The City of Nanaimo hopes the continued revitalization of downtown will be helped along by a series of quick wins. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

downtown revitalization

‘Quick wins’ hoped to usher along new era of downtown Nanaimo

Jul 30, 2019 | 1:16 PM

NANAIMO — Investment and interest is returning to downtown Nanaimo and the City wants to capitalize as quickly as possible.

Councillors unanimously endorsed a staff report on Monday, July 29 detailing several dozen “quick wins” in the downtown core which can hopefully be achieved by the end of the year.

Initiatives include refreshed crosswalk lines, renewed playground equipment at Maffeo Sutton Park, increased sweeping and new programs to utilize dead or underutilized spaces.

Bill Corsan, director of community development, told NanaimoNewsNOW most of the initiatives were either being considered or already in the works at the City.

“While each of these projects themselves might not be significant for the downtown, when they’re all put together we should see a little bit more pride of ownership in the downtown.”

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Corsan’s report indicated many of the quick wins fit well with the community input gathered from the Downtown Mobility Hub Project, which looks at transit and transportation in the downtown core.

He said the efforts are part of a more concerted push to bring luster back to downtown Nanaimo.

“For decades I think there’s been a focus on downtown. In the last few years we’ve lost a bit of momentum and now we’re seeing quite significant investment coming back into the downtown. New stores opening up (and) a much younger demographic more interested in what downtown has to offer.”

Many of the projects are expected to be funded by existing budgets. Any larger projects will return to council for direction.

A report on long-term improvements to downtown Nanaimo is expected in the fall, around the same time as a report from the Downtown Mobility Hub Project.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit