MP retires James Lunney announces he won’t run in next federal election. Page 24 Old school David Gogo goes back to the roots of the blues. Page 35 great shake B.C. residents prepare for annual earthquake drill. Page 3
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Celebrating
1988
2013
Years
www.nanaimobulletin.com
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013
Planning process underway for new secondary school
Brian kivimaki, Oxy Pub assistant kitchen manager, left, and leanne case, kitchen manager, have some of the pub’s hearty New England clam chowder simmering, plus other pub menu favourites in the oven for this year’s Bite of Nanaimo. CHRIS BUSH THe NewS BUlleTIN
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district talks with university, city on possibilities. By greg Sakaki ThE NEwS BULLETiN
Plenty of tastes to savour at Bite of Nanaimo By ChriS BuSh ThE NEwS BULLETiN
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VOL. 25, NO. 57
h e a t re O n e ’s b i g g e s t annual fundraiser is poised to give people something to chew on with the 21st annual Bite of Nanaimo. The event happens at the Beban Park Social Centre Friday (Oct. 18) to raise cash for TheatreOne operations and the Salvation Army. New to this year’s bite are Cherub Chocolates, Browns Socialhouse, Corner Bistro, Millstone Catering and Eatery, Simon Holt and the Oxy Pub. The Oxy Pub will be sure to bring its wings, which were voted best in town in the News Bulletin’s 2013 Best of the City awards. Roberta Cooper, of the Oxy, said the pub is currently working hard to promote its food menu. “With us winning the best wings
in Nanaimo, I thought this was a really good way for us to get out there and get known for it,” Cooper said. “It’s fun to take the opportunity and see if it works for us.” The Oxy is also preparing a big batch of its New England clam chowder and plenty of ribs. “They’re both made in house with our own recipes,” Cooper said. “The chowder is hearty and the ribs are awesome. It’s one thing on the menu that not a lot of people know about.” Wolf Brewing Company, Vancouver Island University professional baking program, Rawmbas, Richardson Foods Group, Acme Food Co., Baby Salsa Mexican Restaurant, Montana’s Cookhouse, Landlubber Pub, Longwood Brew Pub, Winston’s Tea Company and the Dinghy Dock Pub are just some of the eateries returning with goodies this year.
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The pub won best booth last year, with its half-boat display, as well as best seafood and best hospitality categories. Chef Cory Crane said in the four years the Dinghy Dock has participated, staff have worked out the logistics of getting food and equipment from the pub to Beban using a dedicated ferry to move refrigeration and other equipment first, followed by the seafood which is shipped frozen in insulated containers. With seafood it’s critical the “cold chain” isn’t broken. “We’re the only restaurant to bring our own refrigeration with us,” Crane said. Dinghy Dock’s menu this year includes a coconut curry seafood trio appetizer of seared scallops, jumbo prawns and steamed mussels topped with curry sauce and served on rice. u See ‘FUNDRAISER’ /6
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The blueprints for a brand-new Nanaimo District Secondary School are just a blank sheet of paper right now, which means anything is possible. The Nanaimo school district announced last week it has begun its master planning process for the NDSS site. The district’s 10-year facilities plan calls for the high school to be rebuilt in time for the fall semester in 2017. The school district hired a planning firm, Brook Pooni Associates, and Cornerstone Architecture – both based out of Vancouver – to work with staff over the next eight months to create a vision for a new NDSS. The school board has already submitted its capital plan to the Ministry of Education, including a request for $62 million for the new secondary school. “We’re hoping that by doing a comprehensive site development plan, we can convince the ministry to fund it,” said Jamie #81
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Brennan, board chairman. NDSS sits on a larger parcel of school district property and is adjacent to city land and Vancouver Island University, so there are opportunities for creative thinking. “We really want this to be a true partnership with stakeholders, because we can’t afford to do it all ourselves for one thing, and we want this site to be multi-use in all aspects…” Brennan said. “The potential is quite huge for that site to really serve this community well.” Vancouver Island University, for example, has long desired a new gymnasium, so a massive construction project right next door is an impetus to try to make that happen, said Dan Hurley, VIU’s executive director of university relations. “A new athletics facility with a health and wellness component is one of our top capital priorities,” he said. “So certainly it makes a lot of sense for us to be talking to the school district about that particular project.” He mentioned a trades building as another possible co-operative effort, but stressed that all of these ideas are just preliminary discussions at this stage. u See ‘SCHOOL’ /4
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