My sense is that we have Sinclair narrating from some point in the
future. The transition of grammar takes place as we push into the station,
from the outside in. This was the last of the Babylon stations, and this
particular segment of it is set in 2258. (Season two would say, "The year is
2259." And so on.)

Many here will remember a show called "You Are There." The usual
narrator would say, paraphrasing here but keeping the grammar, "The year 1776
was crucial to our nation's history. The founding fathers were on the brink
of declaring independence. It's a moment of great importance. The year is
1776...and You Are There." It's along those lines. The purpose of the
narrative changes to transition us into the story.

jms