Mary Borrowman is mourning the loss of the Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove, B.C., a popular tourism attraction that helped fuel the local economy and drew visitors from around the world.
The centre, which housed a large collection of marine mammal skeletons, was destroyed during the Dec. 31 fire that levelled parts of the Vancouver Island resort village.
“We had probably the largest marine mammal skeleton collection hanging in Western Canada, and it is just as world renowned now,” Borrowman said.
“We didn’t actually get going as an on-land entity until 2002, but my husband Jim has been collecting marine mammal skeletons for over 40 years.”
Telegraph Cove has a population of 20 people, and is located about 200 kilometres northwest of Campbell River.
No one was injured in the …