Spring Cleanup – Mark your calendar!

Is it spring yet? We are organizing our spring cleanup on Saturday April 15.

Get outside and clean your yards, boulevards, and streets. Mow your lawn, Tidy your yard and help a neighbour. Wear a green shirt. Contact us at info@nanaimooldcityassociation if you would like to volunteer to help pick up garbage and continue to beautify the old city!

Meet at Pawson Park at 1:45 pm for garbage bags, pickers and vest supplied by the city of Nanaimo.
2 pm- 3 pm Clean a section of street that you choose in the old city.
3 pm Sharp. Drop off your garbage bag at Pawson Park for the city to pick up and return your gear. This is for garbage pick up on the streets and alleyways by our volunteers only.
3:30 pm meet at White Rabbit Cafe for coffee/tea and to celebrate!

Cleaning up the Cat Stream

On February 18, 2023 another work party convened on the Cat Stream in the old city. Over 50 plants and trees were planted including Western Red Cedar, Pacific Ninebark and Hardhack in an effort to restore and support the riparian zone. Lots of invasive Himalayan Blackberry was removed too!

The work crew!
Hard at work!
Planting new trees!

Haggis Alert!

The hunt is on.
Authorities are combing the Old City Quarter following reports of Haggis fighting in the area. Apparently some young alpha male haggis which recently escaped from the Haggis farm at Mount Benson have become unruly following tussles with the local rabbit population over grazing rights. Media spokesperson Willie McBungle the local Conversation Officer (or should that be Conservation Officer) issued the following statement: “We expect to have the situation under control very quickly. Fortunately McLean’s Specialty Foods holds exclusive title to the hereditary Haggis harvesting license, and they have agreed to round up these critters and sell them off in time for Robbie Burns Day on January 25.” Just like in the fabled story, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, McLean’s will use the services of a piper to lead them to their fate on the 25th. Hopefully there will then be peace in the area at least until next year!

Boulevard Garden Guidelines

The City of Nanaimo defines a boulevard “as the area between the street curb and the sidewalk, owned by the City, that’s typically planted with grass and trees. Residents may transform the boulevard adjacent to their home into a well-designed and well- maintained garden using this guide. Boulevard gardens can create more beautiful, interesting and diverse streets, add character to neighbourhoods and increase feelings of community pride. They also provide environmental benefits such as increasing ecological diversity and providing bird, butterfly and pollinator habitats.”

NOCA has an active boulevard beautification program. Contact us at info@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca if you’d like to get involved and learn more from your neighbours who are beautifying their boulevards.

Learn more on the City of Nanaimo website.

Neighbourhood priorities for 2023

What are your priorities for your neighbourhood?

Your NOCA Board of Directors is discussing priorities for the coming year. Here’s what we’ve come up with.  

1. Continue our program of boulevard and alleyway beautification.

2. Promote safety in the neighbourhood through changes to the built environment.

3. Continue to promote walkability and a sense of community in our neighbourhood.

4. Continue to lobby to ensure the design of any new development respects the character of the neighbourhood.

5. Promote environmentally sustainable design for new and retrofitted buildings incorporating green space in its broadest sense (e.g. shade trees, pocket parks, food gardens).

What do YOU think? Let us know by emailing info@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca

City of Nanaimo Tree Voucher Program

If you are a registered property owner in the City of Nanaimo, you can participate in the city’s tree voucher program. This means you can purchase a tree to plant on your property for a reduced cost of $25 each. 

Guidelines

  • Must be a registered property owner in the City of Nanaimo;
  • Property owners are limited to 2 vouchers per year;
  • Not redeemable for cash;
  • Redemption value not to exceed $90.00;
  • Vouchers are not to be used to fulfill Tree Removal or Building Permit Requirements.
  • All sales are final once vouchers are redeemed.

Learn more and find the application form on the Tree Voucher Page of the City of Nanaimo website.

Come and help restore the Cat Stream

Join us on Saturday, October 29 from 10 am to 3 pm. This is phase 1 of a Pine Street Restoration project to remove invasive species. In November native trees and shrubs will be planted. Meet at the corner of Pine and Albion Streets.

Why? Riparian areas surrounding streams provide critical ecosystem functions important in maintaining the balance and water quality of streams and rivers. They provide shade, filter sediment and prevent erosion, as well as provide habitat for animals big and small.

RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca or contact The Nanaimo Area Land Trust if you have any questions.

Fall Cleanup, Saturday, Oct 22

Get outside and clean your yards, boulevards, and streets. Mow your lawn, tidy your yard, wear a green shirt and help a neighbour.

Contact us  (info@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca) if you would like to volunteer to pick up garbage in the old city.

Meet at Pawson Park 1:45pm for garbage bags, pickers and vests supplied by the city of Nanaimo. 

2pm- 3pm Clean a section of street that you choose in the old city.

3pm Sharp. Drop off your garbage bag at Pawson Park for the city to pick up and return your gear. This is for garbage pick up on the streets and alleyways by our volunteers only. 

3:30pm meet at White Rabbit Coffee (in the old train station on Selby Street) for coffee/tea to celebrate.

In-person AGM!

Mark your calendars for our Annual General Meeting on Friday, October 14 at 6:45 pm. We meet in the hall at St. Andrew’s United Church on Wesley Street.

Community/Heritage planner Chris Sholberg from the City of Nanaimo will speak about the new City Plan and how it affects the old city. Get an update on what the Association has been up to in the past year and elect the Board of Directors for 2022-2023. Memberships are still only $10 for individuals and $20 for a family. New this year – you can pay via e-transfer to president@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca – please list the name(s) and address of those paying their memberships.

You can also fill in a membership form and bring it to the meeting if you’d like to get more involved! We’d love to have you join!