We should expect delays... up to a point

It was hard not to see it as symbolic.

There was Councillor David Beatty, one of two council representatives on the Aquatarium steering committee, bringing council up to speed on the latest delays to the project.

The less-than-encouraging news was to be followed by a YouTube video touting the marine-ecology-themed tourist attraction's progress.

Only the video kept stalling.

Much... like... the project itself.

Kudos to Beatty for keeping a straight face during city hall's computer fail.

Seriously, folks, the Aquatarium is a big project. Tall Ships Landing is an even bigger project. Big projects run into delays. We should be used to this.

The latest news is notable not so much for the delays to the Aquatarium itself, but for the delays to the building that will house it.

It wasn't news on Tuesday that the Aquatarium won't open until spring 2014.

What is news is the scrubbing of the “soft opening” originally planned for the mid-June tall ships weekend – in fact the scrubbing of the soft opening entirely. That is the result of delays to its host building.

Talk abounds in the community that Tall Ships Landing is on hold, exaggerated talk that developer Simon Fuller abruptly dismisses as the prattling of “sidewalk superintendents.” 

The project is, however, behind schedule, creating a ripple effect to its most important spinoff.

It didn't take very long for the online reaction to this news to take a swing in the direction of Fuller's usual camp of detractors – again, exaggerated talk.

Remember, big projects will have delays. Big projects will cause inconveniences. Big projects should be given some leeway for this.

However, for the sake of this project's benefits, now would be the time to ensure these fails come to an end.

Fuller has apparently given assurances the Aquatarium will be ready on time for October's Euromab 2013 international biosphere conference.

Were this not to be the case, I would be inclined to start worrying.