Macdonald & Lawrence Timber Framing Ltd.

Macdonald & Lawrence is excited to have the opportunity to work with the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre to design and build their new Museum. The project began its lifecycle in October 2010 with construction underway early in 2011.

It is always wonderful for a company to work within their own communities. A tie to the story and the people both of the past and the present serves to fortify the connection to what matters most.

The Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre sits on the site of the former Chevron fuel dock.  Barges unloaded bulk fuel through pipes along the pier or in barrels on a “gravity” railway.  The pier was slightly higher at the seaward end so the loaded rail car would roll easily back to the warehouse.

The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society re-built the pier to accommodate interpretative displays and boatbuilding workshops in 1988. Today, the Society is mandated to preserve the heritage of British Columbia’s maritime past. Committed to increasing awareness and appreciation of maritime history by offering programming to both the community and visitors.

To undertake a project of this scope and nature funding is always a concern. To enable this to happen, the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre has launched a building campaign ‘AHOY’. This fundraising focuses on two phases, the first of which is the building of the new centre with expanded displays and workshop areas. This building will also house a fully operational maritime library and a community gathering room. The second phase would be for replacing the pier pilings and towards the cost of repairing the pod roofs.

M&L is keen to help our community partners reach their fundraising goals by supporting their efforts. If you would like more information about the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, the Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Society or the ‘Ahoy’ fundraising campaign, Please visit the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre site.

External Links

• Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre