My Nanaimo This Week - November 25, 2024

November 25, 2024

This Week...

2025 Budget Talks begin, gift experiences this year and the deadline to apply for the new Performing Arts Guild has been extended. Read on for more!

It's Budget Time, Nanaimo!

View all budget focused meetings, find agendas or tune in and watch at: www.nanaimo.ca/meetings. Familiarize yourself with the 2025-2029 Draft Financial Plan and other budget-related documents and prepare your questions for the upcoming eTown Hall. Find budget info at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/budgetinfo.

All budget meetings are open to the public and will be held in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium:

November 27 at 9 am: Budget overview, 2025 Key Initiatives and 2025 Draft Project Plan. If more time is needed, discussion of these topics will carry over to November 29 at 9 am.
December 2 at 7 pm: eTown Hall
December 4 at 9 am: External organizations will provide presentations
December 6 at 9 am: Recap of the 2025-2029 Draft Financial Plan

Submit your questions here, on www.nanaimo.ca/etownhall, on Twitter using #NanaimoTH or call us at 250-754-4251 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm). You can attend, tune in and/or post questions in the Facebook eTown Hall Event or on Twitter using #NanaimoTH. The eTown Hall will also be broadcast live on Rogers tv channel 4 or 105.

BUDGET INFORMATION

Could you be the next member of the Performing Arts Guild?

Do you represent the diverse creative and performing arts sector, including Indigenous Peoples and youth (15-24 years)? The City has extended its deadline for applications for eight volunteer members for the new Nanaimo Performing Arts Guild. The Guild is being formed to help with the direction of the Old Victoria Arts Centre.

LEARN MORE

Give the gift of experience this holiday season

The memories made from experiences can be more meaningful than getting things that they'll either outgrow or need to find space for. What about an Active Pass with the City of Nanaimo Parks and Rec? Give unlimited access to public swimming, skating, weight rooms and gymnasiums this year.

Visit page 54 of our winter Activity Guide for more information on one month and one year Active Passes for children, youth, adults, seniors or for your whole family. Visit our website or call 250-756-5200 for more information.

ACTIVITY GUIDE

Storm season has blown in!

Thank you for your patience as City staff continue to inspect and address safety concerns in Nanaimo parks following Tuesday’s weather event. Crews are inspecting and opening parks as quickly as possible, however not all parks have been inspected. Priority locations have included destination parks, heavily treed parks, playgrounds, sport courts, trails and walking routes to schools.

Please use caution in treed areas and respect closed gates, trail closure signage and all areas marked with caution tape. The public is encouraged to report downed trees and areas of concern with location specifics and details to 250-756-5200 or parkopsdispatch@nanaimo.ca.

Please also use caution as storm season is here and conditions may change.

Open and inspected parks include:

Maffeo Sutton Park and downtown walkways and plazas
Beaufort Park
Buttertubs Marsh,
Piper’s Lagoon Park
Departure Bay seawall
Rutherford Ravine Park and trail
Harewood Centennial park
Bowen Park
Northfield Reststop
Harry Wipper Park
Woodstream Park
Blueback Stairs
Linley Valley Burma Entrance
Westwood Lake
Colliery Dam
May Bennet Skate Park
EN Trail
Cable Bay Trail
Invermere Beach access and dog off leash area
Staffordshire Drive Park
Morningside Tennis Court
Dunster Park
Brannen Lake Beach access
Parkway Trail
Beban Park including Steve Smith bike park, Participark, Altrusa Park and sport courts
Beach Estates
Invermere beach access
Parkway Trail
Neck Point Park
Most sports fields are open but please check online field condition reports for updates.

Fully closed parks and playgrounds include:

Lost Lake Park
Oliver Woods Playground
Seabold Beach Access
Saxer Park

The Sweet Layered Podcast presents: Adverse Weather!

On this episode we chat with Charlotte Davis, Deputy Director of Parks and Natural Areas and David Thompson, Manager of Roads and Traffic Services about what the City does when it snows or when we get hit with a “Bomb Cyclone”. Adverse weather can be challenging, but with the right services and timely communication it makes all the difference. Clear roads, sidewalks and areas around facilities to safety alerts and critical updates, timely info keeps our community safe, informed and prepared.

WEBSITE

APPLE

SPOTIFY

Will Your Commute Be Affected This Week?

Here’s a list of up-to-date information on City construction projects. When approaching construction zones, please make sure to slow down, follow any detours that may be in place and obey all signage and traffic personnel instructions. Remember that construction zone speed limits are 30 km/hr unless otherwise posted. Thank you for your patience!

Midtown Gateway Project

Use caution and expect delays in the following areas:
- Single lane alternating traffic on Boxwood Road.
  - Use Powder Works Road to access Rosstown Road - access to Rosstown from Bowen Road is now closed.
- The south access to Beban Park will be closed 24 hours per day. Please exit the park from the other end. All park amenities and programs remain open and accessible.
All businesses remain open.

Learn more about this project: Midtown Gateway

Midtown Water Supply Project

Expect minor delays during the day in the following areas:
- Bowen Road between Pryde Avenue and Meredith Road.
- Labieux Road between Kenworth Road and Beban Parkway.
East Wellington Road and Madsen Road intersection will have road closures while construction work occurs from the evening of Thursday, November 28 into the morning Friday, November 29. Choose an alternate route.
All businesses in all these remain open and accessible.
The trailway between Third Street, VIU and the Black Diamond neighbourhood is closed, this area is an active construction site.

Learn more about this project: Midtown Water Supply Project

Commercial Street Improvements – Wharf to Church Street

Businesses on Commercial Street remain open as usual and pedestrian access along the street is open.
FREE 2-hour street parking is available downtown for the duration of the project.
Commercial Street between Wharf and Church Street is closed to vehicles.

Learn More about this project: Commercial Street Improvements - Wharf to Church Street

Townsite Area Utility Upgrades - Phase 1

Sections of Oakley Street will be closed for sewer upgrades starting November 4 – open to local traffic only.
Single lane alternating traffic on Millstone Avenue starting November 27. Please use alternate routes to avoid delays.

Learn more about this project: Townsite Area Utility Upgrades - Phase 1

Buttertubs Drive Water Main Upgrade

Expect delays and single-lane-alternating traffic on Buttertubs Drive, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm.
- Avoid the area if possible.

Learn more about this project: Buttertubs Drive Water Main Upgrade

CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Work With Us!

We are currently looking for candidates to fill the following positions:

Switchboard Operator - Police - Permanent Part-Time
Client Support Specialist - Temporary Full-Time
Casual Pool - Custodian Relief
Building Official
Administrative Coordinator - Allocations
Manager, Financial Services & Special Projects
Casual Lifeguard/Instructors
Planning Assistant
Casuals - Police Services
Casual Clerical Opportunities

JOB POSTINGS

A view from the Mayor's chair in the Shaw auditorium looking toward the audience

Meetings This Week

Monday, November 25: Governance and Priorities Committee Meeting in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre starting at 1 pm.

Wednesday, November 28: Design Advisory Panel Meeting in the Service and Resource Centre Boardroom starting at 5 pm.

MEETINGS

If you are not able to attend or tune in live, you can always review decisions made at each Council meeting simply by reading the Council Meeting Summaries. These summaries are typically posted the day after each meeting.

COUNCIL MEETING SUMMARIES