Fund-raising efforts flop
Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jan 08/01) - Restoration of the St. Roch seems as far reality and as unlikely as its historic voyage through the Northwest Passage.
The former RCMP patrol vessel is rotting away in the Vancouver Maritime Museum. An plan to raise money for its restoration by recreating the 1942 - 1944 journey was a dismal failure.
The St. Roch II returned to the Vancouver Maritime Museum on Dec. 16, marking the end of a 169-day, 24,000-mile journey across North America. It visited seven provinces, all three territories and was toured by more than 15,000 people.
Organizers from the Vancouver Maritime Museum had hoped to raise $3 million for the restoration of the original vessel, but the journey of the St. Roch II failed to show a profit.
"We continue to face an uphill struggle to get the money for an endowment fund to ensure the St. Roch is preserved for future generations," said Stephen Ryback, public relations officer for the St. Roch II Voyage of Rediscovery.
"Operations cost more than expected because just after our vessel hit the sea we saw the sudden, dramatic and continuing rise of oil prices," said Ryback.
He thanked all Northerners who donated funds on behalf of the St. Roch, especially Canadian North, which was the only airline in the country to make a contribution.
"We will be going to other companies in Canada and other charitable-type institutions looking for contributions towards the endowment fund, and we will continue to see whether or not we can get some contributions from government," he said.
Ryback said Northerners can make donations through the St. Roch website at www.stroch.org or by purchasing St. Roch II Voyage of Rediscovery merchandise.
