HMCS Ville de Quebec has warded off pirates in Somalia and helped with relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
Next week, it will be docked in the Thunder Bay harbour and open to the public.
The warship is expected to arrive in Thunder Bay on Aug. 15 and the purpose of its visit is to commemorate the 200 years of prosperity between the United States and Canada since the War of 1812, said HMCS Griffon Commander Peter Fleming.
“Our other mission is to showcase the navy, our fine equipment and our fine sailors,” he said. “The Royal Canadian Navy wants to connect with Canadians to show the good things the navy does on a daily basis and has done in the past.”
The ship is 445 feet long and 53 feet wide and can reach speeds upwards of 30 knots. It has a crew of 245 people and is a multi-role frigate.
“It’s a very adaptable, flexible ship that can do many of the missions the Canadian public and our Parliament asked us to do,” said Fleming.
When in Somalia, HMCS Ville de Quebec performed maritime security to help interject pirates that were threatening World Food Programme ships bringing food to the Somalis. And the ship was used to help the U.S. in their disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana causing devastation.
Fleming said for people who have never seen a warship before, the Ville de Quebec’s stay in the city will be an opportunity for both young and old to board the ship and ask questions of the crew about their naval experience.
“Don’t hesitate to ask the crew what their experiences are,” he said. “We all take pride in what we’ve done.”
The ship will be open to the public at no charge on Aug. 16 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Aug. 17 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Aug. 18-19 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
City tourism manager Paul Pepe said having the ship in the city for a number days will have an impact in the tourism industry.
They will be supplying the 245 crew members with passes to several of the city’s attractions and they will be spending money in the city.
They’re also expecting visitors from the surrounding region and across the U.S. border to plan trips to the city around HMCS Ville de Quebec’s visit.
“There’s also the economic spinoff of the vessel itself,” Pepe said, adding the ship will be taking in water and offloading garbage and sewage.
When HMCS Halifax stopped in Thunder Bay five years ago, it was the first vessel to dock at the Pool 6 cruise ship dock. That was the catalyst for the capital improvements made to the dock over the years including dredging and landscaping enhancements.
The Halifax still saw about 7,000 people come aboard.
Now that the area has been improved, Pepe said they could see up to 12,000 people visit HMCS Ville de Quebec.
There will be no onsite parking during the ship’s stay, but a shuttle service will be provided from the Auditorium and Heart of the Harbour parkade.
All guest must also be in possession of valid photo identifications in order to board the ship.
