NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF WATER
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PORT MCNICOLL – The Canadian Museum of Water and the Georgian Bay Heritage League have announced their joint acquisition of Diversité, an Atlantic Challenge class Bantry Bay gig to support their environmental, education, historic boat, and training programs. The arrival of Diversité will be celebrated at the Huronia Museum, Midland, on Saturday, Sept. 16 with the Red Hot Stove Pipe Band from 1 p.m.
The Georgian Bay Heritage League and the Canadian Museum of Water have joined forces to acquire an 11.5-metre wooden rowing craft steeped in heritage and tradition.
Built in 2010 by renowned Canadian wooden boatbuilder Peter Code, the Diversité was originally constructed for a youth organization in Mississauga. It became available earlier this year and Basil Lafrenier, president of the GBHL, moved quickly to acquire it.
“Many will know that the GBHL has been restoring, repairing and exhibiting wooden boats for over 20 years. The Diversité, although a relatively new build, embodies all that we’re interested in and also carries a message of heritage and craftsmanship that is completely aligned with our message,” said Lafreniere.
For the Canadian Museum of Water, a digital museum operated from Port McNicoll and part of an international network of water museums under the UNESCO banner, the partnership to acquire Diversité was also logical.
According to Water Museum president Dan Travers, acquiring the gig is a major step for the initiative. “Since our museum was founded in 2020, we’ve been looking for ways to fulfill our mandate for the appreciation and stewardship of water from the earliest times to the present day," Travers said. "We’re excited to acquire Diversité with the GBHL because it not only addresses our mandate, but provides a visible symbol for our work going forward.”
The vessel, described as a gig, is patterned on a design based on a French Navy admiral’s barge that was captured in Ireland in 1796. The design was carried forward in 1984 when the first replica was built for youth development and adventure by Lance Lee of Maine.
CMW director Donald Mitchell said the acquisition will "expand our community reach and youth programming”. “As we enter our third year of the museum’s business plan, Diversité will enhance our physical presence as a not for profit organization, and as a registered charity by the end of the fiscal year.”
The groups have no immediate plans to operate the vessel as an active participant within the international Atlantic Challenge movement, but it is a possibility in the future. There are some 80 vessels built to the same design in over 15 countries worldwide including six in Canada and one operating out of Midland. Representing their communities and countries, they are sailed by teams of ten youth oarsmen and gather regularly for competitions, youth development and international goodwill.
They need to get to work first, said Lafreniere. “We’ll see what we’ve got, address any immediate concerns for maintenance and preservation and then move to displaying and developing programming for it.”
The vessel arrived to a champagne reception at the GBHL’s workshop/facility in Perkinsfield on Sept. 12 and will be on display at the Heritage Boat Show at Huronia Museum (549 Little Lake Park Rd. in Midland) from 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the event and view the boat for themselves, which will also feature several other historic boats in the possession of the Heritage League.
For follow-up, contact CMW president Dan Travers at 705-794-3980 or [email protected]
(Further information can be found at https://www.canadianmuseumofwater.org/)
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