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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015
www.nanaimobulletin.com
VOL. 27, NO. 56
School district will recommend course of action
I
TRUSTEES WILL hear from staff on closures. By KarL yu ThE NEwS BULLETiN
Flotilla fellowship
CHRIS BUSH/THe NewS BUlleTIN
Bob Gilligan, left, Martin Herbert and Gerald Nutter, of the West Coast Model Yacht Association, take advantage of some sunshine and a mild breeze as they set up for a race from one of the docks at the Inn on Long Lake on Friday afternoon. The association is always looking for new members. To learn more, please visit www.wcmya.ca.
Council shows appetite for food trucks across city By Tamara Cunningham ThE NEwS BULLETiN
Nanaimo city councilors are on board with new locations for food trucks – but they want more of them. Nanaimo’s first-ever food truck licence process, discussed by city council last week, aims to open up new locations to street fare and make it easier for food vendors to get licences to serve. It’s a good start, according to city councillors, but they have an appetite for more spots for vendors than the city had planned to offer and greater opportunities for food
trucks to gather together. Until now, food vendors haven’t been allowed to set up street side, and have required both a business licence and park-use agreement to set up in parks. A new licence process, approved in principle by city council, would open up select roadways downtown to food trucks, including Front and Wallace streets, as well as areas in Duke Point and the hospital district. Trucks and trailers would also be able to set up in new locations like Harewood Centennial Park, Merle Logan turf field and the Brechin Boat Ramp. Staff members only recommended one truck per park in their proposal
with the exception of Maffeo Sutton Park, which could allow up to four vendors pending a master planning process that’s currently underway. Street locations allow one to two trucks. The new program would scrap the park licence-use agreement, allowing trucks to purchase one $790 licence to set up in any city park, street stall or parking lot open to vending. Food trailers will pay to $665 to set up in parks and parking lots while food carts would pay $165. Vendors would also have to be 25 metres away from restaurants. See ‘FOOD’ /4
Nanaimo school trustees will receive a staff report with recommendations for the school district’s updated facilities plan at a meeting tonight (Nov. 24). In September, school district staff presented a revised plan recommending closure of Rutherford Elementary School in June 2017, with students relocated to other schools, including Frank Ney Elementary, and relocation of high school French immersion from Nanaimo District Secondary School to John Barsby Secondary. The district recently concluded a 60-day consultation with stakeholders. Dale Burgos, school district spokesman, said it isn’t likely trustees will vote on recommendations at the meeting. Special board meetings are slated for Dec. 1-3. “The intent is for
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[trustees] to take the information, take a week and then have the discussions starting on Dec. 1,” said Burgos. “They can make decisions or motions on the 24th, but it would get pushed to a regular board meeting or special board meeting anyways,” he said. Tina Bray, spokeswoman for Rutherford Open and Thriving, a group advocating a g a i n s t R u t h e r f o rd school closure, hopes the board doesn’t close the school without money secured for a new addition at Frank Ney, as it places the Rutherford community in a “horrible position.” “I think they have a gut feeling about whether or not that funding is likely to be ranked as a priority with the ministry,” said Bray. “They’ve had conversations with the ministry, we’ve had conversations with the ministry and I think they know they need to be concerned about that. “If they don’t feel that funding’s likely to come forward, voting to close Rutherford [is] a slowdeath motion.” reporter@nanaimobulletin.com