Helping our unsheltered neighbours

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April 20, 2023

11:01 am

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Are you interested in joining our “unsheltered neighbours working group?”

A goal is support our unsheltered neighbours and find solutions to stop the vandalism, fires, drug use in front of areas where children gather in the old city.  All residents of the old city are welcome to attend our working group meetings which happen once a month either 10:30 am at La Isla Cafe or evening meetings at 7 pm at the Black Rabbit restaurant.

Upcoming Meetings
Wednesday, July 19 – 7 to 8 pm
Wednesday, September 20 – 7 to 8 pm
Wednesday, October 18 – 10:30 to 11:30 am
Wednesday, November 15 – 7 to 8 pm

The importance of sheltering people from the cold and who are in need is seen and felt, nonetheless the crime and disruption into the neighbourhood needs to be discussed with the service providers and the city. 

NOCA has established a working group to focus on the unsheltered members of our neighbourhood. The group is chaired by long-time old city resident Doug Creba, and reports to the NOCA Board. There are currently five NOCA members on the working group. If you are interested in joining, please let us know.

Who are we? – A working group reporting to the NOCA Board – We are focused on unsheltered members of our community who are having a negative impact on our community and can often be disruptive.

Who can participate? – All residents of the old city are welcome to participate. Membership in NOCA (or not) is not a limiting factor to participation. Please share this invitation with all your neighbours so they have the option to be involved.

People taking a lead 

1. Are members of NOCA

2. Report back to NOCA 

3. Require NOCA approval for any actions taken

MANDATE – We are a working committee of NOCA and we only work within the old city boundaries

CHAIR — Doug Creba

SCOPE – We are separate from the group working with the overnight shelter operators at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. here may be overlaps in our work but we can manage those as they become apparent. We see our mandate as addressing issues related to and arising from the unsheltered community within our area. We are not mandated to deal with zoning, parking or major crime etc.

CARING and RESPECT– One guiding principle is that we must always work in a respectful manner; respect for all individuals involved or impacted. 

PURPOSE – Identify issues in the neighbourhood as they arise; share information: 

1. through NOCA social media

2. word of mouth

3. contact with City

4. contact with Police

Organize support and report to

1. City 

2. MLA’s and Premier

3. Police

4. Organizers for support for the homeless like the Nanaimo Family Life Association which operates the winter overnight shelter at St Peter’s Catholic Church.

COMMUNITY – Our interaction may involve but is not limited to :

* St Peter’s shelter — staff and clients (during shelter operation – December 1 to March 31
* Nanaimo Family Life Association
* Connective (formerly John Howard Society)
* Risebridge
* Safe Injection site on Dunsmuir Street
* CMHA
* Block Watch
* Pauline Haraar school
* City of Nanaimo, Community Safety Officers and other relevant departments
* RCMP
* BC Housing

Concerns around current supports for the homeless

1. Risebridge Warming Centre – needs longer hours 

2. St. Peters winter shelter – Security Issues with security guards not always showing up and not having authority to move people on.

3. Safe Injection Site at Albert and Dunsmuir Streets uses security and staff to reduce impact

ISSUES – The following information is just a starting point and more issues may arise in the future.

Hot spots– places where our attention is drawn due to activity in that place

* Pawson Park
* St Peter’s parking lot
* All along the train track Albert, Fitzwilliam behind Old City Panache and fire department offices
* Franklyn Street park at Milton Street
* Old Hospital site (388 Machleary Street)
* Wellesley Street – Delicados Restaurant
* TELUS building – Fitzwilliam Street at Wallace Street
* Railways
* Laneways 

Areas close by that may result in overlap (outside NOCA boundary but the issues do not respect boundaries) 

* Risebridge on Prideaux Street.
* Cat Stream at Third Street
* downtown

BEHAVIOURS that are not welcome

* theft, B&E etc.
* open drug use
* loud behaviour all times of day 
* littering – garbage and sharps
* setting fires
* vandalism (rocks through windows) 
* graffiti 

ACTIONS, – Techniques and methods for response to issues

1. Block Watch 

2. Good Neighbour Agreements

3. Vacant Property Act (Fire and police can come in without a warrant; used in Harewood to shut down crack houses. Bylaw officers do have power if they are ordered to use it. This kind of legislation would provide permitting and monitoring

4. Shelter Bylaws – To set rules for operation

5. Resiliency Action Teams needed – Quick response to problems. Harewood has a person who cleans up graffiti and a nuisance property person

6. Reporting

7. Community Patrol 

8. Communication with Support Groups for Homeless

9. Passive Intervention 

10. Regular meetings of neighbourhood committee

11. Regular clean up of streets, litter and more including SHARPS

If you’d like to be part of the solution and care about your neighbourhood, please get in touch with us at info@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca

From your unsheltered neighbours working group

Cleanup a Success!

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April 20, 2023

10:40 am

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Thank you to the city of Nanaimo for the donation of mulch for our beautification of the boulevards and alleyways as well as the clean up gear and garbage pick up for our annual spring clean up.

Thank you Joel and Melissa, you are cleaning all-stars. 

Thank you White Rabbit cafe for our volunteer treats.

Thank you to all of our neighbourhood volunteers. 

Spring Cleanup – Mark your calendar!

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March 3, 2023

10:42 am

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Heads Up

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

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March 3, 2023

10:18 am

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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!

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January 20, 2023

3:59 pm

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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

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January 13, 2023

1:51 pm

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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

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November 23, 2022

10:05 am

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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

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October 26, 2022

10:57 am

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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

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October 21, 2022

12:38 pm

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Events

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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.