James Whalen will be repurposed and showcased at a later date.

Wally Peterson, Chairman of the Transportation Museum, expressed satisfaction with the decision. “We’re pleased council voted to recycle the James Whalen. Our goal is to preserve as much of it as possible, and hopefully, in the future, it will come to our site, where we can maintain and care for it,” Peterson told Newswatch.

Following a brief presentation by Corey Halverson, Manager of Parks and Open Spaces, outlining the historical significance of the tug and the park department’s desire to salvage and restore portions for a future monument, council engaged in a lengthy debate on the cost-benefit of recycling versus disposing of the vessel.

Halverson had initially removed his report from the September 9 council agenda after stakeholders presented new information advocating for the preservation of more of the tugboat. His revised report, after consulting with the Transportation Museum, recommended that the entire deck be preserved in one piece.

Despite the updated recommendation, Halverson still advised council to proceed with recycling the James Whalen but included the Transportation Museum’s proposal to install the preserved deck at Fisherman’s Park West. This would only be feasible if the cost did not exceed 10 per cent above the abatement, environmental remediation, and recycling expenses.

Halverson estimated the costs for abatement and remediation at approximately $135,000, with an additional $155,000 for vessel recycling and preservation. However, he noted that these figures could vary by up to 30 per cent. The total cost was capped at $415,000, with the alternative disposal of the tug estimated at $250,000.