My Nanaimo This Week - September 14, 2020

This week, REIMAGINE NANAIMO explores how we live, applications are open for Culture and Heritage grants and work on the Metral Drive Complete Street project has begun. Read on for more!

Psst! We are changing the format of My Nanaimo This Week. Later this fall, we will be shifting over from posting this weekly newsletter on our blog to sending it straight to your email inbox! If you would like to begin receiving this newsletter by email, subscribe here. Not interested in getting an email from us? No problem! My Nanaimo This Week will still be posted online just in a new location at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/my-nanaimo-this-week and to our social media channels (@cityofnanaimo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). 

Did you know? We have other newsletters you can sign up for! You can find a list of newsletters and subscribe to them on the City website.

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

• Outdoors:
  • 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.

• Community Recreation:
  • Beban Social Centre is available for facility rentals. One sheet of ice at Cliff McNabb Arena is open for rentals and fall programs. 
  • Bowen Park Complex opens for recreation programs and community rentals on Thursday, September 10 and pre-registered drop-in programs (pottery, woodworking) starting on Monday, September 14. Front desk hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm (closed 12-1 pm)
  • Oliver Woods Community Centre is open for fall recreation programs and community rentals. Pre-registered drop-in programs will begin on Sunday, September 27. Front desk hours: Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm (closed 12-1 pm) and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 am-2:30 pm. 
  • Community Recreation Programming - Fall 2020

• Pools:
  • The Nanaimo Aquatic Centre is now open! Cleanliness and patron safety is top priority. Pre-registration is required to reserve your time slot. To ensure adequate time for cleaning between sessions pool users will need to remain in their reserved space until the end of their session. If swimmers need to leave early, they can leave directly from the deck via the deep-end doors, without accessing the change rooms. Front desk hours: Monday to Friday, 6:30 am-7 pm (closed 2:30-3:30 pm) and Saturday and Sunday, 8 am-8 pm (closed 12-12:30 pm)
  • Pool Activities - Fall 2020

• Arenas:
  • Nanaimo Ice Centre opens for pre-registered drop in on Sunday, September 20. Front desk office is closed until further notice.
  • Arena Activities - Fall 2020

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 can build more active, safer and livable neighbourhoods. 

Enter the Creative Community 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

Applications Open for Culture and Heritage Grants
We are now accepting applications for funding assistance to support the 2021 activities of non-profit community organizations. Funds are available in three streams:

• Culture & Heritage Operating Grant
• Culture & Heritage Project Grant
• Downtown Event Revitalization Grant

Guidelines, criteria and application forms are available online at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/grants or by contacting Culture & Events directly at 250-755-4483 or cultureandevents@nanaimo.ca.

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 pm to 7 am to accommodate daytime commutes. 
• The Complete Street project on Metral Drive is underway. Drivers can expect single lane alternating traffic at times and traffic pattern changes while work continues. Work will be done between 7 am and 5 pm.
• The RDN is doing some road work on Hammond Bay Road between McGuffie Road and Shores Drive. Drivers can expect delays and traffic pattern changes. 

Council and Committees 

Upcoming Council and Committee Meetings
Council meets on Monday night, the Finance and Audit Committee and Health Housing Task Force have meetings on Wednesday and a Public Hearing and Board of Variance meeting on Thursday cap off this week's meetings. 

• Monday, September 14: Regular Council meeting at 7 pm
• Wednesday, September 16: Finance and Audit Committee meeting at 9 am
• Wednesday, September 16: Health and Housing Task Force meeting at 3 pm
• Thursday, September 17: Board of Variance meeting at 5:30 pm
• Thursday, September 17: Public Hearing at 7 pm

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:

• Hotter, drier summers. Warmer, wetter winters. Nanaimo adapts to climate change
• City invites applications for 2021 Culture Grants