Clippers cuts BCHL team
makes some roster changes after preseason games. PAGE 23
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VOL. 26, NO. 35
Lantzville signs water agreement
Play date protest
Lisa Rokeby, left, who teaches music at Georgia Avenue Community School, waves at traffic on Bowen Road during the Play Date for Public Education. About 35 teachers, parents and students turned out for a play date in Altrusa Adventure Park playground Tuesday before staging a roadside rally to raise awareness about public education. CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
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RESIDENTS TO get first look at renegotiated document after Monday’s council meeting. BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
Councillors support $12-million Port Theatre expansion BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
The City of Nanaimo will chip in $4.6 million for a new community performing arts centre. Nanaimo city councillors voted 8-1 Monday to partner with the Port Theatre Society on building a multimillion-dollar performing arts facility. Plans for a four-level and 19,000-square-foot performing arts centre were shelved in 2009 after the Port Theatre Society was denied $7.8 million from senior levels of government, but have been revived this year. Theatre manager Bruce Halliday says the time is right to try again. There’s corporate interest in naming rights, the potential for fed-
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The City of Nanaimo is ready now to do this project.
eral dollars and more energy in the Harbour City around arts and culture than ever before, he said. An in-house survey done by the Port Theatre Society also shows 82 per cent of respondents support building the proposed $12-million centre, which Halliday says would
be more suited to smaller events than the current 800-seat theatre. Under the new partnership, the city has agreed to co-sign for a $2-million line of credit and contribute $4.6 million to the initiative. The money will be contingent on the Port Theatre Society raising the remaining $8 million for the facility, and the city will seek grants to help offset the cost. “I think that the City of Nanaimo is ready now to do this project and I really don’t want to see this item on an agenda 15 years hence with a city council debating whether or not we support a performing arts centre for Nanaimo,” said Coun. Diane Brennan.
See ‘SUPPORT’ /4
Lantzville’s mayor signed off on a watersupply agreement with the City of Nanaimo, despite concerns the move comes too soon. Lantzville council approved a 20-year water supply deal with Nanaimo on Monday in a 5-2 vote, without prior public notice and shortly after releasing the full, renegotiated agreement to residents for the first time. According to Coun. Brian Dempsey, who proposed the motion, there was no good reason to put off signing the document immediately. The two municipalities have been finalizing a water-supply deal for more than a year, which would allow water to be piped to 225 homes in upper Lantzville at a $1.3-million connection cost. It would also allow for 50 new development hookups each year and the potential for another 211 homes on private wells to connect in the future. By agreeing to the terms, Lantzville isn’t required to transfer money until the pipeline is built and connected and could end the deal with no penalty if it finds another source of water, Dempsey said, adding once signed, the City of Nanaimo is committed. “Public information meetings can be scheduled later,” he said. “This is a time for council to show leadership.” Mayor Jack de Jong pointed out that this is an opportunity that doesn’t come very often and it’s likely the best arrangement the district would be able to negotiate. But Coun. Denise Haime opposed the move, asking councillors to give residents time to review the document. See ‘COUNCILLOR’ /5