ARCHITECTURE British Expo Infrastructure Mission Ocean Vancouver mcbarge wiki-architecture

McBarge

The McBarge, officially named the Seaborne II (formerly the Friendship 500), was a former McDonald’s restaurant, built on a 187-foot-long (57 m) barge for Expo ‘86 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Moored on Expo grounds in Vancouver’s False Creek, it was the second floating McDonald’s location in the world (the first being in St. Louis, Missouri), intended to showcase future technology and architecture. Although the floating design allowed for the barge to operate in a new location following the exhibition, the derelict McBarge was anchored empty in Burrard Inlet from 1991, amid industrial barges and an oil refinery, until it was moved in December 2015 to Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Apart from brief use by its original owner, McDonald’s, in 1986, the McBarge has never actively been used for anything and was drifting from owner to owner for thirty-four years. By the end of March 2025, the McBarge had partially sunk into the Fraser River.

History The floating restaurant was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. for Expo 1986 and was one of five McDonald’s locations on the Expo grounds, all of which were constructed for a total of $12million.McDonal{d}^{\prime }soriginallyintendedtocontinueusingitasarestaurantafterExp{o}^{\prime }86,butthebargeremainedemptyattheExpogroundsuntil1991,whenthenewownerofthegroundsforcedMcDonal{d}^{\prime }storemoveit.IthassincebeenanchoredderelictinBurrardInlet,northofBurnaby,BritishColumbia.In2003,MarvelEntertainmentandNewLineCinemarentedthebargeasafilminglocationforthe2004filmBlade:TrinityasthelairoftheNightstalkers.InJune2009,theMcBarg{e}^{\prime }scurrentowner,GastowndeveloperHowardMeakin,submittedaproposaltotheMissioncitycouncilforawaterfrontdevelopmentontheFraserRiver,withtheformerMcBargeasthecentrepiece.Named"Sturgeo{n}^{\prime }sontheFraser",thedevelopmentwouldincludemultiplerestaurantsandamarinacomplex,includingpaddlewheelerexcursionsandfloatplaneservicetoVictoriaandNanaimo.AsofAugust2010,theproposalenjoyedlocalsupport,butawaitedcouncilapproval.Concernsoverfloatplanenoiseandotherenvironmentalissuesmeantthedevelopmentwasultimatelyrejected.OtherproposalsthathavebeenputforwardwithoutownerinterestincludeusingthebargeasahomelesssheltertoalleviateovercrowdinginVancouve{r}^{\prime }scurrenttemporaryshelters.InDecember2015,MeakinannouncedthatthebargewouldsoonbeleavingBurrardInletafternearly30years.ItwasmovedtoMapleRidge,BritishColumbiaonDecember22.Thebargewasscheduledfora$4.5-million refit there before being relocated to an undisclosed location. In 2017, the barge’s owners, alongside diving pioneer Phil Nuytten, announced plans to convert it into an attraction called the Deep Ocean Discovery Centre. An event was planned for 21 October 2017 to launch a crowdfunding campaign, but was cancelled due to weather concerns. A petition to Vancouver City council to give the barge Historic Place Status received only 185 signatures. No mention has been made of a rescheduled event, its Facebook and Twitter have not been updated since 2017, and its YouTube account has been closed. In 2020, it was reported that there were plans to refit the barge into a seafood restaurant, though a location had not been secured. Later in 2021 it was reported that an undisclosed site had been selected but was awaiting government approval. On March 26, 2025, it was reported that the McBarge had partially sunk into the Fraser River. Transport Canada was unable to locate the current owner.

See also List of restaurants in Vancouver

References