The Marine Ecology Station

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Khoyatan
Marine
Lab

THE MARINE ECOLOGY CENTRE

We're Moving!

After 17 years (10 in Cowichan Bay and 7 in Sidney ) it’s time to pull the plug FIGURATIVELY speaking. The Marine Ecology Centre is not sinking but rather expanding to join the Whale Museum in the New Marine Centre at the Pier Hotel just a block away. The NMC under the able leadership of Angus Matthews, Executive Director, is due to open in mid June. In the mean time the Marine Ecology Centre remains open for visitors and school groups. But at the end of May we move out of the barge, so it is up for sale now.

PERFECT PROJECT FOR A SERIOUS HANDYMAN!

This barge and superstructure have great potential to become a beautiful float home, with a little bit of help.

Built in Cowichan Bay in 1991, constructed mostly of plywood and covered with fibreglass, the barge has been used as a miniature aquarium and teaching facility; but it can be converted into a cozy home.

The spacious main floor is 648 sqft (approx) , has several windows, and a 4 ft. deck along the front. The upper floor is 400 sqft. (approx) and has been divided into 3 rooms and a small kitchen area. There are 2 storage closets downstairs and an attic upstairs, and there is a sink in the kitchen as well as one downstairs.

The barge is currently tied up at the Port Sidney Marina. For more information please email us at baustin@mareco.org

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Check out our guest Octopus, HUGO, hunting and eating a shrimp.

(click on the image)

For more videos, please go to our Summer Programs page.

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The floating Marine Ecology Centre is located in the Port Sidney Marina in downtown Sidney. We are open for group programs and to the public.

In March 2004 the Centre was the beneficiary of a $112,000 infrastructure grant from the town of Sidney. This money will be used to expand our facilities in the near future. The Marine Ecology Centre will be moving into the first floor of the Pier Hotel & Spa in the Spring of 2009. We are still holding a fundraising campaign to collect all the money needed to build all the exhibits the for the "New Marine Centre". Until that time, we will continue to welcome the public to visit our exhibits daily from noon until 5pm at Marine Ecology Centre in the Port Sidney Marina.

Visit the "New Marine Centre's" website and take a peek at the wonderful exhibits and displays we will have soon.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank Jeff Wonnenberg, owner of Emerald Sea Adventures; and Darren Tomlin, owner of the Corbett House B&B, for repairing the upper and lower decks of the Marine Ecology Centre. We appreciate all the hard work and the hours they donated!

Emerald Sea Adventures www.emeraldsea.ca

Corbett House B&B www.corbetthouse.ca

The development of this site was made possible through the contribution of:

Vancouver Aquarium NOW Working Partnership Fund