My Nanaimo This Week - August 24, 2020

This week, registration begins for fall recreation programs, REIMAGINE NANAIMO explores how we care and find out if your commute will be affected. Read on for more!

City Service Updates

We have created a COVID-19 Recovery Plan to provide a path forward for resumption of City operations in a safe and economically viable way. The plan outlines four steps that the City will take toward a gradual, safe and measured reopening of municipal facilities and resumption of City services and programs that have been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Corporate Services - We look forward to opening the doors to our Service and Resource Centre, and other facilities, soon (scroll down to learn more about our recreation centre and arena re-openings!). In the meantime, please check out our Online Services page to see how we can help you. 

Public Works - City staff continue regular garbage, recycling and organics collection. More information on recyclables can be found at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/recycle.

Parks, Recreation & Culture Open - Playgrounds, parks, trails, skateboard parks, bike parks, pickle ball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, lacrosse boxes, sports fields and dog parks are open with a number of guidelines to follow. Beban Social Centre is available for facility rentals. One sheet of ice at Cliff McNabb Arena is open for rentals and summer programs. 

Parks, Recreation & Culture Almost Open - Our recreation centres are getting ready to welcome you back!

• Recreation programs will begin on Wednesday, September 9 at Beban Social Centre.
• Bowen Park Complex and Oliver Woods Community Centre will open on Wednesday, September 9 for rentals and recreation programs.
• Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (NAC) will open on Thursday, September 10 for both the pool and the fitness gym.
• One sheet of ice will be added to Nanaimo Ice Centre on September 1 (if demand dictates)

Parks, Recreation & Culture Closed - Beban Pool remains closed. Frank Crane Arena remains closed, however one sheet of ice will open if demand dictates. 

REIMAGINE NANAIMO

This week, REIMAGINE NANAIMO explores the topic of How We Care - Our Social Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusiveness. This week's Create Community Contest challenge focuses on the question: What do you consider the HEART of Nanaimo? Is it a place? Is it an experience?

Enter the contest by posting your response on the Get Involved - REIMAGINE NANAIMO page or emailing it to reimagine@nanaimo.ca. At the end of the contest all entries will be entered into a prize draw to win a $500 gift card to your choice of ONE of: a local electronics store OR a local bike shop OR a local grocery store. Visit the Get Involved - REIMAGINE NANAIMO page for details.

Did you know? You can participate in this important project by registering at Get Involved Nanaimo. Make sure to subscribe to the REIMAGINE NANAIMO project to stay in the know on new topics, contests and other activities through email updates.

Around the City

Register for Fall Recreation This Week!
Beginning this Wednesday (August 26), you can register for fall recreation programs! Here's how it will work.

Program listings will be different this year. The Fall and Winter Activity Guide will not be produced so you can look for program offerings in the following ways:

• View the three web pages on the City of Nanaimo website for Fall 2020 Arena Activities, Fall 2020 Pool Activities and Fall 2020 Community Recreation found on the left side of the "Recreation and Parks" tab

• Click "Interested" on the three Facebook events pages (City of Nanaimo Local Government) for Arenas, Pools and Community Recreation

• Pick up a hard copy of our newsletter available at Bowen Park and Beban Park, Monday to Friday, 9 am-4 pm, outside the main Social Centre doors at Beban Park and the upper lobby doors at Bowen Park starting on Monday, August 24.

You can register online through recreation.nanaimo.ca (accounts should be set up in advance of registration date), by telephone at 250-756-5200 or in-person at the Frank Crane Arena ticket office in Beban Park. That office is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. Due to limited in-person registration options, we encourage you to register online or by phone. 

Will Your Commute Be Affected?
Check out the City's Current Construction Projects page for up-to-date information on City construction projects. Here are a few projects that may affect your commute:

• Expect delays and traffic pattern changes on Bowen Road around the Kenworth Road and Labieux Road intersection while crews work on utility and corridor upgrades. Most work will be done at night from 7 am to 7 pm to accommodate daytime commutes. 
• Shores Drive will be closed to vehicle traffic from August 10 to 31. Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained at all times.

Council and Committees

Upcoming Council and Committee Meetings
Council is taking a break from meetings and will be back next week. Visit the Meetings, Documents and Videos page on the City website to view upcoming meetings, agendas and past meeting videos. 

Council in Action
Missed what decisions Council made during a Special Council Meeting or a Regular Council Meeting? Don’t worry. We have you covered! Check out our Council Meeting Summary page for quick overviews. 

City News

Here is a recap of last week's City news:

• Register for programs this fall with Parks, Recreation and Culture