McDonald’s abandoned floating restaurant to be renovated after 30 years
09 Mar 2016
A restaurant that McDonald's abandoned in 1986, is being revived in what could be the fast food facelift of the decade.
The 'McBarge' was built for the World Exposition held in Vancouver, Canada and aimed to showcase future innovations in both architecture and technology.
However, the novelty of ordering a Big Mac on the high seas wore off in no time and over the last 30 years the 'McBarge' had fallen into disrepair. It had sat abandoned just offshore of Burrard Inlet in southwestern British Columbia.
The restaurant is now on the way to receiving a multi-million dollar makeover. The 57m-long vessel, which is currently in Maple Ridge will undergo a $4- million renovation.
While most of the details of the planned work have not been revealed, the barge would be completely remodelled and refitted to coincide with the exposition's 30th anniversary.
''I can't tell you what the plan is. We're under a non-disclosure agreement, but it fits in with the 30th anniversary of the exposition. It will all happen in 2016, and we expect that it's going to take probably most of the year to do the work,'' Meakin told The Vancouver Sun.
''It will be restored and refitted. It could be in Vancouver, but it could be in other places as well. We're not saying exactly where it's going to be located, but the plan is that it will undergo extensive renovations."
Meakin had earlier told CBC News that the planned location for the relaunch would not be revealed at this stage.
''I can't say where. It's quite unique and it's going to be an outstanding attraction,'' he said. ''It's going to attract a lot of attention. It's a number of things that came together over the last five or six months. It's government … It's private, different companies.''
