The National Parks Conservation Association believes the Vancouver City Council followed dollars, as well as good sense, in reversing its opinion surrounding the Pearson Air Museum’s management. (A May 7 story reported “City says no to air museum ownership.”)
Under the Fort Vancouver Trust, the city of Vancouver provided $100,000 annually to subsidize operations, which would continue to be a taxpayer expense if the museum was removed from the National Park Service. The NPS also identified close to $670,000 of maintenance needs and repair needs over the next seven years, including painting, refinishing floors, roof repairs, and other measures. Under National Park Service management, operations and maintenance costs are covered in support of this nationally significant property.
The Park Service also welcomes locals and visitors alike to explore Pearson Air Museum free of charge, compared to the Trust management, which charged entry fees to recover some of their costs.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, including the museum, provides tremendous economic support to the area and remains in good hands with the Park Service. The park welcomed more than 680,000 people in 2012, who spent nearly $37 million in the area and supported over 550 jobs.
