These six Census Areas comprise Nanaimo City Centre

As of the 2016 Census the City Centre was home to almost 30,000 of us; 33% of the city’s population, living on only 17% of the city land area (adjusted for Protection and Saysutshun Island).

Our major public anchor institutions are located in the City Centre, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Vancouver Island University and the City of Nanaimo administrative, technological and public works centres.

A large centralized recreational facility with swimming pool and ice rink is also located within the City Centre. The public institutions that comprise the arts and culture sector are clustered in close proximity in the urban core. The public art gallery, the Port Theatre, the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, the museum, the central library. The City Council Chamber is accessed from downtown’s High Street, Commercial Street.

These are the most environmentally sustainable neighbourhoods in the city. The population density and proximity of shops and services, schools and public spaces, result in it being more likely here that these are accessed without a car. A higher percentage of households live more compactly, in condos and apartments with shared walls, dramatically increasing heating efficiency. It’s well established that transportation and building heating account for 30–40% of the carbon we put in the atmosphere.

We’ve underinvested in our City Centre in recent decades and it’s time to pick up the slack from past neglect and make new investments.

One size does not fit all in a city, the City Centre needs its own comprehensive urban design plan that recognizes its unique role as the very heartbeat of the city. The economic social environmental and cultural vitality of the City Centre warrants its own representative on city council. A transportation plan unique to the City Centre would focus on active transportation through these neighbourhoods first and then from these neighbourhoods to other areas of the city.

Street trees and sidewalks; traffic calming; mobility and accessibility mode alternatives; public spaces, both grassy parks and playgrounds but also, importantly, small urban squares that facilitate neighbourly encounters.

Livability goals, making these neighbourhoods all the more desirable, can be met here by careful urban design planning specific to the city centre, while increasing population density across this area. One size does not fit all. This area needs its own urban design plan.

Scroll down at this link to see a breakdown of each of the Census Areas including links to the 2016 Census data for each.

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