A view of Terminal Ave. looking south at the Commercial St. and Victoria Cres. intersection where the City intends to vastly overhaul the area into a more public-friendly place. (submitted/City of Nanaimo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

ambitious plan

City reveals Terminal Avenue enhancement plan for downtown Nanaimo

Jul 27, 2021 | 10:18 AM

NANAIMO — New plans to improve a key area in downtown Nanaimo have been revealed.

The City of Nanaimo on Tuesday, July 27 announced conceptual plans for the re-imagining of Terminal Ave. from Esplanade to Commercial St.

The plan includes a public square at the newly purchased Jean Burns site on Commercial St., developing a cycling route from Albert St. through downtown, addressing congestion at the Albert/Victoria/Wallace intersection and improving pedestrian features.

Moving the transit hub to Terminal Ave. just south of the Jean Burns site is planned but no firm timeline is in place. The City purchased two lots in the 500 block of Terminal Ave just south of the China Steps to make room for an off-road transit hub.

Bill Sims, general manager of engineering and public works, said a new location for a major transit exchange which doesn’t impede the flow of traffic offers a terrific opportunity.

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“With the right urban design principles it creates this opportunity for a vibrant public space. It will put a bunch of people into this key downtown corner,” Sims said, who emphasized the transit hub would be located off-road to ensure traffic flow isn’t impeded.

Redesigning the tricky Albert/Victoria/Wallace intersection could involve cutting off vehicular access at the Jean Burns building site.

Sims said the problematic intersection can be made safer and much more appealing to pedestrians.

“That creates even more space for public realm. We also want to make sure that the cycle route coming down Albert St. can access through to the downtown.”

Further enhancements on Terminal Ave. to Stewart Ave. just north of the Pearson St. bridge are slated to be done in 2024 and 2025.

Sims said work on Terminal Ave. is intended to soften the highway feel of the corridor to make it more pedestrian friendly, while also resurfacing the vehicular portion of the road.

The ministry of transportation will fund work on the road while the City is responsible for sidewalks and other amenities, Sims noted.

Mayor Leonard Krog said the City had to do something about the unsightly hole in the ground at the Jean Burns site, which he called Nanaimo’s most high profile intersection.

“Clearly nothing was going to happen with the private owner and it was necessary to move this along. I think it’s the right thing for the citizens, right thing for community and right thing for downtown,” Krog told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Victoria Cres. Association vice-president and area business owner Dave Lawrence said he’s pleased to see investment in a portion of downtown in dire need of change, but worried if it would address elevated social disorder in the area.

“One of the issues you’re going to have is what we deal with down here, (which) is a lot of transient street people and what that will entail,” Lawrence said.

The City intends to have upgraded lighting as part of several features to improve public safety as part of a plaza at the Jean Burns site and nearby bus loop.

Public engagement about the many proposed developments are planned for later in summer, 2021.

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