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Nanaimo’s GIS plan will create a many-layered map of the city

A Geographic Information System Technology Plan report was presented to city councillors Monday
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The City of Nanaimo’s waterfront walkway project as communicated on a GIS story map. (CITY OF NANAIMO image)

Looking at the same information from different perspectives can become a valuable tool for City of Nanaimo staff and residents.

The municipality received a report on its Geographic Information System Technology System Plan at a committee of the whole meeting on Monday and councillors heard about strategies to implement, optimize and expand uses of GIS.

GIS presents data to be accessed or analyzed in a map interface.

“We’ve been doing GIS for 20 years, this is just kind of re-inventing it,” said Curtis Hinton, president of Geographic Technologies Group, which is developing the plan for the City of Nanaimo. “It almost comes down to every department, every layer … literally, we could have 100 layers.”

David Holdstock, chief executive officer at GTG, said each city department needs to be the custodian of its GIS information.

“It’s their responsibility to maintain that data and it’s very much part of their job description to maintain their digital data,” he said.

The city has utilized GIS recently to communicate information about the Harbourfront Walkway project and public art, for example. But there are endless applications across city departments. Coun. Bill Yoachim asked about mapping nuisance properties and Coun. Bill Bestwick asked about other uses from garbage and recycling collection to skating and swimming schedules. Holdstock said that sort of information should be just two or three clicks away.

“I want to be able to see all my assets, what’s close to me, click on that pool … and then maybe have that link to the pool schedule so I can click and the pool schedule pops up so I don’t have to go somewhere else and get on the phone,” he said. “As a citizen or an employee, I want it all right there in that one portal.”

Some of the aspects of the GIS plan, said Holdstock, include creating a management structure, hiring an independent GIS coordinator, implementing staff training and education, and continuing to create data. The city already has the necessary software, Holdstock said.

“So there’s no purchase of any software. It’s the person hours and the management and the training and education,” he said. “So we’re in a great place.”

editor@nanaimobulletin.com