City Councillors voted, during a Wednesday, Oct. 14, in-camera meeting, in support of keeping the Westwood Tennis Club bubble, as they move through the acquisition process of 2367 Arbot Rd. on the northwestern shores of Westwood Lake, after it was previously believed the facility would be completely removed.

A release from the City noted the club itself will cease operations on Nov. 1, with ownership transferred by Dec. 18, with access to the site closed during the roughly seven-week period.

“This transition period will allow the current owners to complete their move from the property before ownership transfers to the City. Public access to the tennis bubble would resume once the City and a non-profit operator have an approved agreement in place, and the facility is ready for operation.”

The facility houses multiple courts and is available to club members. (Image Credit: Westwood Tennis Club)

It’s unclear which non-profit operator will step up to run the facility.

The release from the City said a “comprehensive operation agreement” will be developed and any operations of the bubble must be “cost-neutral to the City.”

Announced in September, the City purchased the Arbot Rd. property for $2.88 million, with plans for additional park space on the shores of the lake.

Previously, developers had eyed a townhouse project for the property, however, Council voted the idea down in October 2025.

Community engagement is still planned for the remainder of the property, and how it functions with the rest of the lake area.

This decision took place three days prior to the 2026 Municipal Election and, as a result, did not include newly elected Councillors Andrea Coutu and Marnie Boers.

Follow us on Facebook. Join Everything Nanaimo on Facebook and stay connected with everything happening on central Vancouver Island.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Dozens of street banners were installed recently in the Front St. and Church St. areas, representing a highly visible collaboration between Royal Canadian Legion branches 256 and 10 in Nanaimo.

Lew Forth, Legion 256 second vice president, said the idea stems from an initiative in Vancouver, which puts a face to the name behind the sacrifices made to establish the freedoms and safety Canadians enjoy.

“To have a visual context, to actually be able to see there was a person behind this name or this story, I think it hits home a little bit better,” Forth told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Pictures and brief biographies are included on the banners. (Image Credit: Royal Canadian Legion branch 256)

Most of the people featured in the 29 banners up for the past several weeks represent family members of current Nanaimo-area residents, Forth noted.

Installed in conjunction with the City of Nanaimo’s street banner program, Forth said it’s his understanding the powerful banners will remain in place until the end of November.

“Initially, we just wanted to make sure they were on the parade route and around the Cenotaph for our poppy campaign this year. Because it became so popular right off the bat, I hope we can expand on it in the years to come.”

The legion street banners represent an important visual reminder of Nanaimo-area connected service members contributed to various worldwide conflicts. (Image Credit: Royal Canadian Legion branch 256)

Forth said he’s heard nothing but positive responses.

In fact, he said, since the banners have been in place, several more requests from local families have been made to highlight contributions of other service members with ties to the mid-Island region.

Forth hopes the banners are the start of a seasonal tradition in Nanaimo.

“My vision would be to see the whole city covered in these things.”

Forth said individuals featured in the existing banners date back to the First World War, to Canada’s presence in modern-era conflicts.

These seasonal street banners could be commonplace and expanded in Nanaimo in the years ahead, according to Legion 256 second vice president Lew Forth. (Image Credit: Royal Canadian Legion branch 256)

Follow us on Facebook. Join Everything Nanaimo on Facebook and stay connected with everything happening on central Vancouver Island.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Announced Saturday, Oct. 17, the party has promised the development of a new Urgent and Primary Care Clinic (UPCC) in the Parksville-Qualicum Beach region if re-elected in the 2026 Provincial Election on Saturday, Oct. 24.

UPCCs offer same-day care for non-emergency health issues and are designed to reduce strain on local hospital emergency rooms.

“A new Urgent and Primary Care Centre would give people another place to turn when they need medical attention, helping connect them with care sooner and easing pressure on emergency departments,” Ladysmith-Oceanside NDP candidate Stephanie Higginson said in a release.

Typical issues handled at UPCCs include treatment of minor injuries and common illnesses which require medical intervention but don’t meet the threshold for a hospital emergency room.

A total of 48 UPCCs are open province-wide, including one opened in 2025 on Norwell Dr. in Nanaimo, while a privately run UPCC is located at Port Place Shopping Centre.

