa. The $1.9 million federal grant was going to pay to move the sub to its new location. After much fanfare about how this project will change Port Burwell and bring 100,000 tourists to the area it is becoming more apparent that the sub may never even get to Port Burwell.
The issue is simple it is all about money and planning in which there is none. The $1.9 million will only move the sub and put it on a cradle to hold it. There are 2 huge hurdles for this project; the harbour needs to be dredged which could cost $500,000 - $1,000,000. There is no money allocated for this and I doubt folks in Port Burwell are going to want to pay that amount. As well there needs to be an environmental assessment that needs to be completed and that could take a year or more. The sub needs to be moved this fall because the federal grant money will expire at the end of the year, as well you have a time limit to move the sub in the fall because the Welland Canal does not operate in the winter.
I think you are going to see the Elgin Military Museum wanting to change locations of this sub because it simply is not going to happen in Port Burwell. The only other place it could go is Port Stanley and of course they are luke warm to the idea and disagree with the museum as to where this sub will go. This project is sinking fast and it is due to poor planning and a lack of financing. I am not sure why politicians are lining up in total blind support of this project when it is simply not going to work.
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