Issuu

Spring 2012

Dispatches

Lantzville Nanaimo Nanoose Bay

Susan Cudahy New Economic Development CEO

Business

Development Arts Scene

Harbour City High-Note Lifestyles

Zorkin Name Lives On

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Contents 4

Letter from the Chamber with Chair Wally Wells

Five Fast Facts about Nanaimo

Dispatches from Lantzville protecting heritage values moving forward

Dispatches from Nanaimo something for everyone, resident or tourist

Dispatches from Nanoose Bay strong local roots looking to the future

Business Development coastal BC appeal draws new residents

Art, Theatre and Music Scene hits the high notes

New Nanaimo Economic Development CEO Susan Cudahy sees a marketing dream come true

Shopping/Retail diverse shopping experiences highlighted

20 26

Calendar of Events Dining/Food local fair tantalizes taste buds

Lifestyle Old City Quarter revitalization linked to Zorkin name

Lifestyle local nature interpreter shares love of rich natural history

Lifestyle Vancouver Island University President, Dr. Ralph Nilson

Letter from the Chamber Many people ask is membership in the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce for me and what does it really do? Your Chamber is the voice for business and commerce in Nanaimo. Your voice is heard by City Council, other governments, the media, and other organizations as well as the general public. The Chamber is a membership organization and does not ask for, or receive, any government funding. We therefore are effective in taking a stand on issues, promoting good practices and fairly representing the interests of our community. Locally, we liaise extensively with many agencies of common interest, working together where appropriate and sharing information. While we maintain a strong relationship with City Council and staff, there clearly are times where we differ in opinion and bring a different perspective to Council. This is always carried out in a knowledgeable and professional manner. Consequently, your Chamber is respected and the opinion of the Chamber often sought. A key community program the Chamber promotes is ‘Successful Cities”. There are 11 criteria that sustain a successful city. Through workshops, publications and speaking at every opportunity the concepts and principles of a successful city are being adopted by many organizations and are being included in the City’s Strategic Plan. The Chamber is developing a program to help business with Succession planning. An MBA student of Vancouver Island University was recruited to assist with this program A key area of activity for the Chamber is providing opportunities for our members to market and grow their businesses. With growth, new employment opportunities arise which helps create and sustain jobs in Nanaimo and promote a healthy City. Networking opportunities are provided to members through the monthly luncheon meetings with quality speakers on subjects of interest and morning and afternoon networking events. Business related events such as Business forum and the annual Business Expo, now in its fifth year, provides an opportunity to showcase your business to other businesses and the public. The Nanaimo Chamber has provided leadership in forming The Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands Accord, a collaboration of Island Chambers to ensure a coordinated response to issues such as support for funding for the railway in the Island corridor. The Nanaimo Chamber is a member of the BC Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce allowing networking and advocacy on important provincial and federal issues that affect us all. We are proud that Nanaimo will host the BC Chamber of Commerce locally in May 2013 bringing 250 people to our city. Your Chamber is an important part of the business and employment network in Nanaimo. As a member supported organization, your participation helps us all succeed.

Wally Wells, P. Eng. Chair, Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce

Spring 2012 Sp Publisher: Maurice Donn Editor: Mitch Wright Production Manager: Susan Duhamel Advertising Sales: Sean McCue Advertising and Editorial Inquiries: 250-753-3707 Nanaimo - Gateway to Commerce and Lifestyle is published by Black Press for Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. ON THE COVER: Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation CEO Susan Cudahy cruises the harbour with Carolyn and Alan Quinn aboard Nanaimo skipper Bill Jones’s vessel Ion. Cover photo by Dirk Heydemann, Heydemann Art of Photography. Cover design by Darren Bristol, Bristol Icon.

ROY OSTLING is a writer and photographer who has lived in the downtown area of Nanaimo for the past six years. Along with writing on environmental subjects for local government, Roy publishes an online magazine about Nanaimo’s outdoor recreation, food, art and music scene called harbourcityheartbeat.com. A former community newspaper reporter, he has written for magazines including BC Business, Westworld, Enterprise (BC Credit Union publication), and the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Tourism Guide. Roy is a co-founder of the Brant Wildlife Festival. He co-chaired the festival for several years, organized several wildlife art exhibits and wrote and published the festival’s souvenir programs. After having resided in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria, Roy is passionate about living in Nanaimo. He never tires of exploring the city’s vibrant working harbour, its compact downtown with exciting music, restaurants and shops, and learning about Nanaimo’s history reflected in its diversity of residential and commercial architecture. DIRK HEYDEMANN of Heydemann Art of Photography and HA Photography has his photo studio located in the beautiful harbour city. He has been shooting professionally as a commercial and wedding photographer for over 20 years. The best and most rewarding part of his job is seeing and hearing that his images have made an impact and difference in people’s lives. Dirk is thrilled to be apart of the Nanaimo Gateway to Commerce and Lifestyle Magazine team.

Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce 2133 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H8 Phone: 250-756-1191 – Fax: 250-756-1584 info@nanaimochamber.bc.ca © Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. For editorial matters, please contact the editor. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, its Board of Directors, nor that of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. The publisher is not responsible for the content of any advertisement, or any representations made therein. No part of Nanaimo Gateway to Commerce and Lifestyle may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

Photos Roy Ostling

Five fast facts about Nanaimo STATISTICS CANADA’S 2011 census pegs Nanaimo’s population at 83,810, a gain of 6.5 per cent or 5,118 people. The total population for the Nanaimo census agglomeration – Nanaimo and its outlying districts – also rose to 98,021, representing a 6.1-per cent jump or 5,660 more people.

THERE ARE 588 HECTARES of parkland in Nanaimo, including 100 kilometres of trails, 65 playgrounds and 22 sports ﬁelds.

