The South Downtown Waterfront Committee has new tasks to tackle, from monitoring the redevelopment of the industrial waterfront to suggesting new managers for the property.
Nanaimo city council has given the South Downtown Waterfront Committee a new mandate as the municipality moves ahead with plans to revitalize the industrial waterfront.
The committee was originally struck to look at a vision for the waterfront after the City of Nanaimo purchased 10.8 hectares along 1 Port Drive last year. Now it’ll keep an eye on progress, as well as help the city with a master plan for its property and recommend new management for the site.
Dave Witty, spokesman for the waterfront committee, said he believes there’s opportunity to explore next steps for the waterfront in general, but also items currently being explored, including the transportation hub and fast passenger ferry.
“We can offer comment on that and look at how the lands within the city jurisdiction can be managed from a broader perspective,” he said.
One of the tasks ahead of the committee is to recommend the type and structure of an entity that would undertake long-term planning and management of the south industrial waterfront. The idea behind a property manager would be to create continuity over a longer period of time, according to Witty, who explains that it would provide oversight and direction for the waterfront.
The committee will be looking to put a work program together. Its meetings will continue to be open to the public.
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