A major television production is poised to take over downtown Nanaimo, with setups focused around Commercial St. and Diana Krall Plaza. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

major production

Major production set for six-week filming schedule in downtown Nanaimo

Apr 12, 2024 | 11:57 AM

NANAIMO — Significant closures are coming to the city’s downtown, stemming from a major television production.

Work is set to focus around Diana Krall Plaza and select businesses along Wharf St., Skinner St. and Commercial St., with hundreds of cast and crew members expected to be in Nanaimo.

Setup and filming will take place in three phases, beginning April 22 through May 31 and will see periodic partial, or entire, closures of the area.

The most impactful phase will happen for a short, as yet undetermined, time in mid-May and will see Commercial St. closed from Terminal Ave. to Bastion St.

Most businesses within the Commercial St. in the filming zone will be closed during this short filming window, with the affected stores compensated by the production.

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During other times in the six-week run, access will be maintained for surrounding businesses and the Vancouver Island Regional Library.

More details on the closures is available on the Downtown Nanaimo Business Association’s website.

A map of the affected areas in downtown Nanaimo, with crews to begin staging April 22. (Downtown Nanaimo Business Association)

Work has already begun in the area to prepare for production.

The tuning fork sculpture and some trees at Diana Krall Plaza were temporarily removed in March to accommodate the show.

Situated just outside the filming area, NYLA Fresh Threads owner Leon Dzewiecki is cautiously optimistic about the production’s impact on his business.

While the show brings obvious positives, Dzewiecki says it’ll be an interesting time for businesses just outside the zone.

“We’ve got a really good community down here and I think with the production it’s going to be neat, intriguing to a lot of customers to come down and see what’s going on. On the closure part of it, it’s going to effect people coming downtown for other stores, I’m not sure if they’re going to know if we’re even open.”

He said tourism effects related to the show will be more long term and he’s hopeful the overall experience will be a positive.

The tuning fork display, along with some trees, were recently removed from Diana Krall Plaza in anticipation of the filming. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

At the start of April, the provincial government confirmed HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ was filming its second season in B.C.

Production has already occurred in the Mission area, and is currently in Kamloops.

‘The Last of Us’ is based off a hit video game 20 years into a global pandemic, which transforms people into zombie-like creatures.

Pedro Pascal plays the lead role of ‘Joel’, a smuggler helping a teenager, Ellie, across the United States. Ellie appears to be immune to the effects of the pandemic.

After overwhelming acclaim during its first season which was filmed in Alberta, the second season is expected to focus on the sequel video game released in 2020.

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