THE CITY HAS HAD 24 DIFFERENT MAYORS since Mark Bate ﬁrst held the office in 1875. Frank Ney occupied city hall’s top job the longest, from 1968-84, and ’86-’90. John Ruttan is the city’s current mayor, serving his second term.

COMMERCIAL STREET in downtown Nanaimo was ranked No. 1 in the ‘Best Streets’ category of a national contest organized by the Canadian Institute of Planners in 2011.

NANAIMO-BORN CHANTEUSE Diana Krall has won three Grammy awards. She has also accumulated 10 Grammy nominations, as well as eight Juno awards and 13 nominations.

Dispatches from Lantzville BC’s 155th municipality protects its heritage values, looks to the future By Roy Ostling

TRETCHING from its foreshore along the Strait of Georgia to the backdrop of its foothills, the community of Lantzville is an attractive mix of quiet semi-rural and village-style living. Its earliest European settlers were farmers and farming is still practised in parts of the community. In the early 1920s, Lantzville became a booming coal mine town and was named after Fraser Harry Lantz, a director of the American company that owned the local mines. Until it became BC’s 155th municipality in 2003, Lantzville was seen largely as a suburb of the rapidly growing City of Nanaimo. Today the community of 3,800 is focused on providing the basic services to improve its village core and expand housing choices while protecting the rural character and natural beauty and healthy environment of its neighbourhoods. Lantzville can be divided into two separate but complementary upper and lower regions. Lower Lantzville encompasses the townbased neighbourhoods, village commercial area, five parks, and several farms. The community’s village centre is built along Lantzville Road. It features the landmark town hall with its clock tower, the Lantzville Pub (former Lantzville Hotel built in 1925), Lantzville Market grocery store, post office and Costin Hall community centre. The village area exudes a relaxed friendly charm. It’s a place to shop and meet for lunch or dinner, such as at the recently opened Riso bistro and bakery, specializing in authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas. In the summer, lower Lantzville’s six kilometres of shoreline attracts locals and visitors alike for beachcombing and the vistas of Winchelsea Islands and the Coastal Mountains shimmering across the strait. Sebastion Park, with its beach access and grassy areas, is a favourite spot for picnicking and swimming. Jacks Road viewpoint features remnants of coal-pier pilings offshore where today cormorants bask in the sun.

Upper Lantzville and the Foothills is a largely undeveloped area above the Island Highway. It includes a small industrial park, the 18-hole Winchelsea View golf course and the Foothills Estates, an 1800-acre property slated for future development, of which 900 acres will become parkland. The informal trails along foothills and its promontories are a magnet for walkers and hikers attracted by spectacular views. This past November, Lantzville residents celebrated the opening of its ﬁrst oﬃcial trail for walkers, bikers, strollers and wheelchairs. This 1.6 kilometre paved trail along the E&N rail line will eventually become part of a trail network linking Lantzville neighbourhoods, a sign of an historic community creating a legacy for its future citizens.

Lantzville Events and Attractions Mine Town Day – An annual event held in September that celebrate Lantzville’s coal mining heritage, featuring a parade, pancake breakfast, dance, and community and vendors booths. Winchelsea View Golf Course – An 18hole course that starts at the base of the foothills, featuring scenic vistas from the second nine Lantzville Beaches – Beachcombing, picnicking, swimming and enjoying the views of Georgia Strait attract locals and visitors and locals alike, particularly during the summer months.

Dispatches from Nanaimo The Harbour City: A picture-perfect place to live and visit By Roy Ostling

Shack Island and Piper’s Lagoon. Photo Roy Ostling

F Nanaimo were a painting, its frame would deserve much of the credit for creating a spectacular setting for this central Vancouver Island community. Known as the Harbour City, the northwestern expanse of the canvas and urban landscape is deﬁned by a coastline dotted by bays and bluﬀs. Meanwhile, the deep clean waters of the Nanaimo River delineate the city’s southern border, and to the east, the rise of Mount Benson’s treed slopes and its 812-metre peak form an impressive backdrop.

extensive trails, camping, beaches and deep natural and cultural heritage. The 3.5-km seawall brings out walkers and runners for the fresh ocean air and view.

A community with deep roots

In 2008, Nanaimo was named a Canadian Cultural Capital and three years later, its downtown area was selected for having the Greatest Street in Canada. Visitors and locals alike look forward to summers ﬁlled with events such as Marine Festival with the World Champion International Bathtub Race and the Save-on-Foods Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival, both in July.

Nanaimo’s name is derived from its earliest inhabitants: the Coast Salish Snuneymuxw First Nation, which is said to mean both “a great and mighty people” and “meeting place”. The city’s European settlement and economic life began as a trading post, symbolized by the restored Bastion, a white octagonal fort built by the Hudson Bay Company in 1853. Nanaimo is BC’s third oldest city and for much of its ﬁrst 100 years it was primarily a coal mining town. Today, Nanaimo is Vancouver Island’s second largest urban centre and an economic and transportation hub, known for its lifestyle and cultural attractions, aﬀordability and innovative university.

Other recreational attractions include the rugged beauty of Neck Point and Piper’s Lagoon coastal parks and in summer Westwood Lake Park is a popular spot for swimming and picnicking.

A cultural capital with the country’s greatest street

Nanaimo’s downtown award-winning Commercial Street and Old City Quarter features historic buildings, unique shopping, art galleries, a state-of-the-art conference centre, the Port Theatre, home of the Vancouver Island Symphony, and dining experiences from an authentic French bakery and cafe to the latest in the raw food cuisine.

