Heritage street lamps hung with trailing flower baskets and banners now line Nanaimo’s Victoria Crescent – it’s enough to bring tears to the eyes of Kevan Shaw, president of Victoria Crescent Association.
“It’s really great to see that this end of our downtown is coming to something,” he said. “We’re making something of it. It’s been such a hard road because we’ve got so very little down this end.”
Merchants and property owners along Victoria Crescent have complained over the years about being neglected and not seeing the benefit of the annual tax levy that went to the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association, but the DNBIA has since dissolved and those along Victoria Crescent are taking the initiative to bring change to their street.
Shaw said a year ago, merchants decided they would do their own stuff because it wasn’t being done for them. The organization pulled together a street fair for this summer’s Marine Festival and plans to host Crescent Days, with wrestling and kids’ activities Aug. 26 — the kinds of things Shaw said were on Commercial Street but not on their end of town.
In time for the festivities are hanging baskets on new street lights from the City of Nanaimo; the final phase of an upgrade to downtown street lighting that’s already happened on Commercial and Skinner streets and based on a previous review. Shaw said the work took 12 years and is the first sign of help for the neighbourhood.
Several people from Victoria Crescent also shared experiences about safety and security in the area this year at a council meeting, where politicians agreed to spend on more security and an urban cleanup program downtown.
“We’re trying to make it a good feeling here now for people to come,” said Shaw, who said if the area is beautified and the crime element is addressed, then properties will buy in, the public will start coming back and neater businesses will be attracted. “That’s where I see the vision, I guess, and the progression going.”
Ian Phyper, manager of the Cambie, said after meeting all the other businesses and managers on the street, everybody is really excited about creating the association and they are all working well together, identifying where there are issues and helping people to make it more approachable and enjoyable in the area. Everyone is getting more involved, he said.
Jean Lemieux, owner of Sound Heritage, said the effort to bring more events to Victoria Crescent is fun, enjoyable and brings in people to experience a new area they haven’t visited.
Shaw doesn’t know if a business improvement area will be created, as was done in the Old City Quarter this year.
“If we do, we will not be taking money from property owners and businesses and not being able to give something back to him,” he said.