Sunday 20 January 2013

The McBarge - Abandoned Relic Of Expo '86

image credit: sporkist cc

Sometimes something seems like a very good idea at the time. When Expo '86 landed in the Canadian city of Vancouver the McBarge as it became known was one of the centrepieces of the exhibition. It was the first floating McDonalds in the world and offered visitors great discounts on food with the vicarious thrill of eating their meal while afloat.

The McBarge, which was originally called the Friendship 500 was a great hit. Yet when Expo '86 ended no new home could be found for the barge and it has, over the years, become derelict, anchored forlornly in the creek's Burrard Inlet.

2 comment(s):

Larry said...

Great piece of historical trivia. I live in Vancouver and fondly remember those months when Expo 86 was held. As I'm not a fan of McDonald's products, I never did set foot on the McBarge. The site where the exposition was held is now the home of towering apartment buildings and expensive condos.

Gerard said...

Thanks for the additional info, Larry.