Ahoy! Big Bang Communications at the helm of new Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre project

Robyn Quinn, APR
Campaign Director
Big Bang Communications
250-220-4750 778-977-2264
robynquinn@shaw.ca
Ahoy! - New Maritime Centre Announced for Cowichan Bay
COWICHAN BAY WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL, JUNE 19 – Great things on the horizon for fans of all things nautical, from wooden boats to pirates, as a new Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre is going to be built. The announcement was made today at the 25th Annual CB Wooden Boat Festival. Although the existing Maritime Centre is popular with visitors to the Vancouver Island coastal community, our facility needs to expand to meet growing visitor demands and to bring out of storage donated artifacts currently stowed away. The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society (CWBS) members are committed to building not just a facility but a cultural centrepiece for the community. CWBS President Lew Penney said, “Our goal is to preserve the region’s maritime history for future generations, visitors not only experience maritime tradition first hand, they have fun. Residents receive a beautiful addition to our streetscape and an expanded community meeting place.”
Ahoy! Is the name of the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre building campaign with aims to raise $750,000 in order to complete the building in 2012. Along with expanded display and workshop areas and a fully operational maritime library - a new community room will be available for local groups to use.

Big Bang Communications has been contracted to lead the campaign. Robyn Quinn, Big Bang President said, "Cowichan Bay is a spectacular setting for a Maritime Museum and I am thrilled the society has chosen to work with me to meet their goals."
Visit http://www.classicboats.org/ for details about how to donate or volunteer, the progress of our new centre, events and donor benefits. Media tours, photo ops and interviews can be arranged.
The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society preserves and presents the heritage of British Columbia's Maritime past, as it relates to Cowichan Bay, through community events, wooden boat building classes and historic displays at the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre. Formerly an oil facility, the Maritime Centre was built in 1988 with the pods and pier extending approximately 82 meters into Cowichan Bay. Over 10,000 visitors tour the Centre annually.