The Columbia Basin Trust is providing $113,000 towards a project to preserve the SS Moyie, the historic sternwheeler in Kaslo.
“Heritage assets like the SS Moyie are precious resources in the Basin; that’s why protecting these assets is one of our strategic priorities,” said Wayne Lundeberg of the Columbia Basin Trust. “We are very happy to support the ongoing efforts of the Village of Kaslo and the Kootenay Lake Historical Society to preserve and celebrate this irreplaceable asset now and into the future.”
The SS Moyie, the oldest intact passenger sternwheeler ship in the world built, ended its service on Kootenay Lake in 1959. Since then it has thrived in Kaslo – preserved by the community and now a busy, vibrant museum during the spring and summer.
Protecting one of Canada’s rarest heritage assets is an ongoing job. Like any ship, particularly a wooden one, fire is the greatest risk to the Moyie, and it is fire protection that is at the heart of a current project to preserve the 120-year-old vessel, with the Trust providing $113,000.
The current fire suppression is made up of a system of water pipes pressurized by compressed air. During winter, while the ship is unheated, condensation occurs creating internal corrosion. Over the last 25 years, these pipes have begun to rust and break-down. The project currently underway will see the installation of a new system of pipes that will be pressurized with nitrogen gas, mitigating against condensation. The project will also allow the extension of the piping system to cover an increased area in the ship.
“The Kootenay Lake Historical Society has obtained generous grant support from Parks Canada and Columbia Basin Trust, as well as smaller donations from individuals,” said Bill Yeo, lead for the Kootenay Lake Historical Society’s curatorial committee. “Together we can give this historic treasure a more secure future.”
The SS Moyie is the property of the Village of Kaslo and protected and managed by the Kootenay Lake Historical Society.
“Kaslo is rich in heritage resources and an integral part of that history is the SS Moyie which is one of our two National Historic Sites,” said Kaslo Mayor Suzan Hewat.
The fire suppression project is slated for completion in March and the SS Moyie will open for the 2018 season on Sunday, May 13.
