STAR-BULLETIN / 2005
A group calling itself the Friends of Falls of Clyde has launched an effort to preserve and restore the 130-year-old ship, shown here docked at Pier 7 at Honolulu Harbor.
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Group organizing effort to save Falls of Clyde
A rush to register as a nonprofit organization precedes a proposal for preservation
A community-based group filed papers yesterday to become a nonprofit organization in a last-ditch effort to save the deteriorating museum-ship Falls of Clyde.
The group, which calls itself the Friends of Falls of Clyde, plans to present documents and a detailed plan to the Bishop Museum to preserve and restore the 130-year-old ship docked at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 7. Bruce McEwan, president of the group, plans to contact Timothy Johns, president and chief executive officer of the Bishop Museum, sometime next week to schedule a meeting.
Despite the Monday deadline the Bishop Museum set for groups and individuals to submit a formal preservation and restoration plan, Johns said they are willing to meet with the group, which has shown a deep interest in saving the ship.
Another local group that had expressed interest has backed out. Museum officials are also "increasingly uncertain" of an Australian man who had expressed interest to save the vessel, since he failed to provide documents and a detailed plan to preserve the ship.
The Friends of Falls of Clyde also said they would keep the ship in Hawaii for preservation work.
"Our preference would be to keep it in Hawaii if we have a choice," said Johns. The group has been meeting weekly for more than a month to brainstorm on attaining ownership of the vessel.
McEwan said it was necessary to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization to ensure potential donors as well as public and private groups of their legitimacy and intentions. "There's nobody else who has the ability to step in and who has a plan," McEwan said.
He obtained a liability insurance quote of $32,000 a year for the vessel and commitment from Marisco Ltd. to dry-dock the vessel at Barbers Point at an affordable cost. The group estimated preservation work to cost $1 million to $2 million.
"We understand that it will be a major challenge," said McEwan, also chieftain of the Caledonian Society of Hawaii.
A marine surveyor hired by the Bishop Museum estimated that it would cost more than $32 million to restore the ship.
McEwan said there is national interest to save the ship. So far, about 500 people signed their online petition to save the vessel and for Bishop Museum to explore all options before scuttling the vessel.
To access the online petition, go to www.savethefallsofclyde.com.