The facilities operate by having those seeking care call first thing in the morning, then being triaged into appointment slots through the day based on their need.

“We have made great progress in Oceanside, attaching over 2,000 people in two years to a family doctor or nurse practitioner,” Higginson added. “This UPCC will ensure our residents have access to care while we continue the critical work to attach everyone to a primary care practitioner.”

The NDP had previously promised, during the 2024 provincial election, movement on a new cath lab and patient tower at NRGH.

Island Health confirmed in February they had begun work on a concept plan for the project, after the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District board had said they would pay for the plan in its entirety as part of their required 40 per cent contribution of capital funding for the project.

Subscribe to our daily news wrap. Local news delivered to your email inbox every evening. Stay up-to-date on everything Nanaimo and Oceanside.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Following a dismal 23.93 per cent voter turnout in the City of Nanaimo for the 2022 election, roughly 31.63 per cent showed up on Saturday, Oct. 17, through two days of advance voting, or used mail-in ballots.

Election officials counted 25,450 votes from approximately 80,464 eligible electors, who chose Leonard Krog as the City’s Mayor for the next four years, as well as six incumbents returning alongside two rookie councillors.

Exact numbers will shift slightly this week, as data on the number of people who registered to vote on election day itself was not immediately available.

A similar story was told across the region.

In Parksville, turnout rose to 38.89 per cent, compared to 33.75 per cent four years ago.

A total of 4,391 votes were cast to help elect new Mayor Mary Beil and six councillors, nearly 1,000 more ballots than in 2022.

Voters in the Town of Qualicum Beach elected Adam Walker as their new Mayor, with 55.36 per cent of eligible electors casting 4,733 ballots out of 8,549 eligible electors, with just under 300 more people voting than the last election.

Turnout in the municipality in 2022 was 53.02 per cent and led the mid-Island.

Lantzville voters were not required to vote for a new Mayor, with Mark Swain acclaimed in the position after running unopposed.

Four councillors were elected by 1,727 voters, representing a 54.57 per cent voter turnout, up from 49.92 per cent last election cycle.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Crews recently began repairing 900 meters of eroded, uneven trail beyond the halfway point up the iconic hike above the Witchcraft Lake trailhead.

Rick Daykin, Regional District of Nanaimo’s manager of parks services, said the lower 400 metre section of Rafe’s Way, along with 500 meters of Gordie’s Trail closer to the summit, are being refurbished.

“Our goal is to shape the trails so the water can move off into the forest, rather than rushing down the trail and creating threats,” Daykin said.

Diagram of ongoing trail repair work underway at Mount Benson Regional Park. (Image Credit: Regional District of Nanaimo)

Impacted sections include large, loose rocks and deeply rutted areas, with Daykin stating regrading involves the use of existing area soil and gravel.

In addition to more safely guiding hikers on the trail, Daykin said reducing future maintenance requirements is another key aspect of the work.

Hazardous trees have also been removed to improve safety, Daykin noted.

He expects the work will be done by mid November, noting hikers should watch for signs and equipment in the interim while making their way up and down the mountain.

“We don’t want to close the trail, we want to make sure that people can still utilize it because the heavy lifting work is complete and now it’s just minor surfacing and cleanup.”

Example of trail restoration work ongoing at Mount Benson Regional Park. (Image Credit: Regional District of Nanaimo)

Financed by $100,000 from the provincial Growing Communities Fund, Daykin adds the project involves additional high-value safety features.

He said nearly 200 feet of stainless-steel cable supported by anchors are planned to be added on steep terrain segments of both Rafe’s Way and upper Gordie Trail.

“This durable material should stand the test of time as well as extreme environmental conditions while keeping hikers secure with hand holds as they navigate these challenging trails,” Daykin told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The RDN is currently looking for a contractor to install the steel cables, Daykin confirmed.

“We’re a little ambitious, but we’d like to get it accomplished this year if possible.”

Numerous other trail upgrades overseen by the RDN have been done in recent years.

Mount Benson Regional Park is primarily accessed by a large parking lot and trailhead on Benson View Rd.

Mount Benson’s summit is a little over 1,000 meters above sea level, offering panoramic views on a clear day of Nanaimo, Ladysmith, the Salish Sea, and mainland coastal mountain range.

