Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea facts for kids
Pacific salmon display
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| Date opened | June 20, 2009 |
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| Location | Sidney, British Columbia, Canada |
| Land area | 930 square metres (10,000 sq ft) |
| Coordinates | 48°38′57″N 123°23′42″W / 48.64917°N 123.39500°W |
| Memberships | BCMA |
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea is a special place that teaches people about the amazing ocean life in the Salish Sea. It's like an aquarium and a learning center all in one! You can find it in Sidney, a town on Vancouver Island in Canada.
Since it opened on June 20, 2009, the Centre has become a very popular spot. Both local people and tourists love to visit. It has even won awards for being one of Canada's best new attractions!
Contents
How the Centre Began
The Idea Takes Shape
The story of the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea started in 2004. The town of Sidney approved a plan to build a new hotel and apartments right by the water. As part of this plan, the building company agreed to give the town a large space on the ground floor for free. This space, about 930 square meters (10,000 square feet), was meant for community use.
At first, the space was going to be for two smaller marine museums that already existed. But the people in charge of these museums saw a bigger opportunity. They decided to work together to create a brand new, exciting marine attraction and education center. So, on February 14, 2005, they formed a new non-profit group called the New Marine Centre Society.
Making Big Plans
A group of volunteers, including scientists and community leaders, helped guide the project. They worked hard to figure out what the new center should be like. They studied other aquariums and talked to people in the community.
In late 2005, a person named Angus Matthews was hired to help. He came up with a bold idea: a $5 million aquarium focused on the Salish Sea! This idea got everyone excited, and the project really started to move forward. Angus Matthews became the first leader of the society. His job was to make the dream a reality, from raising money to building the center and getting it ready to open.
Raising Money for the Ocean
Building a big aquarium costs a lot of money. A special fundraising campaign called "Discover Your Ocean" was launched in September 2006. Many people and groups helped out.
A very important donation was $2.5 million from the Shaw Charitable Committee. The Canadian and British Columbia governments also gave $2 million. Plus, many individuals and companies in the Sidney area donated $1.5 million. All together, they reached the $5 million goal! The building company also contributed the space, which was worth $3.5 million. This meant the whole project was worth $8.5 million.
Building the Home for Sea Creatures
As money was raised, the volunteers and Angus Matthews worked on building the center. It was a complex job because the aquarium had to fit into the ground floor of a new six-story building. The designers had to make sure the heavy water tanks would fit and that the building could support them.
Construction inside the building began on August 21, 2008. It took only 10 months to build! Local artists helped make the center beautiful. Charles Elliott, a Coast Salish artist, created graphics and a fish sculpture outside. Rick Silas made glass kelp panels, and Paul Harder created bronze sea creatures for an outdoor tide pool. This outdoor tide pool was a gift to the people of Sidney.
Getting Ready to Open
Before opening, a small team of staff was hired. But the center also relied on over 170 amazing volunteers, called "Oceaneers." These volunteers, from kids to adults, learned all about the Salish Sea and how to help visitors. They are a huge part of what makes the center special.
The name "Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea" was chosen to honor the large donation from Shaw Communications. The team worked hard to create a brand that showed the center was all about teaching people about the wonders of the Salish Sea.
Grand Opening Day!
On Saturday, June 20, 2009, the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea officially opened. A special ceremony was held outside, led by Coast Salish elder Tom Sampson. There were dancers and singers, and a procession around the building.
Two children, Phoenix Underwood and April Funk, along with special guest Céline Cousteau (a famous ocean explorer), were the first visitors to enter. Inside, they poured water into a carved bowl as Coast Salish members blessed the aquarium. As the water poured, the lights in the exhibits came on, showing off the amazing Salish Sea creatures.
Later that day, the center opened to everyone. Over 1,600 people visited on the very first weekend!
Amazing Exhibits
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea has many cool exhibits where you can learn about the ocean.
Gallery of Drifters
This exhibit shows you tiny creatures that float in the ocean, like different kinds of jellyfish, plankton, and algae. These "ocean drifters" are super important because they are the very beginning of the ocean's food web. You might see sea nettles and moon jellys here.
Ocean's Heartbeat
This area is a special classroom and wet lab. School groups use it to learn, but if it's not busy, you can explore too! You can use microscopes to see tiny ocean habitats up close. There's even a teacher's desk with a fish tank inside! This area also helps care for new-born fish and houses whale bones.
Gallery of the Salish Sea
This is where you'll find hundreds of different fish, invertebrates (animals without backbones), and marine plants that live in the Salish Sea. Get ready to see incredible creatures like the giant Pacific octopus, wolf eel, rock greenling, painted greenling, Pacific herring, Chinook salmon, and king crab.
Touch Pools
At the touch pools, you can gently reach into the water with just one finger. Volunteers, called Oceaneers, will teach you how to safely touch a sea urchin or feel the tickle of a sea star. While you're there, you can also enjoy the beautiful views of the Gulf Islands, the Salish Sea, and even the active volcano Mount Baker in the distance.
