There couldn’t be a more appropriate gesture for one of Nanaimo’s greatest sports contributors.
On May 28, the City of Nanaimo will designate sports facilities on Third Street – including the Nanaimo Ice Centre, Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, Serauxmen Field and ball parks, and the Rotary Field House – as the Larry McNabb Sports Zone.
Larry would have loved it.
The former city councillor, who died of pancreatic cancer on Christmas Eve, spent much of his 25 years in public office working to ensure people had a place to play at whatever sport they chose. Lacrosse, soccer, baseball and hockey players, track and field athletes, swimmers and others all owe a tremendous amount of thanks to McNabb, whose vision will enable us to play the games we love for decades to come in the best facilities possible.
McNabb’s longtime friend, Coun. Merv Unger, said McNabb wanted to be part of something bigger than himself and to ensure future generations would be proud of Nanaimo.
Through hard work, dedication and a commitment to the community he loved, he accomplished that. We’re all better off for having been served by McNabb, who, fortunately, was advised of the plan to commemorate his legacy before he died.
While sports was his first love, McNabb was also an ardent supporter of local arts, worked to ensure we have the cleanest drinking water in the country, and took his role on the Transportation Advisory Committee very seriously.
If you never got a chance to thank him personally, show up May 28 at the Nanaimo Ice Centre at 11 a.m. to see a commemorative figure of McNabb unveiled, along with 11 sports-themed statues along the street, representing all of the sporting opportunities that can be pursued in the Larry McNabb Sport Zone.