A recreational paradise Once cited for having more shopping malls than any other city of its size in BC, Nanaimo is increasingly being recognized for its abundance of parks, open space and recreational opportunities. The city’s harbour is a popular destination for boaters and the location of Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park, with its

Something to discover for every beholder. Nanaimo as a place to live, work and play succeeds on many levels. As with a work of art, the appeal is universal because there is something here for everyone to discover. 7

Dispatches from Nanoose Bay Alluring land and seascapes, unique neighbourhoods attract residents and visitors By Roy Ostling

RAVELLING north along the Island Highway past Lantzville looms the deﬁning landmark of Nanoose Hill. From its reddish rocky base to its crowned top of ﬁrs, this popular hiking spot rises from the peninsula that forms much of Nanoose Bay, a place with one of the driest summer climates in Canada.

the area’s exceptional parks. Brickyard Community Park, with its arbutus groves and glorious sunset views of the Strait of Georgia, was the site of a brick plant that operated in the early 1900s. Moorecroft Regional Park, which oﬃcially opened this past summer, oﬀers one kilometre of beachfront for swimming and 80 acres of forests and trails to explore.

First settled by First Nations and referred to as “Nonooa”, the place names of Nanoose Bay recall a storied past and a wellplanned future for this growing community of 5,000 residents. On the west side of Nanoose Bay’s deep harbour and oyster growing leases is the Red Gap, Nanoose’s sole shopping centre. Following Powder Point Road, named for the company that made explosives until 1918, is the Fairwinds recreation and retirement community, with a scenic 18-hole golf course as its centrepiece.

Driving along Nanoose Bay’s main artery – Northwest Bay Road – are working farms that grow organic produce as well as eggs and beef. The area is also home to many artists and cottage industries. In May and October, up to 30 artists and artisans open their studios for public tours and viewings.

Other notable features of the Nanoose Peninsula are Schooner Cove Marina, which oﬀers sailing and kayaking adventures, and

Coming development for Nanoose Bay will add a new village centre in the Schooner Cove and Lakes District neighbourhoods. Along with new dedicated parks and trails and waterfront homes and condominiums, the area will feature shops, a bakery and a restaurant and patio pub. It’s another sign of a community with strong local roots looking to the future. Photo Roy Ostling

Business Development By Chris Hamlyn

F there is one phrase that might best describe the potential for development and investment in Nanaimo in the coming years it’s ‘slow and steady’.

And for most stakeholders, that’s a good thing. Surviving the out-of-control upswings of 2005 to 2007 and the recession that followed in 2008, most people will gladly welcome the calm that appears to have settled over Nanaimo and the central Island.

Photo Heydemann Art of Photography

Toby Seward, city director of development, said the city’s ﬁve-year projection is for a stable economy and a general improvement in the job market. “The world economy, especially the United States and Europe is causing everybody to be more conservative and play the waiting game when it comes to development,” he said. “But our continued on 10

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accommodate more people – has it reached its boundaries?

information shows people want to move to coastal B.C. and Vancouver is full and expensive, so where are they going to go? They come to the Island.”

Statistics Canada’s 2011 census has Nanaimo’s population at 83,810 and projections are for 100,000 by 2020.

And with people coming to the Island comes the need for services and infrastructure. Dave Hammond, of ReMax of Nanaimo, said having the building blocks in place is key to getting people to come here and keeping them here. “We’ve been described as the California of Canada. People are wanting to move here and the demographics show that continuing for the foreseeable future,” he said. “People from the Prairies and Ontario are making enquires, looking one or two years in advance.” Hammond said there are two markets on Vancouver Island – Victoria and everywhere else. But questions arise of whether Nanaimo has the land to

Seward said under Nanaimo’s current Oﬃcial Community Plan and zoning, there is the potential to build out for approximately another 40,000 people. “So we can go to about 130,000 with the current land base we have,” he said. “From there, it’s a lot more redevelopment. And if there’s one trend always coming up, it’s densiﬁcation.” Single family dwelling starts were around 200 in 2011, down from the 350 Nanaimo has averaged for the last 15 years. Multi-family housing starts were around 450 last year. “More and more people are recognizing a single family dwelling is perhaps not the viable housing form they want to pursue,” said Seward. “They’re going into a lot of townhouses, condos,

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duplex and four-plex complexes. That’s certainly a combination we are seeing.” Hammond agrees that given Nanaimo’s boundaries, the alternative to building out is building up. “Land for single family dwellings is getting tough. The flat land is gone and you have hills or in-fills of less than desirable land,” he said. “When you talk about density, one option is to take down something old and do something better with the property.” And that means some builders having to change their ways to continue making a living in the Harbour City. “One interesting comment I hear from builders who are moving from single family development to multi-family is they like to build what they like, but they have to build what the market absorbs,” said Seward. “There are a lot of people, especially in residential, who are building developments of maybe 20 units on a piece of property but only building out four at a time, selling them off and then continuing. It’s a totally logical process and you can do that with a strata development.” Doug Wittal, Canadian Home Builders’ Association provincial president, said he likes what he sees in terms of people in Nanaimo stepping outside the box. “We drive the market, we drive the economy and if you’re not willing to change your product and get into the new world, you’re not going to have a market and you’re not going to be working,” he said. Greg Constable, owner of Island Westcoast Developments, moved on from building single family homes in 1999, finding a niche instead in commercial building.

7-11 and FMI Crew. Photo Heydemann Art of Photography

Constable sees a positive attitude as a key to Nanaimo’s future. “There’s a lot of negative out there and if fence-sitters are thinking about investing in Nanaimo, negativity will push them toward another community,” he said. “Right now city managers and staff are the best I’ve seen in practising good development. If projects are economically viable, they will keep the community moving forward.” Seward said there is a great deal of interest in Nanaimo with developers seeing the potential for good returns on their investments. “Talking to a number of different people in the industry, the commercial investors are coming to town not looking at this year, but five or 10 years down the road in their purchases,” he said. “They’re going to look for a long-term investment. Is it stable? Do I have good tenants? Do I get a good return? If the answers are yes, then they’ll invest in Nanaimo.”

