Deal struck for Vancouver Aquarium to stay in Stanley Park until 2054

The Vancouver Aquarium will be staying in its Stanley Park home for a long time.

A new agreement was reached between the aquarium and Vancouver Parks Board today, which extends the lease for another 35 years, through 2054.

The agreement also provides the foundation for a five-year strategic plan that focuses on public education and conservation.

Recently, the aquarium has been engaged in a legal battle over the park board’s ban on whales and dolphins at the facility.

However, Ocean Wise, operator of the Vancouver Aquarium, said in a statement that it’s dropped the legal action.

The lease agreement confirms that a commitment was made last year to no longer display cetaceans.

Lasse Gustavsson, CEO of Ocean Wise, says the organization will continue to try and inspire people in every corner of the planet to participate in creating healthy oceans.

He expressed disappointment in the fact that the ocean is “out of sight, out of mind” for most people.

"There are many threats to the ocean, but the greatest threat is that many believe someone else is going to save it,” he said.

“Ocean Wise has an important role to bring the ocean to the people and the people to the ocean, and the Vancouver Aquarium is one of the best tools we have to do that."

The Vancouver Aquarium has been in Stanley Park since 1956 and will be close to its 100th anniversary when the new lease expires.

With files from the Canadian Press.