Nanaimo, Salish Sea and the distant coastal mountain range as viewed from Mount Benson’s summit. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Subscribe to our daily news wrap. Local news delivered to your email inbox every evening. Stay up-to-date on everything Nanaimo and Oceanside.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Hullo recently announced they partnered with IslandLink Bus Service to provide two daily one-way bus routes, bringing people directly to or from the Nanaimo terminal at 100 Port Way.

Already in operation since Oct. 1, the initial bus routes will revolve around two key sailings, according to their release.

The 9 a.m. Hullo sailings from Vancouver to Nanaimo will then connect passengers on the Nanaimo side via bus to the communities of Parksville, Courtenay, and Campbell River at 11 a.m.

Heading south, IslandLink will depart from Campbell River, travelling through Courtenay and Parksville, in time for the 11 a.m. sailing at the Nanaimo terminal.

CEO of IslandLink Phillip Morgan said people have been asking for a service like this for a while.

“Connecting our bus routes directly to Hullo’s terminal creates a smooth, hassle-free link between central Island communities and downtown Vancouver, providing convenience for our riders.”

Future expansion plans include routes to Victoria, the Cowichan Valley, Port Alberni, and Tofino.

More details can be found at islandlinkbus.com, or hullo.com.

Follow us on Facebook. Join Everything Nanaimo on Facebook and stay connected with everything happening on central Vancouver Island.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Nanaimo got off to a fast start with first period markers from Elliot Perreault on a man advantage and a tip in goal by Miller Kay.

Okotoks defenceman Tyler Russell got a goal back before the first intermission with a quick shot from the right faceoff circle.

In the first minute of the middle frame Drew Roelofs stole puck from Oilers goalie Ryder Shields while shorthanded and wrapped the puck in to bring the score to 3-1.

Moments later Indiana Grossbard ripped a shot in off a Miller Kay faceoff win to put Nanaimo up by three.

Okotoks chipped away with a tally from Ian Kastamo and a power play goal by Conner Radke.

The Clippers held on to the game in the third period with strong defence and intelligent play in all three zones.

Hugo Laring was also excellent in goal capturing his sixth win of the season.

Nanaimo outshot Okotoks 41-32 while going 1/6 on the man advantage and 4/5 killing penalties.

The Clippers won back to back games to finish their week in Alberta with a 2-2 record and a 7-5 win/loss total on the season.

Nanaimo returns home to take on the Powell River Kings on Friday, Oct. 23 and the Chilliwack Chiefs on Oct. 25.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Preliminary results announced by the City of Nanaimo’s Chief Election Officer Sheila Gurrie on Saturday, Oct. 17, confirmed Krog was elected Mayor to a four-year term with 10,368 votes.

He withstood challenges from Sarah Lovegrove (8,461 votes), Anne Marie Dryden (6,084) and Brunie Brunie (327).

A candid Krog told reporters Saturday night at the downtown Vancouver Island Conference Centre that he was disappointed by some of the numbers and found the results surprising.

“Nanaimo’s clearly taken a fairly green turn in terms of the voting patterns and we’ll see what the implications of that are for Council in the next four years. It’s going to be strategically more challenging, I think, for Council and the city generally, but we’ll see what happens.”

Candidates and supporters watch on at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre Saturday evneing. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Krog added he thinks there’s “clearly a desire for change,” and suspects the new-look Council will focus a lot on ensuring Nanaimo’s environmental responsibilities are met.

“I think we’re going to see more money spent in environmental issues than would have normally been the case. Whether or not there’ll be the kind of emphasis on necessary infrastructure when it comes to rezonings, I think it has implications for industrial lands which most people seem to acknowledge we need more of, otherwise the residential tax base will continue to pay the substantial portion of the City’s expenses.”

The new look council to serve alongside Krog during this term includes incumbents Ben Geselbracht (12,399), Paul Manly (12,052), Hilary Eastmure (10,660), Sheryl Armstrong (9,368), Erin Hemmens (8,090) and Ian Thorpe (7,654).

Incumbent councillor Janice Perrino was defeated.

Geselbracht said the votes give a clear mandate to this Council to focus on social issues.