But whether it’s commercial, residential or industrial, he said the stakeholders have to work together for all of Nanaimo to prosper. “If you look at this area, it’s amazing. We have half the housing prices compared to the rest of the world, we’re a tourist-designated area… that stuﬀ has been handed to us on a plate, so let’s put some economics behind it,” he said. “The city and developers have to work as a cohesive team on projects with economics in mind. We have to focus on the good of the community.”

“Nanaimo is positioned well to receive people. They come here and they need services, they need retail, they need commercial ofﬁces, restaurants and light industrial.” 11

Art, Theatre and Music Scene a high-note of the Harbour City By Roy Ostling Photo Heydemann Art of Photography

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ANAIMO earned the title of Canadian Cultural Capital in 2008 and it’s a well-deserved honour. We’re internationally known for giving the world jazz superstar Diana Krall. Just as noteworthy, the city has one of Canada’s youngest professional symphony orchestras, BC’s longest running community concert band, and a magniﬁcently restored mural by E.J. Hughes.

The Port Theatre, with its architectural facade resembling the forecastle and bridge deck of an ocean liner, is the city’s prime performance venue. The 800-seat facility is home to the Vancouver Island Symphony and attracts major touring dance companies such as the Moscow Ballet as well as local drama productions and musicians such as blues star David Gogo.

A vibrant local music scene Nanaimo has live music venues, most open seven nights a week that rival cities twice its size. The fun and retro Diner’s Rendezvous, a city landmark since 1953, oﬀers top-billed performers such as Ian

Moore, as well as free jazz every Tuesday night featuring students from VIU’s Jazz Studies Music Program and other drop-in players. Meanwhile the Queens Hotel bringss in BC’s BC s top live rock bands, while the Nanaimo Folkk Connection hosts folk and acoustic performers.

A gaggle of art galleries ries and exhibits The public Nanaimo Art Gallery has two locations: one at Vancouver Island University and one downtown on Commercial Street. The VIU gallery is the main venue for the annual ﬁne arts student exhibition, while the downtown gallery hosts a small but impressive collection of paintings, sculpture and photographs. The downtown is also continued on 14

Photo Roy Ostling

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the site of several private galleries, notably Gallery 223, which features two floors of work. Nanaimo has a large First Nations population and artistic community. On sunny days First Nations carvers and artisans can be seen working, displaying and selling their works along the harbour promenade. A taste for live theatre Theatre One is the city’s professional theatre company offering mainstage plays, independent films and family fare through its “Just Kidding” children’s entertainment series. Theatre One also organizes the annual Bite of Nanaimo, a gourmet food festival that is the society’s major fundraiser.

A City of Festivals Culture is about capturing the spirit of where and how we live. Every month of the year, there are festivals celebrating the city’s cultural and recreational pursuits. Here is just a sampling: Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival July 6-8, Nanaimo Harbour Thrifty Foods Nanaimo Barbecue Festival July 14-15, Commercial Street Marine Festival, World Championship Bathtub Race July 19-22, Nanaimo Harbour/downtown Fringetastic Theatre Festival August 16-26, downtown Nanaimo Nanaimo Blues Festival August 25, Maffeo Sutton Park

Photo Roy Ostling

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Nanaimo “a marketing dream come true” for new economic development CEO By Roy Ostling

HEN it comes to economic development, BC’s third oldest and Vancouver Island’s most populous city is barely past adolescence. Th at’s the surprising assessment of the local economy by the head of the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, the organization recently formed to realize the city’s business investment and tourism potential. “The way I see Nanaimo is that in its growth it’s approximately a teenager, about 13 years old,” says Susan Cudahy, who was hired as CEO of NEDC last October. “It’s sitting on the precipice of what it’s going to be when it grows up and has everything it needs in terms of base infrastructure to succeed.” In August 2011, Nanaimo oﬃcially transformed its city-run Economic Development Commission into a corporation. The new

body, which consolidated economic development and tourism functions, followed the Nanaimo 2011 Economic Development Strategy Report. The restructuring responded to city council perceptions that the city’s former Economic Development Office suffered from a low public profile and the business community’s concerns about its delivery model and lack of a regional focus. The NEDC’s primary focus, according to Cudahy, is to attract new wealth and businesses to Nanaimo while retaining existing assets, and secondly to draw tourists and business travelers for extended stays. “We’re the sales team and our product is the city so we fulfill a sales and marketing role.” Cudahy brings some impressive successes to her new position after leading similar organizations in Ontario. “I’ve done this continued on 16

Photo Roy Ostling and Heydemann Art of Photography NEDC continued from 15

twice before,” she says. During her five years in Peterborough, the region “went from being relatively unknown” to be named the best place in Canada to do business and created 5,000 jobs. In the Waterloo area she faced the challenge of merging seven regionally distinct entities and established a common brand and new tourism marketing model. While a for-profit corporation, the NEDC receives $1.4 million in annual funding from the city, its majority shareholder. “They have been spending that for years and years and not getting what they wanted, so it’s a redirection,” Cudahy says. She adds that bringing in new investment, assisting local businesses and increasing tourism will create jobs, expand the tax base and help fund affordable housing and social and youth programs. In the short-term, NEDC priorities include creating a business collaboration centre that will house its permanent offices and managing a new tourism visitor information centre to be built on the west side of the Nanaimo Parkway at the Northfield Road exit. The collaboration centre will bring together Community Futures, Mid-Island Science and Technology Council and the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association, creating a one-stop resource for business start-ups. Cudahy says the centre’s co-operative model will also help leverage funding for new infrastructure and create a business incubator. One of the directives from the city given to the NEDC is finding an investor willing to build a downtown hotel on the site next to the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. Cudahy says the 10-year tax exemption bylaw passed by city council is crucial to attract investment in a high-level hotel, essential for hosting larger size conferences and benefiting business and destination tourism. NEDC’s success will be evaluated by indicators set by its board of directors and by Progress Nanaimo, a new organization composed of city council, business, and citizen representatives. The corporation also promises transparency through communications such as a new dedicated website, social media and traditional public

information such as newsletters and newspaper inserts. For Cudahy, the future economic development opportunities for Nanaimo centre on the research and training capacity of Vancouver Island University, the information technology sector and making the city a destination of choice for business and leisure travel. That the city’s identity has yet to be deﬁned is a big advantage moving forward. “We have carte blanche to be who we want to be to the rest of the world and that is a marketing dream come true.”

