News & Initiatives
2011 Heritage Summit: A Century of Conservation - Parks and Cultural Landscapes
On Wednesday, 2011-MAR-16, the City of Nanaimo's Heritage Commission hosted a Heritage Summit at the Nanaimo Museum. The purpose of the summit was to heighten heritage awareness in the community during National Heritage Week (Feb. 21-27), as well as network with other organizations interested in heritage issues.
Erected in 2010, the Nanaimo Fire Department interpretive sign is located near the original site of Nanaimo's first fire hall. The sign provides a concise history of the evolution of Nanaimo's fire department from its early days as the Black Diamond Engine Company, to its absorption into the City of Nanaimo in 1901. The sign is also dedicated to the hundreds of firefighters who have served the community of Nanaimo. On Wednesday, 2010-FEB-17, the City of Nanaimo's Heritage Commission hosted a Heritage Summit at the Nanaimo Museum. The purpose of the summit was to heighten heritage awareness in the community during National Heritage Week (Feb. 15-21), as well as network with other organizations interested in heritage issues.
On Thursday, 2009-FEB-19, the City of Nanaimo's Heritage Commission hosted a Heritage Summit at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The purpose of the Summit was to heighten heritage awareness in the community during National Heritage Week (Feb. 16-22), as well as network with other local organizations interested in heritage issues. The event was separated into two parts. The first part was devoted to a presentation on the history of Nanaimo's educational institutions by Dr. Patrick Dunae (VIU History Department). The presentation focus was chosen based on this year's National Heritage Week theme "A Legacy of Learning: The Heritage of Education". The remainder of the evening was devoted to a round table discussion allowing heritage groups in attendance to share information about their organization's mandate, recent accomplishments and upcoming projects. Thank-you to all of those who attended and helped to make the 2009 Heritage Summit a success! On Thursday, 2008-DEC-04, the Nanaimo Historical Society, in partnership with the City of Nanaimo, unveiled two new interpretive signs containing the stories of nine ships associated with the history of Nanaimo's harbour and the City's development as a community. Featured ships include the Sutil, Mexicana, Beaver, Maude, Nanaimo, Rainbow, Oscar, Princess Elaine, and Atrevida. The sign unveiling took place on the downtown waterfront next to the "Pacific Sails" sculpture just north of the seaplane terminal. This project was made possibly by the generous financial assistance of the Provincial Government's BC 150/Spirit of BC funding initiative and the Nanaimo Port Authority. In 2008, this interpretive sign was erected at the traditional location of the Snuneymuxw First Nation winter village site. The sign forms part of the Departure Bay "Portal To Our Heritage" project, which is a legacy project of Nanaimo's designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada by Canadian Heritage. The City of Nanaimo and Snuneymuxw First Nation worked together to create the portal which represents the significance of this traditional site of the Snuneymuxw people. The plaque and monument focus on the unique history of Chase River over the past 100 years and features the story of Louis Stark, an early black settler in this region.
The City of Nanaimo formally unveiled a "Wellington Coal Mine Interpretive Plaque" at Diver Lake Park on Tuesday, 2006-MAY-02. The plaque provides historical information on the No. 5 Mine of the Wellington Colliery, owned and operated by Robert Dunsmuir from the 1870s until 1900, when the mine was closed and the nearby mine settlement of Wellington was dismantled and its buildings relocated to Extension and Ladysmith. The plaque also serves as a memorial for 77 miners killed by a methane gas explosion in the mine on January 24, 1888. Photo Left to Right: John Hofman (Chair, Nanaimo Community Heritage Commission, Mayor Gary Korpan, and Norm Godfrey (related to Ezra Godfrey, a miner killed in the 1888 methane gas explosion). On Saturday, 2002-JUN-29, the City of Nanaimo officially unveiled two bronze busts of Mark Bate and Ki-et-sa-kun (Coal Tyee). The busts were sculpted by the late Dorothea E. Kennedy. Both men played significant roles in the early settlement of Nanaimo. Mark Bate was the City's first mayor in 1875. Coal Tyee brought Nanaimo's coal deposits to the attential of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1849. The busts are located in the Mark Bate Memorial Tree Plaza (next to the Lighthouse Bistro/Pub on the downtown waterfront). This public art project was made possible by the generous financial assistance of the Gyro Club, Women of the Moose, Kiwanis Club, Knights of Columbus, Order of the Royal Purple Lodge No. 16, Fraternal Order of the Eagles Aerie No. 15 (Ladies Auxiliary), Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 10, and Ladies Auxiliary. The house was destroyed by fire in 1977, however, because of the importance of the house and the Haslam family to Nanaimo's heritage, an interpretive plaque was placed on the site in 2002 by the City of Nanaimo with generous financial assistance of Tim Hortons and Michael Haslam (a direct descendent of Andrew Haslam). In 2001, with the assistance of an ACT grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Nanaimo created a regulatory environment and financial incentives to facilitate residential conversion in the city's downtown commercial core by: For more information about the project, please see the following attachments: To book the building please contact the City's Parks, Recreation and Culture Department at 250-756-5200. "Nanaimo's Fire Department" Interpretive Sign Unveiled
2010 Heritage Summit: Heritage of Sport & Recreation, Community Pride, Active Living
2009 Heritage Summit: A Legacy of Learning - The Heritage of Education
"Ships That Built Nanaimo" Interpretive Signs Unveiled
"Snuneymuxw Settlement at Departure Bay" Interpretive Sign Unveiled
"Chase River Pioneers" Interpretive Sign and Stark Monument Unveiled
On behalf of the Nanaimo African Heritage Society and the Chase River Neighbourhood Association, with assistance from the City's Heritage Commission and Parks, Recreation & Culture, an unveiling ceremony for the Chase River Pioneer Plaque and Stark Monument took place 2008-FEB-22. "Wellington Coal Mining" Interpretive Sign Unveiled
Mark Bate Memorial Tree Plaza Busts
"Haslam House" Interpretive Sign
The site of the Tim Hortons at the corner of Comox Road and Wallace Street (15 Wallace Street) was once the home of Haslam House, a late Victorian era residence. The residence was built by Andrew Haslam, a local sawmill owner, who later became Mayor of Nanaimo (1892-93), and also served as both Provincial MLA (1890-92) and a Federal MP (1894-96).Downtown Residential Conversion - Affordability and Choice Today (ACT) Project
Heritage Building Available for Rental
The Brick Cottage located at 1904 Jingle Pot Road, abutting Buttertubs Marsh, is available for rental by the public. The building can be used as a meeting space for up to 10 persons. Please note, there is water service to the building, but no in-building washroom (there is a portable washroom on the site).