“Focusing on the fact we’re growing quickly and making sure the city remains livable for everybody, every generation. One of the big items is building non-market housing at scale so workers, families, those on disability, and seniors can live here. We also want to keep pushing on the patient tower and the cath lab.”

First-time candidates Andrea Coutu (8,160) and Marnie Boers (7,873) will join them.

Boers said working on Council has been a long-term goal for her over several years, but she wanted to wait until her children were a little older so she could fully commit to the role.

“I think I’ve been working in the community for so long, I work in emergency, and I make a lot of community connections. I always try to be kind to everybody, and I think people just remember that. I showed up as who I am…and I think that just really landed with people.”

Coutu said she knows she is going to be very busy over the next four years, with considerable competing priorities facing this new-look Council.

“We have a public health crisis and we’re facing an economic crisis as well. I think looking at how to make sustainable choices around our industrial development is really important, getting more economic development going without giving up the values that people have, obviously centred by electing the people they did.”

Ben Geselbracht will return for another term at a Nanaimo City Councillor. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Significant changes were made in the District of Lantzville.

Acclaimed mayor Mark Swain will have three new faces at the Council table, with Jonathan Lerner the lone incumbent retained.

Scott Mack, John Westby and Lee Forsyth earned election Saturday evening, while incumbents Ian Savage and Rachelle Mundell were dispatched.

Three Regional District of Nanaimo electoral areas elected new representation, with the remaining four acclaimed after running unopposed.

Area C (Extension, East Wellington, Pleasant Valley) will be represented by incumbent Lauren Melanson, who defeated Nicholas Greer.

Area E (Nanoose) saw Joe Ringwald elected over Peter Njenga and Paul Stephen, while Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington) saw incumbent Leanne Salter defeated by Chris Burger.

Results from School District 68 were not available as of 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Results announced Saturday are preliminary and may change slightly during verification early next week.

It’s expected the final results from the 2026 Municipal Election will be announced on or before Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Subscribe to our daily news wrap. Local news delivered to your email inbox every evening. Stay up-to-date on everything Nanaimo and Oceanside.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Preliminary results announced by the City on Saturday, Oct. 17, confirmed Beil was elected as Parksville’s new Mayor after serving the current term as a councillor, earning 2,401 votes.

Beil beat out current City Councillor Joel Grenz (1,977) and Mike Butler (475).

“It feels pretty amazing,” Beil said after NanaimoNewsNOW broke the news to her she’d won. “I’m just so grateful to the people of Parksville, to everyone who came out to vote and my family and friends who supported the campaign, whether it be with food, money or time, volunteers.”

Beil replaces Doug O’Brien who opted not to seek re-election following his first term as Mayor.

Joining the new Mayor at the council table will be Amit Gaur, Shelly McCullough, Sean Wood, Adam Fras, Ralph Tietjen and Frank Bailey.

Incumbent Sylvia Martin was the first one to miss out, falling 96 votes short.

In the Town of Qualicum Beach, Adam Walker prevailed with 2,774 votes over incumbent Teunis Westbroek (1,786) and Nessa Cybalisty (119).

“I’m just overwhelmed, it’s been incredible chatting with people at the doorstep and hearing the desire to keep Qualicum Beach Qualicum Beach, but there’s a lot of things we need to keep moving forward on. To see this incredible support from the community…I’m humbled,” Walker said after his win.

Walker’s new-look Council will include Mischa Oak (3,483), Donald Couzens (2,598), Scott Harrison (2,505) and Anne Skipsey (2,476).

The Mayor-elect plans to meet with his new team as soon as possible in a bid to ensure the group is pulling in the same direction.

“The big things is creating a team, making sure everyone on Council feels they have purpose and are actually making a difference in that role,” Walker added.

Results announced Saturday are preliminary and may change slightly during verification early next week.

It’s expected the final results from the 2026 Municipal Election will be announced on or before Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Follow us on Facebook. Join Everything Nanaimo on Facebook and stay connected with everything happening on central Vancouver Island.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook

Our team is covering the entire mid-Island, and will have full results and reactions both on air through our partner radio stations (106.9 The Wolf, 102.3 The Wave, 88.5 The Beach and The Lounge 99.9), and here on NanaimoNewsNOW.

Follow our live blog for results as they’re made available.