Making the business case for the NEDC A 15-member board of directors, representative of Nanaimo’s business, educational, and First Nations community, sets the Economic Development Corporation’s vision and strategy. Board co-chair, AJ Hustins, manager of a cement company and chamber of commerce vice chair, sees a big improvement in the corporation’s new structure and its spirit of cooperation. “This will be a vehicle to do a better job of communicating the benefits of doing business in Nanaimo both outside our city and internally,” Hustins says. “We see it as a collaborative effort of bringing together city council and staff, the chamber, the public and VIU so that we don’t just market Nanaimo externally but create local jobs for our graduates.” Hustins agrees the NEDC has a full plate with its new partnerships and changes to tourism marketing. “Yes, it’s ambitious, but I think it’s doable. We did an exhaustive search to hire the correct person and that ended up being Susan Cudahy. She has a background of accomplishing great things and she’s the right person for the job.”

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101 THINGS +

Spring 2012

Dispatches

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Adjustments to housing surprise city

NO. 143

CHECK OUT THE VIEW FROM ATOP MOUNT BENSON

Susan Cudahy New Economic Development CEO Information & Resource Directory for Seniors in Nanaimo

Business

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Harbour City High-Note

2012

Lifestyles

Zorkin Name Lives On

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To advertise in the next Nanaimo Gateway to Commerce and Lifestyle Magazine, call your advertising representative at 250-753-3707

Seawalk overhead

Commercial Street during Marine Festival

Photos Roy Ostling

Shopping/Retail Looking through the window of Nanaimo’s evolving shopping experience By Roy Ostling

ANAIMO, with its 5.5 million square feet of retail and service space, is known for having more shopping centres than any other city of its size in BC. But don’t mistake quantity for a lack of quality. Highend boutiques and shops focusing on locally made clothing, accessories, interior furnishings and specialty foods are part of an evolving retail scene waiting to be explored.

Shopping experiences in the Harbour City vary greatly by location and reﬂect the community’s south to north development. Here’s a tour of Nanaimo’s retail highlights.

Everything old is new again Starting at Nanaimo’s harbour setting, the waterfront quay oﬀers much more than the usual array of souvenir shops. Check out Newfoundland to Nanaimo for a unique memento of a visit to the Harbour City or Oﬀ the Seawall for its line of novelty sleepwear and clothing for humans and pets. Downtown shopping in Nanaimo is made for walking, where tantalizing window displays draw you in. On Bastion Street, don’t miss Hills Native Art Gallery with its extensive collection of West Coast First Nations masks and baskets. Just up the block is Commercial, which won Canada’s Greatest Streets competition.

Rich in heritage, Commercial Street has an urban buzz about it. Flying Fish - cooking, living & giving - has among the most creative and imaginative window and interior displays in a 110-year-old refurbished building. This main street is also home to six art galleries, a variety of dining experiences and fashion boutiques featuring high end designers and funky retro looks. A walk up the hill toward the spires of the 110-year-old St. Andrew’s United Church leads to the Old City Quarter. Colourful wood frame storefronts, dating from the early 1900s, house more than 30 unique shops and food vendors. Take in an old “tyme” shopping emporium experience at McLean’s Specialty Foods, a premier location for cheeses and gourmet cooking ingredients. Across the street is Pumpkin Pie Kids Wear, which features its own line of children’s clothing and quality toy brands.

Our shopping malls are changing with the times The shopping centres at the south and north entrances to Nanaimo have both gone through major upgrades over the years. The New Year marked the reopening of Port Place as an outdoor mall. London Drugs and Thrifty Foods remain the anchor tenants, but future development will add specialty shops with residences above.

At the north end of the city is the 150-store Woodgrove Centre featuring major department stores and specialty shops. Adjacent to Woodgrove are several big box stores, including the largest Chapters bookstore north of Victoria. In the middle of the busy retail corridor along the Island Highway is Longwood Station, which oďŹ€ers village-style shopping in a compact neighbourhood setting. This collection of 18 shops and services features the Longwood Brew Pub and Restaurant as its centrepiece. Just up the highway is Nanaimo North Town Centre, which has had signiďŹ cant retail additions and renovations in recent years, and more on the way with Target expected to move in. Just a little further down the road is the recently renovated Country Club Centre with 50 stores and services.

NANA IMO NEWS BU LLETIN

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Fitzwilliam Gate in the Old City Quarter. Photos Roy Ostling

BEST AUTO SERVICING

Calendar of Events Sterling Awards The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce recognizes central Island business excellence on May 4, 2012 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

Children’s Book Festival Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival celebrates its 26th anniversary May 5 with a move to downtown Nanaimo and Diana Krall Plaza. www.bookfest.ca.

Empire Days The celebration starts at the Port Theatre May

18 with the historic May Queen Crowning ceremony and accompanying multicultural entertainment. Sunday May 20 features the 1 p.m. parade and in the evening the 10 p.m. ﬁreworks over the harbour. Full information is available at www.nanaimoempiredays.com.

Floating Boat and Marine Trade Show The eighth annual show takes place June 1-3 at the Nanaimo Boat Basin. The event features everything for boat enthusiasts. Call 250-754-5053 or visit www.vancouverislandboatshow.com. continued on 30

Vancouver Island’s largest selection of used vehicles with over 150 fully reconditioned cars and trucks

Piper’s Lagoon. Photo Heydemann Art of Photography

Outdoor Activities/Facilities A lifetime of outdoor fun in one place By Roy Ostling

ET like a jewel between the ocean and mountains, Nanaimo offers so many recreational and fitness attractions it could take more than a lifetime to fit them all in. Whether it’s dipping a paddle in the water, biking down an alpine incline, swinging a golf club, running a forested trail, dropping a fi shing line or splashing down a waterslide, there’s no shortage of things to do or places to explore.

