New provincial housing project tapping into Nanaimo’s mining roots

Units will vary in size and number of bedrooms, but average out to roughly 1,500 square feet each.

Much like current initiatives to spur development above ground, the underground units will be based on pre-approved designs which is poised to speed up the approval processes.

A small wind farm began construction on Sugarloaf Mountain in Nanaimo in March and will power the 3,000 units underneath Nanaimo. (NanaimoNewsNOW Photo)

The units will tap into existing underground geothermal currents for heat, while power will be supplied by windmills and solar panels on Sugarloaf Mountain, with auxiliary sites at Neck Point, Westwood Lake and Jack Point.

Groundwater aquifers allow residents to capture and use the resource through revolutionary piping to instantly heat and cool water, resulting in substantial user rate discounts.

Backup power supplies will be available through “human-powered” devices, including stationary bikes and rowing machines which will help meet the City’s goals of environmental stewardship and active living.

So-called ‘windows’ will be installed through 52″ flat screen televisions mounted to the wall, which will connect to a variety of live camera feeds.

The province said oversized in-unit monitors allows the unique homes to be marketed as having “waterfront or mountain views”, with just the turn of a dial.

Residents will be treated to television-windows, which can be changed to show a number of different local vistas and viewpoints. (Steve Collis photo)

Down under
Despite its relatively novel nature in Nanaimo, the idea of bedding down underground is not a new one in many parts of the world.

The provincial plans repeatedly highlight successes in the small, rural South Australian town of Coober Pedy.

Dubbed the “opal capital of the world”, many of the town’s 1,500 residents live underground to escape the region’s scorching heat.

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog said while we may not deal with the heat “those fine folks down under do”, this is a solution which will get people housed quickly, while not drastically altering Nanaimo’s form and character.

“I think if the province had its way they’d like to see skyscrapers in Bowen Park, Maffeo Sutton Park and Linley Valley — clearly I think the people of Nanaimo would see that as a slap in the face. Developing underground is a more suitable way to tackle our housing crisis,” Krog said.

Pilot projects
Despite the recent provincial announcement, the project has undergone years of testing behind the scenes.

The large sinkhole event in Lantzville in late 2021 resulted from excavation work on a prototype housing unit, designed as a proof of concept.

Repairs took so long along Hwy. 19, in part, due to protecting the sensitive nature of the site.

A similar event along Victoria Rd. reported in January was dubbed “contractor error” by the province during the construction of a final prototype unit.

City staff said at the time the hole was “nothing to panic about”, not wanting to reveal the true nature of the incident then.

Structural engineer Bill Dozer said they’ve workshopped every possible scenario, emphasizing that the designs are foolproof.

“We’ve tested these designs, these sites with excessive weights…much more than you’d typically see through rain or snow events. We’re excited for the public to now see the fruits of our labour.”

Engineers survey the damage to an underground housing prototype outside of Lantzville, which was exposed during the atmospheric river event in 2021. (NanaimoNewsNOW Photo)

Creature comforts
Based on early renderings, two large gated entrances/exits to the underground communes would be established on the surface at the yet-to-be-confirmed locations.

A more public entrance would be established at Maffeo Sutton Park, with the ‘O’ in the ‘NANAIMO’ sign serving as a psuedo-portal.

The underground living units would be served by a narrow corridor, only suitable for non-vehicular traffic.

A secondary rail connection will also be established, answering steadfast desire from some in the region for enhanced passenger rail capabilities.

To keep in line with the initiative’s mining roots, residents will also be given pick-axes and permitted to keep any precious metals sourced from respective living spaces.

Materials found in common areas such as entrances or hallways will be collected for annual pizza parties and other gatherings for residents.

Editor’s Note: APRIL FOOLS! Obviously, this entire article is complete nonsense, but we hope you enjoyed the read. Any quotes or facts regarding this “housing project” are entirely fabricated, however Coober Pedy is a truly unique, wonderful and very real place to visit.

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

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW

by NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

New provincial housing project tapping into Nanaimo’s mining roots

More Local News