Things To Do In Nanaimo July 10 - 12

Nanaimo Events and Activities

The Nanaimo Things To Do Directory has over 160 different contacts for every interest from Air Cadets to Windsurfing and everything in between. To visit this directory click the banner above or Nanaimo Info LINK.

Fri. calendar of events use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Sat. calendar of events use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Sun. calendar of events use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Port Theatre events calendar use Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Movies Guide use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Western Edge Theatre use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Theatre Group use Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Art Gallery use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Arts Council info use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Minor Baseball info use Nanaimo Info LINK.

Youth Soccer Club info use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Pirates Baseball info use Nanaimo Info LINK.

Weekend weather forecast use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Downtown Farmer's Market opens Friday, more info.

Weekend Garage Sales use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Neighbourhood Farmers Market Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Timbermen Sr. A. Lacrosse Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Timbermen Sr. B Lacrosse Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Timbermen Jr. A Lacrosse Nanaimo Info LINK.

Art in the Park 2009 use this Nanaimo Info LINK.

Nanaimo Weekend Weather Outlook

More Sunshine and Blue Skies
Heading Our Way

This has got to be one of the best summers for great weekend weather in a long long time.

It promises to be warm but not unbearably so, still you will want to remember the sun lotion and a brimmed hat to keep the sun out of your eyes.

There is lots to see and do in Nanaimo this weekend, and if being busy is not your thing, the are acres of park and miles of beach calling your name.

Enjoy the Weekend!

Terminal Park Face Lift

Terminal Park Liquor Store

It seems like only a short time ago the facade on the Terminal Park Liquor store was renewed as well as above the other stores in this strip mall.

Whether the change goes hand in hand with the renovations inside the government booze tax collection centre is uncertain.

I guess times aren't all that tough if companies and businesses can afford to invest in purely cosmetic renovations.

Of course it is good news for the construction company and their employees who are doing the work.

Illegal Dumping In Subdivision

What Are People Thinking?

This is the scene at the end of a short street in a new subdivision located in Nanaimo.

The location is not being revealed as I do not wish to encourage other slobs to begin getting rid of their trash in this manner.

If you can put the stuff in your car or truck and drive it here, surely you can drive it to the dump in Cedar and pay the $4 to get rid of it properly.

If anyone cares to sort through a couple of garbage bags they could probably find a clue to who the culprits are and see they clean up their mess.

There should be a special fine for these people and those other blights who go around defacing property with spray cans!

Stolen Vehicle Stopped Spike Belt Used

Spike Belt Stops Fleeing Driver

A stolen vehicle spotted driving erratically late Tuesday night was stopped only after the deployment of two spike belts by Nanaimo RCMP.

The vehicle in question, an older model Dodge Ram pickup was spotted driving south along Haliburton St at approximately 11 pm. When the plate was run, the officer realized it had been stolen from the Brooks Landing Mall earlier in the day. The attending officer attempted to stop it but the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle had other plans and sped off reaching speeds of 100 kilometers per hour.

Following from a distance the attending officer watched as the driver ran a red light at Nicol and Needham St,pulled several U turns and dangerously cut between three vehicles traveling in front of him.

Other officers soon joined in and the first of two spike belts was deployed at the intersection of Nicol St and Needham. It hit its mark effectively flattening two of the vehicles tires. The driver however continued on for several more kilometers until a second belt was deployed and this time the remaining tires were taken out causing the driver to loose control and soon put the vehicle into an adjacent ditch near the intersection of Victoria Rd and Highway 19A.

Officers quickly converged on the vehicle and arrested an uninjured 27 year old male. The male was taken into custody and appeared before a Nanaimo Provincial court judge this morning.

Avery Richard MCGUIRE, age 27 of no fixed address from the Lower Mainland was remanded by consent until July 22.He was charged with Dangerous Driving ,Cause Pursuit, Possession of Stolen Property ,Breach of Probation and Possession of a Controlled Substance. The drug charge stemmed from a small quantity of crack cocaine found on his person when arrested.

Members also reported finding a hand written note on MCGUIRE. The note appeared to be one that could be used in a bank robbery. Members are currently contacting police agencies across the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island to see if there have been any recent robberies and if MCGUIRE fits the description of persons involved.

“Only the collective and quick response by Nanaimo RCMP and the deployment of spike belts in a safe and efficient manner brought this situation to a successful conclusion and put another criminal behind bars” said Constable Gary O’Brien, media spokesperson for the Nanaimo RCMP.