Water, water everywhere On a sunny day, nothing beats kayaking the sheltered waters around Newcastle Island and taking in the views of the city’s skyline from Billy Bones Bay. Kayak rentals and basic instruction are available nearby. For anglers, the city’s ﬁshing pier extends out into the harbour. It’s also a popular place to enjoy evening sunsets, see seals and bald eagles and watch a parade of passing sailboats. continued on 23

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OUTDOORS continued from 21

Year Round Golf A mild climate means golfers can indulge their passion for the game here year round. The Nanaimo area has four convenient courses nearby that will suit any skill level and budget. Nanaimo Golf Club – Located in the heart of the city, the Nanaimo Golf Club plays a total of 6,700 yards from its championship tees and features postcard views of Departure Bay from most tees. It also has a fullservice pro shop and covered driving range. Beban Park Golf Centre – Situated in central Nanaimo, the 11-hole, par-3 Beban Park Golf Centre is a great spot for beginners or those wanting to hone their short game. The centre recently added a full size driving range and practice facility area. Pryde Vista – Overlooking Buttertubs Marsh and Mount Benson, nine-hole Pryde Vista is an easy walking and playing course. Most games can be played in less than two hours, making it a perfect spot for after work round of golf. Cottonwood Golf Course – Bordering the east side of Nanaimo Airport, the Cottonwood Golf Course is 20-minute ride along the Island Highway from downtown Nanaimo. The 18-hole course plays 6,200 yards from the blue tees and features water on half the holes.

Photo Tyler Simpson

In winter wet weather, Nanaimo’s indoor pools at Beban Park and Nanaimo Aquatic Centre are warm and inviting place to hang out. Along with waterslides and a children’s water playground, the Aquatic Centre has an Olympic size pool, a hot tub and ﬁtness facilities.

Walk, bike, or take the bus! With more than 100 parks, 130 km of trails, and 63 playgrounds Nanaimo is a goldmine for runners, walkers, cyclists, and families looking for outdoor recreation fun. Westwood Lake Park with its 5.5 km of groomed trails is a year-round destination for runners and walkers. continued on 25

Nanaimo Services NANAIMO REALTY

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Nanaimo Yacht Club

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FAMILY SAILING DAY • May 27 Kids and Parents Welcome

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Become a director The Pacific Child and Family Enrichment Society dba PacificCARE ... is seeking community minded individuals who are willing to volunteer and be a part of our Board of Directors. We are a governance Board. The Society’s mission is to promote quality care environments for families and children. We provide services within Central/ North Vancouver Island, and Powell River and our mandate is: Education, training, advocacy and support for child care providers, families and their communities. Join an exciting and motivated team! Please contact the Executive Director, Dianne Magor at 250-756-2022 or, email to dmagor@pacific-care.bc.ca. You may also visit our website at www.pacific-care, complete the application form and we will contact you.

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www.nanaimoyc.ca 24

Chiropractic Care For the Whole Family with a Personal And Caring Touch rovides corrective care to help you feel your best, and ongoing preventive care tailored to the individual patient to promote stability and prevent degenerative changes Dr. Karin Mattern 3648 Departure Bay Rd Nanaimo, BC V9T 1C4 Ph: 250-758-7022 Fx: 250-758-7029 Em: drkarin@shaw.ca www.drkarinmattern.shawwebspace.ca

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OUTDOORS continued from 23

Set in the Mount Benson foothills, its sparkling clean water and lifeguarded beach draws summertime throngs of swimmers and picnickers. Two of the most popular cycling attractions are the Nanaimo Parkway and E&N Trails. The E&N Trail is a ﬂat 8 km corridor stretching from the edge of the downtown area to Woodgrove Centre, making it a safe, easy ride. Cyclists wanting a more challenging workout can pedal the 20 km paved Parkway Trail and E&N Trail loop. Nanaimo Regional Transit bus service provides a stress-free way to reach most city parks. Two of the most scenic waterfront parks – Neck Point and Piper’s Lagoon – located on Hammond Bay Road, have bus stops steps from the parks’ entrances. Nanaimo’s buses are outﬁtted with bike racks making it easy to visit both parks in the same day.

Bowen Park in December. Photo Roy Ostling

Join the club For people who enjoy group ﬁtness activities, Nanaimo is home to clubs devoted to all recreational interests. The Nanaimo Paddling Centre, located in the city’s harbour, oﬀers dragon boat and canoe outrigger programs for all ages. The Bastion Running Club is open to newbies, experienced long distance runners, and even those just visiting the city. The Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club is a great way to participate in group rides and get involved in maintaining and enhancing local riding trails.

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Dining/Food Explore a local food scene that will leave you hungry for more By Roy Ostling

ARIETY is the spice of life and Nanaimo has a homegrown restaurant, cafe and beverage scene to satisfy every taste and budget. From organic kale chips, the signature snack of the raw food trend, to neo West Coast prawn curries, to a classic caramel apple tart served at a French cafe, the Harbour City has a world of food experiences to savour.

Healthy and tasty The “live” food trend hit Nanaimo in 2011 with the opening of two upscale theme restaurants: Rawmbas on Stewart Avenue and Powerhouse Living Foods located at the busy downtown intersection of Bastion and Commercial Streets. What set these concept restaurants apart, besides the food, are innovative designs. Although Rawmbas is gluten-free and vegan, it’s menu includes hot food such as a Thai grain bowl with fresh vegetables on cooked quinoa and spicy peanut sauce. Powerhouse has a pure raw foods menu served in a setting featuring a 10’ long “live-edge” counter created from reclaimed Vancouver Island big leaf maple. Try the chocolate ganache cake made with tempered raw chocolate sweetened with agave and topped with walnuts. It’s as rich and decadent as anything from a high end bakery.

