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April 11, 2023

This Week...

The community is invited to participate in this months Art Agora activity, sign up for an invasive plants work party and attend a Water to Earth Month celebration. Read on for more!

Out and About 

Follow along as Chelsea encourages us to participate in Water to Earth Month, review some of the new recreation programs and get your tickets to the upcoming 2023 Culture and Heritage Awards. 
View of Nanaimo's waterfront looking south at high-rise buildings and a foot bridge in the Swy-A-Lana lagoon.
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Art Agora

Art Agora was conceived and created by media artist and designer Tanuja Mishra during the pandemic to bring together residents of Nanaimo through shared online creativity. 

This month's activity, Culi-near-y-Delights, asks residents what they would make if they were cooking for a stranger, a neighbour or a favourite person, and to share that dish through photos and handwritten recipes. Winners will be selected on creativity, personal relevance and depth of reflection.

Art Agora's monthly, self-guided activities are offered until the end of August. A list of the themes and activities can be found on the website.

ART AGORA THEMES
View of a theatre stage with a golden curtain drawn from the perspective of the audience area where the seating is red.

Culture Awards

This year, the public is invited to an in-person celebration of award recipients at a free community event at the Port Theatre on April 25 at 7 pm. Tickets are free, but you must reserve. 

The two 2023 Culture Heritage Award recipients are Excellence in Culture, Joel Good and Honour in Culture, Margot Holmes. 

GET YOUR TICKETS
photo of work parties removing invasive plants in Nanaimo's parks

Invasive Plants Work Parties

May is invasive plant removal month in the City of Nanaimo, but we are kicking off the first work party on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22 at Bowen Park from 10 am to 12 pm. It is free to participate, but you do need to register. All equipment is provided. Your efforts really make a difference in improving our environment's health. Sign up for any of the following parties:

  • April 22 at Bowen Park
  • May 2 at Beban Park
  • May 16 at Koram Park
  • May 16 at Third Street Park
  • May 27 at Bowen Park
  • June 8 at Pipers Lagoon Park

Looking ahead, there will be a drop zone available on Satruday, May 27 between 10 am and 12 pm at Bowen Park. Homeowners can drop off bagged or tarped invasive plants for safe disposal.

INVASIVE PLANT WORK PARTIES
A boardwalk covered with a fallen tree and and broken branches

Repairs to Beach Estates Park

Beach Estates Park will be closed for up to two weeks while park crews work to repair damage to the boardwalk and stairs caused by a fallen tree. We apologize for the inconvenience and will update you as soon as the park reopens. In the meantime, use the Parks Search to find other city parks to explore. 

PARKS SEARCH
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Stewards in the Spotlight

On April 29, from 11 am to 3 pm you're invited to join Team WaterSmart at a community event taking place at Kinsmen Park and Kin Hut in Departure Bay. This event will celebrate local stewardship organizations from across the region who are taking action to restore, protect, and safeguard our environment.

There will be live music, food trucks, native plant sales and activities for all ages.

You can even join local experts and stewardship volunteers on an interpretive walk along Departure Creek. This urban stream has been in the care of community volunteers and citizen scientists for many years. Work is being done to restore and protect this stream, including tree planting, salmon monitoring and riparian area protection. Participants must be able to walk two to three km on mostly flat terrain.

WATER TO EARTH MONTH
An aerial view of a construction zone with large equipment installing a large water main pipe.

Will Your Commute Be Affected This Week?

Up-to-date information on City construction projects:

  • Mary Ellen Drive is almost complete – only road markings and landscaping remain. Please exercise patience as drivers get used to the roundabout configuration.
  • Departure Bay Road (from Highland Blvd to Island Hwy 19A) will have lane closures to accommodate sidewalk construction. Expected hours of construction are 6 pm to 6 am; however, some day shifts may be required. Please exercise patience and follow the detours set up during active construction.
  • Country Club Drive (from Wassell Way to Colwood Road) will be closed during the day for a water main upgrades. Access will be limited to residents, and emergency services. Other commuters should plan an alternate route.
  • Richardson Road will be closed between Tait Road and Porter Road starting April 11 at 7 am until 7 pm, April 13. Please use detour in place. 

Midtown Water Supply and Midtown Gateway Projects:

  • The southern Bowen Road access into Beban Park remains closed 24 hours per day to all vehicle traffic, cyclists and pedestrians until April 14. Please use one of the alternate park accesses.
  • All main parking lots, facilities and park amenities within Beban Park are open during construction. Certain areas of the park are fenced off and closed to the public for safety reasons. Detours will be in place to access all amenities within the park. Please obey all signage placed for your safety and follow the directions of any flag persons on duty.
  • There will be sidewalk closures along Bowen Road between Northfield Road and Labieux Road. Pedestrians are asked to follow sidewalk detour signage placed for their safety and follow the directions of any flag persons on duty.
  • Paving may occur on Labieux Road from the roundabout at Kenworth Road to Beban Parkway later in the week.
  • Traffic flow is adjusted along Northfield Road between the Parkway (HWY19) and Boxwood Road for this critical infrastructure project. Traffic should avoid this area if possible and delays are to be expected. The speed limit is reduced to 30 km/h. Drivers must slowdown in work zones and pay close attention to signage.
  • The trails between Black Diamond/VIU/Third Street are closed to cycling and pedestrian traffic for site preparations. The trail closure will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the end of April.
  • Commuters can expect minor delays along many streets in the City while the construction crews progress on this project. The construction will create visual distractions and minor delays for commuters. Drivers, pay close attention to signage and the construction traffic as they enter and exit these sections of the project:
    • Boxwood Road, between Meredith Road and Tulsa Road.
    • Griffiths Road, end to Madsen Road.
    • East Wellington Road, between the Parkway (HWY19) and Madsen Road.
    • Third Street across from the Rotary Fieldhouse.
    • College Drive at the Parkway (HWY19).

CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
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Work With Us!

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

  • Municipal Services Inspector - Temporary Full-time
  • Buyer
  • Recreation Coordinator - Aquatics
  • Casual Police Information Clerks
  • Civil Design Technologist
  • Temporary Recreation Leader II - Inclusion
  • Roads Management Specialist - Temporary Full-Time
  • Building Official
  • Casuals - Police Services
  • Custodian - Relief Pool
  • Casual Lifeguard/Instructors

JOB POSTINGS
A view of Nanaimo City Hall and it's gardens under a partly cloudy sky.
A view of the Shaw auditorium from the perspective of the Mayor's chair.

Meetings This Week

Thursday, April 13: Design Advisory Panel Meeting at 5 pm. 

Monday, April 17: Regular Council Meeting at 7 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
Two people standing on a ridge with their mountain bikes looking toward Westwood Lake with Nanaimo in the background.

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