BC Housing Starts Increase 25%

Canadian Housing Starts
Increase In June

The seasonally adjusted annual rate¹ of housing starts increased to 140,700 units in June from 130,300 units in May, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

“The increase in housing starts in June is broadly based, encompassing both the singles and multiples segments,” said Bob Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC. “In addition, Western Canada experienced an increase this month.”

Housing starts are expected to improve throughout 2009 and over the next several years to gradually become more closely aligned to demographic demand, which is currently estimated at about 175,000 units per year.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased 9.5 per cent to 120,100 units in June. Urban multiple starts increased 11.3 per cent to 67,000 units, while urban single starts also moved up by 7.3 per cent to 53,100 units in June.

June’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased 59.4 per cent in the Prairies, 25 per cent in British Columbia, and 3.1 per cent in Ontario. Urban starts declined 6.3 per cent in Quebec, and 3.9 per cent in Atlantic Canada.

Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 20,600 units in June².

As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable, and affordable homes — homes that will continue to create vibrant and healthy communities and cities across the country.

For more information, call 1-800-668-2642.

¹ All starts figures in this release, other than actual starts, are seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) — that is, monthly figures adjusted to remove normal seasonal variation and multiplied by 12 to reflect annual levels.

² CMHC estimates the level of rural starts for each of the three months of the quarter, at the beginning of each quarter. During the last month of the quarter, CMHC conducts the survey in rural areas and revises the estimate.

Nanaimo ... The City of Cob??

Cob Chair Graces China Steps

Sheltered from the rain behind a tarp and still in the process of 'curing' this unique piece of furniture has passersby talking.

Thirsty Camel owner Mr. Goldenblatt thinks this might become something Nanaimo could be known for if the idea catches on. It is a new, yet at the same time ancient method of building which traditionally uses a mixture of clay, sand, straw, water and earth and is similar to adobe.

This particular chair was built over the weekend with the help of about 30 people who were taking part in a cob building workshop. Apparently this chair also incorporates a small amount of horse manure. The aroma from which will disappear as the chair dries out and cures.

In the meantime the chair must be protected from the weather until a weather resistant coating can be applied at a later date.

Apparently the officials at City Hall have given the chair their nod so it looks like it will become a 'talking point' for downtown Nanaimo.

Parksville is known for sandcastles, Chemainus for murals, why not have Nanaimo add Cob to bathtubs to spread our fame?

Take a look next time you are downtown, but don't sit on it, it is not finished yet.

Editor's Note: You have to wonder if the City isn't opening one of those worm cans though. If it is OK to put non-removable seating outside your place of business, it could be interesting to see what appears on downtown sidewalks in the future.

Warning Signs Removed By Vandals

The 'Famous' Gun Barrel

The Sign Says it All

Almost every year
the Nanaimo River claims lives!
More than 30 deaths and 45 serious injuries!

That is the sobering heading in a pamphlet I picked up at Fairways Market. I could not find the name of any person or organization responsible for producing this timely reminder, so I presume they will have no difficulty with my reproducing their pamphlet here.

Most often, the accidents which claim lives are preventable. People who swim in dangerous areas are the most at risk. Even 'strong' swimmers can be injured or killed in these areas. Young males are the typical victims because they like to take risks.

You do not have to swim to be at risk.
Even hikers and fishers have been killed at the Nanaimo River. Whether a person is swimming, hiking or fishing, the cause of death is usually by drowning when someone swims or falls into a dangerous water area.
There have also been cases of severe injuries and permanent disability caused by jumping or diving from a cliff.

The Nanaimo River has several dangerous areas.
The most dangerous are the bedrock canyon areas where the water moves very fast. In these areas, dangerous and strong currents can drag or hold a victim - even the best of simmers- under water. A victim trapped in this way may remain underwater for weeks.

Factors leading to river accidents
RISK-TAKING involves swimming or hiking in a dangerous part of the river.
NOT WEARING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT such as lifejacket or whitewater helmet.
NO TRAINING TO SWIM IN MOVING WATER (called 'Swiftwater' training). It is noteworthy that even people with such training can be at-risk if they take unnecessary risks!

Be River Smart
Do not swim in dangerous areas.
Avoid areas that have hazards downstream.
Wear appropriate equipment.
Do not use an inner-tube or air mattress instead of a lifejacket.

For more information contact:
Nanaimo Search and Rescue Society 250-390-2595
Nanaimo RCMP 250-755-3208
Extension Volunteer Fire Department 250-754-3235

Win A Three Hour Cruise

Win Tour Aboard The
Real S.S. Minnow
From Gilligan's Island Fame

Put on your best Gilligans Island costume and come to the Silly Boat Regatta on Sat. July 18 between the hours of 4:00 - 6:00 pm at Maffeo Sutton Park.