Food with a view Several harbour-area restaurants feature food with scenery that’s a feast for the eyes. Nothing beats the sights of the city’s waterfront seen by taking the foot ferry out to Protection Island to enjoy seafood specialties at the Dinghy Dock: Canada’s only floating pub and restaurant. After a stroll along the Harbourfront seawall, several local food and coffee vendors offer tempting food and beverage creations. Penny’s Palapa, a floating al fresco restaurant, serves authentic Mexican fish tacos made from fresh, local red snapper, and prepared by a Mexican chef-owner who call Nanaimo home for the summer season. Close by, the Javawocky Coffee House, a seawall favourite for 10 years running, serves in-store made cinnamon buns and flavourful locally roasted coffees. And throughout the summer Waterfront Confections has a line-up of families waiting to order from more than 20 varieties of homemade ice cream treats.

Downtown noshing Selected as one of Canada’s best mains, Commercial Street features a line-up of restaurants with a downtown vibe and a heritage architectural setting. Described as a corner of Paris in Nanaimo, Mon Petit Choux Bakery and Cafe lives up to the billing with its

Left: Powerhouse Living Foods; Right: Mon Petit Choux Photos Roy Ostling

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Butter chicken from Gabrielâ€™s CafĂŠ; Pad thai from Powerhouse Foods. Photos Roy Ostling

artisan breads and authentic French desserts. Across the street is Gabrielâ€™s Cafe, a tiny counter style place, which serves up neo Westcoast dishes such as Thai coconut prawn curries and pulled pork wraps, for surprisingly low prices. At the busy corner of Commercial and Terminal Avenue is the Acme Food Co. Its ďŹ‚oor to ceiling windows on three sides, ďŹ r plank ďŹ‚ooring and exposed beams, its lively warm ambiance is as inviting as the sushi and fresh Fanny Bay oysters the restaurant is known for.

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Local brews and fruits of the vine In Nanaimo north, the Longwood Brew Pub and Restaurant has established a solid reputation for its 40 made-on-the premises ales and lagers. It has a timber frame entrance and trademark barley silo as well as a kitchen that turns out local seafood and in-house made pastas, breads and sauces. On the outskirts of west Nanaimo is the cityâ€™s only winery, Millstone Estate. This 13-acre boutique winery opened to the public this past July and oďŹ€ers year round tastings from plantings of pinot grigio, pinot noir and a blackberry ports made from locally harvested wild berries.

Farm fresh to market From May to October, locally produced fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and cheeses are oďŹ€ered for sale by vendors at two main venues. The Downtown Farmersâ€™ Market is held on Fridays next to the historic Bastion on Front Street. About to enter its 12th season, it attracts more than 50 booths selling local food and crafts. Newer to the local food scene is the Bowen Road Farmersâ€™ Market held on Wednesdays at the Beban Park fairgrounds. The market features products from organic growers who live within an 80 km radius of Nanaimo.

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Lifestyle Zorkin name lives on with Old City Quarter revitalization By Roy Ostling

OR more than 60 years, the Zorkin name has been associated with major development projects in Nanaimo and its surrounding region. Family patriarch Mladen Zorkin moved to the city in 1947. He developed and opened Vancouver Island’s fi rst shopping centre, Terminal Park Plaza, in 1957 on what was then the edge of Nanaimo’s developing north end. Today, Kristo Zorkin, who was mentored by his father, oversees his own considerable real estate and insurance interests from the heritage building on Fitzwilliam Street that’s housed the family’s business operations since 1962. Mladen, who died in 2007 at the age of 92, is recognized for inspiring the first Nanaimo downtown revitalization project that started in 1981. “I worked with my father as a partner and then went out on my own,” says Kristo Zorkin. “The restoration and redevelopment of Fitzwilliam Street and the surrounding area is my vision.” The area he refers to is Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter. Once the city’s economic and tourism core, it retains many historic wood-frame commercial buildings constructed following completion of the E&N Railway to Nanaimo in 1886. In 1983 Kristo Zorkin began buying up and restoring properties on Fitzwilliam Street that then housed pawn shops and second hand stores. “I was inspired by what was happening on Robson Street in Vancouver and its move to a more upmarket shopping and restaurant district. I asked myself, why couldn’t Nanaimo offer the same experience?” One of the properties he purchased is Fitzwilliam Centre, a heritage landmark built in 1911. After he restored it, the building won a City of Nanaimo restoration award and today houses six unique retail specialty stores. The centrepiece of Zorkin’s

Photo Heydemann Art of Photography

development Fitzwilliam Gate, which he opened in 1995, serves as the western entrance to the Old City Quarter. The innovative design features a two-storey glass-covered pedestrian atrium and is based on the Burlington Arcade in London’s Savile Row. Along with starting the Old City Quarter Association to promote the area, Zorkin saw the need to increase residential densities in the area. Among the low-rise apartment buildings he’s developed that match the character of the area is the ﬁrst to have no on-site parking and that suits the 80 per cent of tenants who don’t rely on cars for transportation. Zorkin is now in the design stages for his latest building project in the Old City Quarter. He’s also restoring the facade of the Zorkin Building to its original 1931 look and updating the interior which still has cells in its basement from its time as city jail and police station. One thing Zorkin hopes to retain is the iconic sign on the Zorkin Building’s east exterior wall. “Dad was very big on the power of signs,” he recalls. “The big ‘Z’ is known as a landmark and we’ll try to keep it.”

