Hudson's Bay Company donates $80,000 to Nanaimo Bastion

NANAIMO, BC, March 30 /CNW/ - Hudson's Bay Company announced today the donation of $80,000 to the Nanaimo Bastion located in the Harbour City of Nanaimo, BC. The donation will support the City of Nanaimo's restoration of the last free-standing former Hudson's Bay Company Bastion - a 157 year old monument that has endured the test of time.

"The Hudson's Bay Company is pleased to initiate the fundraising effort to raise $200,000 by donating $80,000 towards the restoration of the Nanaimo Bastion," said Jeff Sherman, President & CEO, Hudson's Bay Company. "We are honoured to play our part in preserving and celebrating such a historic monument not only for our company and its history but also for the community of Nanaimo."

A restoration project for the Bastion will begin this spring, where the Nanaimo Museum will work with the City of Nanaimo to bring the Bastion back to its former glory. After enduring a century and a half of service, the Bastion has succumb to exposure to prevailing winds and rain, causing the structure to be unsafe for people to visit. An important piece of Hudson's Bay Company history, the Nanaimo Bastion was built to serve as a company office, arsenal and storage facility for coal mining in 1853. In recent history, the Bastion has become a must see tourism attraction on the British Columbian coast line and a symbol in the Nanaimo community.

"This generous donation from the Hudson's Bay Company clearly demonstrates that it is not just the City of Nanaimo that holds the Bastion in high regard, but also the company that originally built it," said Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan. "Helping restore this authentic and well-loved Bastion to its former glory is a true testament to the company's commitment to celebrating the history of our Canada and being an active part in building communities."

"Preserving a historical monument older than the City of Nanaimo and the province of British Columbia will create a strong sense of pride for British Columbians," said John Manning, President of the Nanaimo Museum Society. "With the Hudson's Bay Company's financial contribution, a more complete restoration of the Bastion than originally planned can now take place."

The Bastion will be closed to the public while remediation work is taking place, but daily noon cannon firings will continue to take place starting in late May. A summer fundraising campaign is also being planned to rally the community behind this historic structure and to raise funds to offset the estimated $200,000 price tag for the project.

About Hudson's Bay Company

Hudson's Bay Company, the Canadian retail entity of Hudson's Bay Trading Company (HBTC), is Canada's largest diversified general merchandise retailer. Founded in 1670, The Hudson's Bay Company operates the Bay, a major department store, Zellers, a mass merchandise format, Home Outfitters, a kitchen, bed and bath specialty store, and value-priced Fields stores. With more than 600 retail outlets and over 60,000 associates in Canada, Hudson's Bay Company banners provide Canadians with stylish, quality merchandise at great value and with a dedicated focus on exceeding customer expectations.

For further information: Michelle Kennedy, Hudson's Bay Company, [phone], [email protected]; Mark Corbett, Nanaimo Museum, [phone], [email protected]