April 15, 2024

This Week...

Join us to celebrate Earth Day, learn about the new Short-Term Rental regulations starting May 1 and be prepared for Catch Basin Cleaning. Read on for more!

Earth Day Community Celebration 2024

The City of Nanaimo and the RDN's Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Program along with community partners are 'celebrating local' this year for our Earth Day celebration on Saturday April 20, from 10 am to 3 pm, at Bowen Park. Admission is free.

Enjoy an interactive workshop, check out vendors and information booths, go for a nature walk and try out a nature demo!


Celebrating local:

  • Artisans and local plant sale
  • Stewardship groups & volunteers
  • Native plant talk and walk
  • Shared water & water protection programs

Free presentations:

10:30 am - Bianca van Der Stoel: Horticultural Therapy, cultivating well-being

11:15 am - Andrew Templar, watersmart irrigation

12 pm - Leadership Vancouver Island, pollinator paradise

12:45 pm - Connie Kuromoto, watersmart gardening

1:30 pm - Alicia Meek, intro to plant ID followed by plant walk (requires e-registration)

2:15 pm - NALT: turtle talk, how can we help?

 

There will also be an Earth Day Invasive Plant Work Party on April 22 from 10 am to 12 pm at Bird Sanctuary Drive. All necessary equipment and training provided. Work parties are fun but physically taxing and best suited to those with a basic level of fitness and agility. Wear sturdy shoes and bring gloves and loppers if you have them. Register here!

2024 Culture Awards

We hope you were able to join us as we honoured our Culture Award winners at the Port Theatre. It was a wonderful event celebrating our extraordinary arts and culture community and we couldn’t have done it without our incredible performers.

A huge thank you to Wellington Secondary Jazz Band, Vibrant Dance Studio, Brigadoon Dance Academy, The Sharma Sisters, and From the Earth who put on an absolutely incredible show! And if you missed it – not to worry – this is an annual FREE event. We’ll see you next April!

Poetry in the Park

Can you find them all? We've placed QR codes throughout Bowen Park that link to some of City of Nanaimo Poet Laureatte Kamal Parmar's poetry. Find the codes, scan them, and enjoy watching and listening as Kamal shares her love of nature and Fall through her poetic words.

Want to enjoy the poetry at home? You can find it on the City’s Youtube channel.

Production Closure

From April 22 to May 31, Diana Krall Plaza and adjacent streets will see closures due to production activities. For Phase 1 Wharf Street and access to Diana Krall Plaza from Commercial Street will be closed to both vehicles and pedestrians.

Many shops and restaurants will still remain open during this time!

LEARN MORE

Short-Term Rentals

Did you know? The BC Government is rolling out new regulations governing short-term rentals starting May 1, 2024. These are in addition to the existing City of Nanaimo regulations.

To learn more, visit the Short-term Rental page on the City website.

Spring Tree Care

Tree pruning should be done in the winter months during full dormancy or later on, after the trees have finished flowering.

Things you can do in the spring are:

  • Remove any remaining decorative lighting to avoid girdling the tree.
  • Clean up around the tree removing branches, twigs or leaves and then mulch the area around the base of the tree, but not against the trunk. Mulch against the trunk holds moisture and heat, which can help promote diseases such as canker.
  • Check the trunk and branches for damage before the leaves appear. Rabbits and deer can cause damage that may kill the tree. Protective mesh can help to protect against this type of damage.
  • If you see something that doesn't look quite right, contact a local Certified Arborist who can assist you.

SEASONAL TREE CARE

Catch Basin Cleaning

Beginning Monday, April 15, City of Nanaimo Public Works staff and contractors will set out to clean 10,000 stormwater catch basins. Starting in the Duke Point area, crews will work their way north along various streets of Nanaimo. This work involves large equipment and staff working on the road. Please approach with caution and obey traffic control personnel's directions. The annual catch basin cleaning program is expected to be complete by August.

LEARN MORE

Cooking Classes with Alicia Meek

Alicia is a plant-based chef, nutritionist and herbalist dedicated to creating delicious, healthy meals and desserts. She focuses on fresh, highly nutritious, plant-based ingredients to promote health and vitality. Through cooking classes and workshops, she inspires others to enjoy being in the kitchen. Join Alicia on a journey of flavourful and healthy cuisine that celebrates mindful living.

LEARN MORE

Will Your Commute Be Affected This Week?

