After staying in one spot for more than a dozen years, the Persephone is moving later this month.
The vessel, also called the John Henry, is well known for its role in The Beachcombers TV series. It has rested at the Five Corners intersection in the heart of Gibsons Landing since 2007, where it became a tourist attraction in its own right.
But the Persephone is in need of restoration and a new location. In late 2020, BC Ferries announced funding for the project, but without a destination, it does not make sense to restore the boat just yet, Gibsons Coun. David Croal – who worked on The Beachcombers – told Coast Reporter.
For now, the Persephone will be moved into storage with the Town of Gibsons until a new location is decided on.
While Croal would like to see the Persephone become part of an exhibit at the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives, it would require an expansion of the current facility.
As the nearby Gibsons and District Public Library is also undergoing an expansion review, a special committee is working on a collaborative effort for the “Cultural Corner” and the logistics of the Persephone’s fate.
