Our 2025 Priorities for our neighbourhood

Priority 1 — Promote safety by using passive safety measures for the Old City that can be introduced at the following “hot spots” to lessen fear and crime in the neighbourhood:
(a) Pawson Park
(b) St. Peter’s Catholic Church overnight winter shelter
(c) Abandoned house at 268 Machleary Street

Priority 2Promote community safety and well-being by focusing on the neighbourhood as a model for Active Transportation and Complete Streets.

Priority 3Promote community well-being through work on sustainable improvements to the quality of life in our neighbourhood by increasing tree canopy coverage to 33% of the land area and landscaping parkettes like the one at Franklyn and Milton Streets, to look similar to the parkette by the old fire hall on Victoria Road.

The three priorities for our neighbourhood in 2024 have been acted upon by City of Nanaimo staff. Thank you!

Priority 1 — Promote safety by creating a clear and actionable set of passive safety measures for the Old City that can be introduced at “hot spots” to lessen fear and crime in the neighbourhood. Using passive safety measures requires a clear understanding of the steps that can be taken, the cooperation of the City and the neighbours, patrol of the area, and evaluation of success. The parkette at Franklyn and Milton Streets is an example of a hot spot that can be addressed by Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles as long as the necessary steps are understood and taken.
C2.2.6., C3.1.5. C4.9.8.

Priority 2 — Work on sustainable improvements to the quality of life of our neighbourhood, such as increasing tree canopy coverage to 33% of land area, focusing on the neighbourhood as a model for Active Transportation and Complete Streets, developing a program to enforce a No-Idle Zone in the neighbourhood as a model for the rest of the City, and actively engaging with residents of the neighbourhood in emergency preparedness plans for extreme weather events.
C1.3.1., C2.1.1., C3.5.17

Priority 3 — Maintain Design Advisory Panel review of all development permit applications in the Old City. Support heritage connectiveness in the neighbourhood through the continued action of the Design Advisory Panel in applying the City’s Old City and heritage design guidelines.
C4.6.5.

New Board elected

Thank you to everyone who attended our AGM on October 22. We had a good turnout and a new Board was elected for 2024/2025

Joy Adams Bauer
Brian Booth
Alan Drexhage
Basia Henoch
Twila Konynenbelt
Mayta Ryn
Barbara Schreiber
Shelley Serebrin

It’s not too late to renew your membership. Only $10 an individual or $20 a family. Send a e-transfer to president@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca or drop your fee in the mail slot at 212 Milton Street. Support the work of NOCA!


Annual General Meeting

Tuesday, October 22 at 6:30 PM at St. Andrew’s United Church on Wesley Street

Learn about our Association and get involved! Learn about all the building happening in the old city. Renew your yearly membership.Membership is $10 (individual) or $20 (family).  Pay by e-transfer to president@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca or pay at the door.

Guest speaker – Update on Cornerstone Supportive Housing Facility, Andrew Ferguson, Executive Director, Connective

6:30 pm, registration and memberships
7 pm, AGM begins

See you there!

Super fun cleanup and party!

What fun we had at our annual spring cleanup and old city celebration in Pawson Park! Thanks to the City of Nanaimo for the grant and for providing vests and pickers for the cleanup and for taking the garbage away. Thanks to White Rabbit Coffee for the treats after the cleanup and thanks to the Nanaimo Fiddle Society for some terrific toe-tapping music played by fiddlers of all ages!

Conversation at White Rabbit Coffee

Spring cleanup and old city celebration – Saturday June 8 in Pawson Park

Cleanup from 10am to 11am

Get outside and clean your yards, boulevards, and streets, mow your lawn, tidy your yard and help a neighbour. Wear a green shirt! If you want to pick up litter in the neighbourhood, come to Pawson Park at 9:45. You’ll get garbage bags, pickers and vests supplied by the city of Nanaimo.

11 am drop off your garbage bag at Pawson Park and return your gear. The City will collect the litter our volunteers have picked up on the streets and alleyways.

11:20 am meet at the White Rabbit Cafe for complimentary coffee/tea to celebrate.

Annual Old City Celebration 2 pm at Pawson Park on Saturday, June 8.

  • 2 pm seed and plant sale/swap.  Come and choose some seeds and plants to beautify our boulevards and alleyways. 
  • 3 pm Fiddle music with Trish and Geoff Horrocks. (Weather dependant as fiddles do not like rain). 
  • Bring plants to trade, sell or gift away. 
  • Artists are welcome to set up a table and sell their work. Set up at 1:30 pm
  • Old city residents who have a business in the old city are welcome to have a table to promote their business. To participate, please join NOCA for only $10!  Pay at the park.

Mark your calendars for Monday October 21 for our Annual General Meeting from 6:30 pm to 8 pm Join us to review our activities of the past year and discuss important factors for our neighborhood. 

Help out your Association – volunteers needed!  We have lots of FUN!

  • Board members
  • Flyer distributors
  • Social media contributor
  • Annual spring clean organizer

Contact us at info@nanaimooldcityassociation.ca