With the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel study still in the works and a developer vying for a chunk of the area, one local society is determined to reserve a portion of the waterfront for a regional forestry centre - and council recently reaffirmed interest in the plan.
"The Sea to Sky Forestry Centre Society (SSFCS) was formed to undertake the planning, fundraising and construction of a new community exhibit facility focused on the forestry industry," said member Eric Andersen, one of the people leading the project.
"Our long-term vision is to be able to have three heritage attractions to support tourism - we have mining history at Britannia, we have railway history at the West Coast Railway Heritage Museum and this facility would accommodate forestry."
The society wants the building to be located on a portion of the parking lot across from the Adventure Centre and adjacent to Rose Park. Andersen said it would be more than a museum, as it would feature the history of forestry but also the industry's evolution to modern-day practices and even future plans.
"The Sea to Sky Forestry Centre is envisioned as an educational and cultural facility that will tell the story of the forestry and wood industries - past, present and future," he said.
This isn't the first time the concept has appeared. In 2002 the District of Squamish agreed, in theory, to allow a community group to lease the land in question. In 2007 council offered support in principle for the Squamish Historical Society (in conjunction with SSFCS) to use the land via a long term lease, and on April 19, council reaffirmed its interest in the project.
Council made a motion to refer SSFCS chair Mike Wallace's letter, requesting the district consider the forestry centre and lease, to staff for consideration.
In 2007, then-councillor Mike Jenson was a strong advocate for the plan.
"The historical pillars of Sea to Sky country are railway, mining and forestry," he said at the time.
"While railway and mining have a home to showcase themselves in our corridor, forestry is currently homeless."
The SSFCS started fundraising in 2007 by approaching large forestry companies and both the provincial and federal government for prospective grants. But when the recession hit Andersen said the fundraising was "put on the shelf" until the industry regained some stability.
Andersen and Wallace said they think that shift may be underway, or at least enough to begin to generate interest in the project for the second time.
"Our building plans - or rather fundraising plans - have had to adapt to the financial/forestry market recession circumstances in the last couple of years," said Andersen.
"However, the prospect of acquiring (which we have) a unique, high-quality heritage building has brought our plans back into play."
The building was built in the 1930s or '40s and arrived in Squamish by barge in 1962. It is currently located on the Triack site and owned by Pridham Development Inc., who has promised to donate the building to the forestry centre.
At the April 19 council meeting, Coun. Corinne Lonsdale supported conserving the building for better use.
"We don't do a very good job of looking after heritage buildings in this community and I hope we can find a way to make it work with this one," she said.
To raise awareness of the project, Andersen and Wallace plan to take advantage of the Squamish Days Logger Sports this summer, when everyone's mind will be turned to forestry and its role in Squamish.
"Squamish Days has always focused attention on our forestry heritage so we'll take advantage of that and this summer," Andersen said, "our society is planning exhibitions, speakers and events throughout the competition."
Andersen has also teamed up with local photographer Michael Kanka to document, through photography, the Squamish-area forest industry. Some of those photos are slated to be displayed in the Adventure Centre.
Anderson said they hope and anticipate the project will be well received and stimulate public interest and appreciation of the forestry sector - its diversity, its role and its contributions.