If you are among the top five you will win a three hour tour on Sunday July 19 aboard the S.S. Minnow. Getting stranded on a deserted island is not part of the tour.

The S.S. Minnow was purchased and fully restored three years ago by Quality Foods grocery stores.

This is all part of the fun activities which are part of the annual Silly Boat Races which benefit the Child Development Centre. The popular event promises to be bigger and better than ever this year.

Come early and plan to stay and enjoy the fun, there is something to do for everyone with special events planned for the kids.

British Heritage Festival

B.C.'s Biggest
British Show

Plus

Antiques Roadshow

British Classic Cars

6 Hours of Live Non-Stop
Entertainment

A Fun Filled Day for the Whole Family and you don't even have to be British!

Music, Entertainment, Games, Dancers, Food, Booths,Bands

Centennial Building, Beban Park, Nanaimo
Saturday July 11/09 10:00 am - 4:00pm

Adults $5 Family of 4 - $15 Children $3 OAP $3

For full details visit the website using this Nanaimo Info LINK.

What One Billion Dollars Looks Like

One Billion Dollars
$1,000,000,000.00

(Click Photo To Enlarge)

The above display was created by artist Michael Marcovici to graphically show exactly what one billion dollars looks like in cold hard cash.

You are looking at twelve pallets which contain 10 million $100 bills which totals one billion dollars.

Now consider that our federal government is planning a deficit this year of over 50 billion dollars and imagine the above picture containing 50 times as many pallets!!

The Canadian taxpayer is giving General Motors 10 billion dollars, or 10 times as much as you see above! Click here if your imagination can't handle it.

To give you an idea of how big those pallets are, they are about 40 inches tall or 101 cm. or a little taller than the average kitchen counter height.

It is little wonder they don't deal in cash or gold for that matter any more. They just deal in numbers written on a piece of paper..

It makes the mind wobble!

Spirit Square Maffeo Sutton Park

View Larger

Spirit Square

The "Spirit Square" is located near the Cliff Street entrance to Maffeo Sutton park, and covers approximately one third of the park site.

It includes a large multipurpose plaza for special events, enhanced park access, a spirit eagle feature, and improved routes for pedestrians, cyclists, the physically challenged, as well as service and emergency vehicles.

A covered structure is the focus of the plaza and features interpretive information about the history of the site and downtown. One of the special touches to the new area is the paving stones that indicated the original shoreline of the area.

Construction within the park will continue for the rest of the month. An additional forty seven parking stalls will be added along with some other finishing work.

For more information about the Spirit Square and Maffeo Sutton Park, please contact City of Nanaimo, Parks, Recreation and Culture at 250 756 5200.

Nanaimo Burning Ban Still In Place

Burning Ban Still In Effect

While the rain yesterday helped to lessen the risk of fires, the burning ban is still in force in Nanaimo.

Firefighters have had their hands full lately dealing with fires which could have been deliberately set and they don't need to waste resources and manpower going to fires which should have never been started in the first place.

That includes nuisance fires such as beach fires and the like. Fires which people with any common sense would never start in the first place.

As a reminder there currently is a ban on ALL open burning in Nanaimo and a complete ban in city parks which includes:

• no smoking
• no campfires
• no barbecues

Propane barbecues are alright if they are in approved areas of the park.

To report a fire in Nanaimo call 911, to report a wildfire call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks.

Speeding Costs More Than Just The Ticket In BC

Drivers Risk Premium
Makes Speeding Costly

Effective Jan. 1 2009 ICBC will be charging risky drivers a premium based upon their driving history of the past three years. This premium is charged on top of your insurance premium and is based on your previous three years. In other words you would have to pay the premium for three years if you had one violation.

In addition to the speeding ticket you receive your premium for your first excessive speed violation would be $320.00 which you pay on top of your insurance. The second violation would cost you $370.00 and the third $430.00. The Drivers Risk Premium continues to increase with each addtional violation rising to $1130.00 for the tenth violation.

Your first criminal code offense will cost you $905.00 and your second road side suspension will cost $370.00 (the first one is free).

These premiums are added together based on your driving record, for example if you had one speeding ticket your DRP is $320.00, if you also have one criminal code conviction your DRP for that is $905.00 and two roadside suspensions totalling $370.00 you would have a total Drivers Risk Premium of $1595.00 per year on top of your insurance.

That premium would be payable each year for three years presuming you have no other driving violations. You also have to pay the DRP even if you do not own or insure a vehicle in the province.

For full information on the Drivers Risk Premium (DRP) use this Nanaimo Info LINK.