CALENDAR continued from 20

Dragonboat Festival

Motocross Many people aren’t aware that Nanaimo is home to one of Canada’s premier motocross tracks. Officially called The Wastelands, the track is operated by the non-profit Nanaimo Motocross Association, and hosts four or five Island Series races annually. Nanaimo has hosted many national championship rounds, and in 2012 continues the tradition with the opening round of the Monster Energy CMRC Nationals on Sunday, June 3.

Relay For Life Join with thousands who have decided to ﬁght back at an event that celebrates cancer survivors and honours loved ones who haven’t survived June 8-9, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the NDSS Rotary Bowl. Contact nanaimorelay@bc.cancer.ca.

The 2012 Save-On-Foods Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival July 6-8 promises to be the best and biggest ever for the 10th annual event. The festival attracts some 30,000 people and more than 80 teams, all to help the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation. www. nanaimodragonboat.com.

Marine Festival The Great International World Championship Bathtub Race is part of the Nanaimo Marine Festival, a four-day festival July 19-22 at Maﬀeo Sutton Park. On Saturday, the Sail Past On Wheels Parade travels through downtown and at night the sky lights up with ﬁreworks. On Sunday, July 22, at 11 a.m. sharp, tubbers will race out of Nanaimo Harbour.

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Lifestyle An enquiring mind fosters appreciation of Vancouver Island’s rich natural history By Roy Ostling

URIOSITY may have killed the cat, but for Bill Merilees it has fueled his passion for understanding and appreciating BC’s rich diversity of plants, wildlife and geology and bringing that knowledge to life for others.

“When I was conceived, I was given an abnormal dose of curiosity,” Merilees says. Today at age 71 that spirit of enquiry for all things involving the natural world, combined with a passion to share what he has learned, has resulted in a career as a respected nature interpreter, teacher, researcher, author, presenter, and sought-after leader of nature tours around the world. “I can’t remember when I wasn’t interested in natural history,” Merilees says. His fascination for almost any natural phenomenon from birds, plants, mammals, marine life and insects to geology, the weather and the cosmos started with building birdhouses with his father. Then as a boy scout he earned his naturalist’s badge and with it membership in the Vancouver Natural History Society. While working on his BSc degree in botany and zoology at UBC, Merilees worked with BC’s pioneering wildlife biologist Ian McTaggart Cowan on marine mollusks or shellﬁsh, which remains

his primary love. After graduating, he went on to do wildlife research in Antarctica and work with Louis Leakey’s archeology team uncovering the origins of the human species in Kenya’s Rift Valley. In 1978, Merilees moved to Nanaimo as the Regional Interpretation Oﬃcer for BC Parks Vancouver Island region. The interpretation and resource plan and programs he developed touched the lives of close to 2 million BC Parks’ visitors over an 18-year period. “The public loved the interpretation programs, especially families with young kids,” he recalls. Near the end of his career with BC Parks, Merilees published the ﬁrst of his popular books, Attracting Backyard Wildlife using his Departure Bay home as an example. He went on to write the New Gardening for Wildlife, Newcastle Island: A Place of Discovery and Trees, Shrubs and Flowers to Know in Washington and BC, which he co-authored with CP Lyons. Looking back on a 50-year career, that includes awards from his peers, discoveries of more than 20 new species of plants and mollusks and helping to establish new BC Parks and conservation areas, Merilees laughs when asked about his greatest contribution to life on Vancouver Island. “I would simply hope that I’ve drawn attention to a number of our province’s unique natural history resources,” he says. Now a grandfather, Merilees shows no signs of slowing down. “There’s always something new out there that you haven’t seen,” he says. He’s using his granddaughter to develop his latest book – Things to Do with Kids Outdoors: Ideas for Grandparents. “My 11-year-old granddaughter with all her high-tech gadgets will come over to me and say, ‘borrring!’ And of course, Merilees’ response is: “It’s only boring if you haven’t got any curiosity. If you have curiosity, life will never be boring.”

Lifestyle VIU President uses partnerships to forge broad community connections Nanaimo Vision Rally. Photo Heydemann Art of Photography

N 2011 Vancouver Island University celebrated a key milestone: 75 years of delivering post-secondary education in Nanaimo and communities throughout Vancouver Island and the coast. When Dr. Ralph Nilson was appointed VIU President and Vice Chancellor of VIU four years ago, it was known as Malaspina University-College. Leaving his post as Vice President of Acadia University in Nova Scotia, he recalls his anticipation of joining VIU, which was about to become a full-ﬂedged university, and moving to a new and attractive environment on the West Coast. “The universities I’ve been part of in the past didn’t have trades and technology programs,” Nilson says. “This university was going to evolve and maintain all those programs along with full university academics. Meeting the learning and knowledge needs of a coastal region is exciting and to do it with all those pieces was important and intriguing because there weren’t any models like it anywhere else in Canada.” VIU’s growing enrolment is a sign of the success of its innovative educational model. Roughly 8,700 full-time-equivalent students are enrolled in its programs, including more than 1,600 international students from 75 countries. More broadly measured, including Elder College and part-time programs, VIU provides an education to more than 19,000 students. Deeply committed to promoting university education, Nilson focuses on creating an environment for students to learn and faculty to excel while strengthening connections between VIU and its diverse communities.

By Roy Ostling “I’ve fulﬁlled many service roles within universities but also built partnerships with people and organizations,” Nilson says. At VIU, those partnerships extend from municipal governments and school districts to heath authorities, service clubs, industries, and First Nations communities on the Island and across the Coast. Nilson represents VIU on the board of the new Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation and with its $120 million annual budget the university is an important contributor to the local economy. Looking forward Nilson sees VIU continuing to evolve and grow as a key player in the future social and economic prosperity of Vancouver Island and beyond. “My vision for VIU is that it continues to be a place of learning that goes well beyond the boundaries of the institution. That learning is emanating out into the community through all our partnerships and the partnerships with families in our community that provide home stay for our international students.” Photo Chris Bush

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