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Art and ambition at Harbour Air Terminal opening

The minority partner in Harbour Air was on hand for the grand opening of the Victoria Harbour Air Terminal Thursday evening, but if the Chinese billionaire has his way it will not be the last time he and the company celebrate that kind of milestone.

 

The minority partner in Harbour Air was on hand for the grand opening of the Victoria Harbour Air Terminal Thursday evening, but if the Chinese billionaire has his way it will not be the last time he and the company celebrate that kind of milestone.

Zuo Zongshen, who has a 49 per cent stake in the seaplane company, has big plans that will see the business model transplanted to China, and perhaps other coastal cities in North America and beyond.

In an interview through his interpreter, the chairman of Zongshen Industrial Group, said China does not have Harbour Air’s business model yet, but it does have a long coastline and many lakes, so there are plenty of opportunities.

“The idea is to transport the expertise and business model to China. Harbour Air has nearly 40 years of experience, they have goodwill and good experience and it’s unique,” he said. “I’d like to bring this to China and to learn from Harbour Air. Based on Harbour Air, there is also other expansion opportunities along the coast, even in North America.”

Zongshen, who said he loves B.C. and the way people do business here — “they are down-to-earth, warm and, when they do business, they are sincere” — said from the way Harbour Air is run to its new floating terminal in Victoria, the entire package is easily transplanted.

Randy Wright, Victoria-based vice-president of the Vancouver firm, agreed. “It could absolutely be a model for expansion,” he said, adding they have already talked with a number of governments about what might be possible.

Wright said in meetings with Harbour Air, Zongshen has discussed building a pilot school in Richmond to train pilots for both China and Southeast Asia, where he is starting a new general aviation company. “He has big plans and a big vision, and it will take a few years to get going, but it is achievable,” Wright said.

On Thursday, Wright was celebrating the achievement of getting the floating terminal up and running. It had a soft opening in April before Thursday’s grand unveiling.

The 5,000-square-foot terminal, home to Harbour Air and Kenmore Air, has a green, living roof with an expansive interior, reminiscent of some of the upgrades to Victoria International Airport.

It features concrete floors, exposed wood beams, a wood ceiling and massive windows with million-dollar views.

Wright said it had been five years of stress and worry, culminating in having more than 300 members of the business community, tourism-industry stakeholders and politicians turn up for a cocktail party to officially open the terminal. A seven-by-10 foot plaque carved by Kwakiutl artist Richard Hunt was unveiled on the south wall of the terminal.

Entitled My Family, the very personal artwork was carved from ancient red cedar and depicts Hunt’s ancestors and relatives.

“Tonight is a big deal for me, it’s been years in the making, a lot of red tape and discussions, and I applaud the city of Victoria for seeing our vision,” Wright said. “This shows the community here can come together to do some great things.”

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said the terminal is emblematic of the future of the city’s downtown.

“This building really is a manifestation of the optimism, hope and the concrete economic growth and investment we are seeing in our downtown,” she said. “To have this kind of transportation connector in this beautiful facility is significant.”

B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone said the terminal is another critical piece of the harbour puzzle.

The new terminal and the upgrades at the Belleville Street Terminal wharves make a statement, he said.

“The terminals are a critical entry point, not just to the city of Victoria, not just the capital city of B.C., but to our country,” he said.

aduffy@timescolonist.com