HomePage / Your Government / Projects / Projects Detail

Midtown Gateway Project

MTG Logo - Round - Blue Surround - webpage

The Midtown Gateway Project is transforming a legacy brownfield site impacted by past industrial activity into a revitalized neighbourhood gateway. It features new complete street transportation corridors, a new naturalized storm water wetland with public walking trails, and enhanced access to our premier recreation complex - Beban Park.

Once fully completed, the Midtown Gateway Project will:

  • Restore a wetland impacted by historical coal mining activity,
  • Create over 2km of new off-street active transportation pathways,
  • Enhance accessibility to Beban Park,
  • Create a public natural area with walking trails, that will also serve as a detention pond during storm events,
  • Unlock a development site for a signature commercial and residential gateway development to the City,
  • Create a new transportation network that will increase the safety and comfort for people who walk, bike, take transit, and drive, and
  • Improve the safe flow of commercial and industrial goods.

 

Phase 2A Construction Underway

Knappett Industries Ltd., working on behalf of the City of Nanaimo, started construction of Phase 2A in August of 2022. Phase 2A includes final ground improvements, underground municipal utilities and installation of two large diameter water supply mains. 

 

Phase 2B Construction Outlook

Procurement of Phase 2B is expected to start late Summer 2023, with construction starting as early as Winter 2023.  Construction of Phase 2B is expected to last until Summer of 2025.

 

Traffic Advisory

On Thursday, October 5, from 7am-7pm, there will be some minor traffic disruptions at the intersection of Northfield and Boxwood Roads while road restoration works are completed. For your safety, please obey all signs and traffic control persons. All businesses remain open and accessible. Thank you for your patience! 


Want to Know More?

Check out the recent construction photos gallery, or the additional information under the tabs below.

Or contact us at midtowngateway@nanaimo.ca

Gallery

  • Progress

    Phase 1 (Complete)

    Phase 1 was completed in 2019 and included site cleanup, environmental remediation, initial ground improvements and construction of a new engineered wetland that also serves as a storm water pond. 

    Phase 2A (Active)

    Knappett Industries Ltd., working on behalf of the City of Nanaimo, started construction of Phase 2A in August of 2022. Phase 2A includes final ground improvements, underground municipal utilities and installation of two large diameter water supply mains.

    The large diameter water supply mains included in this phase will connect to the  Midtown Water Supply Upgrades Project.  This major water infrastructure upgrade will serve the community for generations and will provide resiliency in the City’s core water supply network. Learn more about this important project by visiting:

    www.nanaimo.ca/goto/MidtownWater

    One of the first construction activities that was completed at the start of Phase 2A was Rapid Impact Compaction to further compact the soils beneath the future road corridors. Rapid Impact Compaction, or RIC for short, is a specialized soil compaction technique that involves using an excavator fitted with an hydraulic hammer to repeatedly strike an impact plate. 

    A brief video of this work can be found here.

    Phase 2B

    Phase 2B, currently scheduled for 2023/2024 construction, will see the completion of the project and the new all-mode transportation network put into service.  Phase 2B will also open up the new public natural area with walking trails around the restored wetland, and provide enhanced accessibility to Beban Park.

     

  • Documents

    Construction Notices

    Click here for a copy of the Phase 2A construction startup notice that was delivered to the area surrounding the project site in August 2022.

    Click  here for a copy of the certificate of completion that was issued for a subcontract between Knappett Industries (2006) Ltd. and Menard Canada Inc. on October 5, 2022.

    Nanaimo Transportation Master Plan

    The Boxwood Connector, which is part of the Midtown Gateway project, was identified as a major road improvement project in the 2014 Nanaimo Transportation Master Plan

    Official Community Plan

    The Official Community Plan identifies the project area as an important corridor and envisions a mix of commercial and residential development. Given the geotechnical and environmental challenges, the site has remained undeveloped leaving a large brownfield property in a prominent gateway location.

     

  • Details

    Below are some infographics for the Midtown Gateway Project.

  • Background

Is there anything wrong with this page?

Help us improve our website

Don't include private or financial information in this form.

Collection and use of your personal information

Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA. Questions about the collection of your personal information may be referred to the Legislative Services Department at 250-755-4405, or via email at foi@nanaimo.ca. Please also see our Privacy Policy.