McBarge McMystery just getting started
Posted December 22, 2015 8:31 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It has been a floating icon — first at Expo 86 and then as a fixture on the waters of Burrard Inlet for the following three decades — but now the infamous McBarge is on the move, eventually headed for a secret location and a new life.
The sun has been glinting off the moldering McDonalds from Expo for years behind Burnaby Mountain. It has been a secret party spot, paddling destination and all around oddity for a generation. But no more! McBarge’s owner is having it towed up the Fraser River to Maple Ridge today for renovations.
The rusting restaurant is reportedly due for a one-year, $4.5-million refit to transform it into a new BC-based “attraction”, however no one is saying exactly what or where that will be so NEWS 1130 encouraged a little rampant speculation from people on the street in Vancouver.
“I can see McBarge in New West where the old floating casino was. That’s where it should go,” says Philip. “A homeless shelter maybe?”
Jay lives in West Vancouver but doesn’t want to see a refurbished McBarge floating near his house.
“But you could fit another nice restaurant in there. It’s a neat concept,” he tells NEWS 1130. “Market it to the Americans. Our dollar is so low there will be lots of them coming up for this.”
Come for the McBarge, stay for the cheap shopping.
Others want to see McBarge restored to its Expo glory.
“Let’s make it a McDonalds again. Why not? They might have some of the original Big Macs still in there. That would be lovely,” says Pushpa.
McBarge has been cleaned up the voyage — the hull inspected and graffiti removed — so it is in ship shape for its transformative journey.
Port Metro Vancouver confirms the slow journey started in Burrard Inlet early this morning and could take 18-to-24 hours to reach an industrial facility on the Fraser River in Albion.