Here’s a list of up-to-date information on City construction projects. Make sure to plan your commute and, if possible, plan an alternate route. When approaching construction zones, please make sure to slow down and obey all signage and traffic personnel instructions. Thank you for your patience!

Midtown Water Supply Project

  • Construction in the Black Diamond Drive neighbourhood includes a 24 hour/day, road closure in both directions along Black Diamond Drive near the Crows Nest Place intersection for vehicular traffic. Drivers can access properties from either end of the road off Jingle Pot Drive.
  • The trail that connects VIU, the Black Diamond neighbourhood and Third Street is closed to the public. This area is an active construction site for the installation of the water supply main. Construction traffic will enter and exit the work zone at Third Street across from the Rotary Field House.
  • Commuters can expect minor delays and visual distractions along many streets in the City while construction continues on this project. Drivers, pay close attention to signage and the construction traffic as they enter and exit these sections of the project:
    • Beban Park, near Bowen Road south entrance
    • Labieux Road, off the Labieux Rd/Kenworth Rd roundabout
    • East Wellington, Westwood Road to Bowen Road
    • Griffiths Road, end to Madsen Road
    • Third Street across from the Rotary Fieldhouse
    • College Drive, near the Parkway intersection

Thank you for your patience! Learn more about this project: Midtown Water Supply Upgrades.

Terminal Avenue

  • Terminal Avenue upgrades will be ongoing between Commercial Street and Esplanade Street.
  • Signal installation has commenced at Esplanade and drivers should expect delays travelling through the intersection.
  • Right turns southbound from Terminal Avenue onto Esplanade, and Westbound from Esplanade onto Terminal Avenue will not be permitted from April 15 to April 29 to accommodate concrete pours.
  • The sidewalk in front of Vancouver Island Convention Centre along Terminal Avenue will have rotating closures and pedestrian traffic will be provided with a detour onto Terminal.
  • The mid-block crosswalk at Gordon Street is closed until the installation of the new signals, expected late this year. Pedestrians please use the crosswalks at Commercial Street and Esplanade for safe crossing
  • Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.

Victoria Road Temporary Closure

  • Victoria Road is closed between Rainer Street and Needham Street to repair some settlement in the roadway.
  • A temporary detour along Seventh Street to Park Avenue to Fifth Street will be in place until the end of April while repair work is completed.
  • Local traffic has access to Victoria Road from each end of the closure.

Meredith Road Watermain Upgrade

  • Construction work is continuing on Meredith Road between Spencer Road and Forest Drive.
  • Typical construction hours are Monday to Thursday, 7 am to 5 pm.
  • Commuters are encouraged to avoid this area if possible. If that is not possible, expect delays and account for extra time when navigating the area.
  • Detours will be instituted where possible.
  • Obey all signs and traffic control persons.

Weber Street & Bruce Avenue Area Utility Upgrades

  • Construction on Weber Street, Glen Crescent, Pedestrian Walkway, Plecas Crescent and Bruce Avenue is ongoing.
  • Pedestrian walkway between Glen Crescent and Plecas Crescent will be closed all week, watermain and storm replacement ongoing.
  • Traffic on Weber Street, Glen Crescent and Plecas Crescent will occasionally be reduced to single-lane-alternating.
  • Typical construction hours are Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5 pm.

First Street Area Project

  • Pavement restoration work is underway on Bowen Road between Acacia and Ashlar. This will require single-lane alternating traffic during work hours (7 am to 5 pm).
  • Doric Rd will remain closed to local traffic only while the restoration progresses.
  • Drivers should slow down and exercise caution when traveling through the project area, as the pavement may be uneven in sections.

CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
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Work With Us!

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

  • Enhanced Digital Field Technician
  • Planning Assistant
  • Casuals - Police Services
  • Fire Fighters
  • Human Resource Advisor - Recruitment
  • Assistant Manager, Procurement
  • Civil Design Technologist
  • Building Official
  • Financial Analyst - Temporary Full-Time
  • Casual Clerical Opportunities
  • Casual Pool - Custodian Relief
  • Casual Lifeguard/Instructors

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

Meetings This Week

Wednesday, April 17: Finance and Audit Committee Meeting in the Shaw Auditorium starting at 9 am.

Thursday, April 18: Public Hearing Meeting in the Shaw Auditorium starting 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
City of Nanaimo news and events

Recap of City News

Annual catch basin cleaning program to begin April 15, 2024

The City of Nanaimo presents “Poetry in the Park”

CITY NEWSROOM

Stay up to Date with Council, Programming and Events