Looking southeast along the Millstone River, highlighting the proposed park land and environmental improvements to the area. (City of Nanaimo/D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

BIG CHANGE

Massive re-development of Howard Johnson hotel site passes next step

Oct 25, 2022 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — A proposed major re-work of a property at the gateway to downtown is another step closer to reality.

City councillors passed third reading of zoning and land use bylaws for the former Howard Johnson property at the intersection of Comox Rd. and Terminal Ave. at their Monday, Oct. 24 meeting.

Mayor Leonard Krog said the project continued to hit all the right notes for a highly visible parcel in the heart of Nanaimo.

“As many in this community have noticed, when you come into what is essentially our downtown and you come over the Pearson Bridge, on the left you have the beauties of Maffeo Sutton Park and on the right we have a piece of property that has cried out for redevelopment for a very long time.”

The vote was unanimous despite written objections by Snuneymuxw First Nation which were presented before the the public hearing stage at the end of September.

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Krog said he appreciated their concerns, but his support for the project remained.

“Our jurisdiction does not extend to land claims…title to property, things of that nature in the ordinary sense. We are entitled at law to deal with zoning, development permits and…that is our obligation as members of Council and I appreciate that if Snuneymuxw has claims they believe are legitimate, there are appropriate avenues for them to persue them.”

In a letter to Council and select City staff, acting chief Bill Yoachim expressed SFN’s concerns around their “serious concerns” to the development.

Yoachim said the development site is on a former Snuneymuxw village, Sxwayxum.

“Sxwayxum is located on the heart of downtown Nanaimo and recorded as an archaeological site DhRx-1. Just nearby, at Xwsolexwel is where the Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854 was signed, a treaty that is applicable to…the proposed project.”

The letter also took exception to engagement processes which Yoachim deemed “incomplete” and suggested furthering the development without consensus from all parties “will effectively dismantle the reconciliation-based processes that we have worked hard to put in place.”

Six lots are envisioned for the expansive, high-profile property and will feature a mixture of hotel and multi-family housing, commercial and other business spaces.

Third reading came after the proposal was given unanimous consent in late August via the first two readings of updated bylaws, as well as a public hearing session one month later.

The proposal itself was first submitted in August 2021.

Monday’s meeting was also the final one at the Council table for Jim Turley, Zeni Maartman and Don Bonner. Turley did not run for re-election, while Maartman and Bonner did not secure enough votes for another term.

The trio will be replaced by Paul Manly, Janice Perrino and Hilary Eastmure beginning Nov. 7 when they and the remainder of Council are sworn in for their four year term.

An animation of the current planned layout of six buildings on the former Howard Johnson site. (NanaimoNewsNOW illustration)

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