BY GREG SAKAKI
The City of Nanaimo is accelerating plans for street improvements in the heart of the downtown.
Councillors, at a finance meeting Wednesday, Oct. 18, recommended allocating the $4 million needed to complete Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Commercial Street redesign project in time for next summer.
Detailed designs were recently finished for the first two phases of the project, which will most notably eliminate the street’s curbs. The project includes many other features, including new benches, lighting, landscaping, ‘flex’ spaces for patios or parking, a new-look Pride intersection, and more.
The first phase, from Bastion to Chapel Street, was budgeted at $1.8 million, but the cost estimate has doubled to $3.6 million. Phase 2, from Skinner to Bastion Street, is estimated at $2.2 million. City staff recommended that council allocate $4 million of provincial ‘growing communities’ funding to complete both phases by the end of spring.
James Knight, city capital project management specialist, said with the work being done along Terminal Avenue, including the coming transit exchange and re-development of the old Jean Burns Building and A&B Sound properties, “it became apparent that we really needed to develop a unified design vision for the area.” Other factors considered are the need to replace the water main on Commercial, and also repair areas of the sidewalk where tree roots are causing tripping hazards and barriers to mobility.
“On top of that, we’ve also been hearing from the community that downtown is still considered the heart of the city and that there’s a desire to promote a thriving and creative downtown with integrated space for events and gatherings,” Knight said.
The idea of a curb-free Commercial Street, he said, is to create a pedestrian-priority space with improved accessibility that is flexible and event-ready.
Coun. Paul Manly wondered if there would be bollards separating motor vehicle lanes from sidewalks.
“There is a ‘furnishing’ zone, where the benches are, where the trees are, the planters are, as well as street lights [that] will create a physical barrier,” Knight said.
READ ALSO: City of Nanaimo completes draft designs for reconstruction of Commercial Street
A number of trees will be cut down, but there will be a net gain of trees after the work is done, staff reported. Knight said the new trees will be planted in “soil cells,” which provide a structural frame over top of uncompacted soil so the tree roots have somewhere to go and aren’t likely to cause problems down the road.
Future phases of the Commercial Street redesign include the front portion of Diana Krall Plaza, planned for 2026, Albert Street to Terminal Avenue in 2028, Terminal Avenue to Skinner Street in 2029 and Chapel Street to Front Street, including Dallas Square Park, in 2030. Those phases are currently budgeted at $2.3 million, $2.7 million, $4.1 million and $6.1 million, respectively, but staff cautioned that those are current cost estimates and don’t factor in inflation.
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Knight said feedback about the Commercial Street redesign concepts from business owners and night market passersby has been “overwhelmingly positive” and he said downtown merchants will be kept apprised of what’s going on and engaged in the process.
“Improving the downtown, I think, is good economically, it’s good for community spirit and it’s good for the businesses,” said Mayor Leonard Krog.
The finance committee voted 7-1 in favour of recommending allocating $10.7 million from the provincial growing communities fund for four projects, including Phases 1 and 2 of the Commercial Street redesign project. Coun. Ben Geselbracht was opposed.
READ ALSO: Nanaimo councillors recommend $10 million for park amenities and other city projects