Rendering of what the incoming washroom buildings at Westwood Lake Park will look like. (City of Nanaimo)

By Ian Holmes

Westwood Lake

Phase 2 of Westwood Lake upgrades pending, additional accessible washroom approved

Jul 31, 2024 | 3:38 PM

NANAIMO — Another round of extensive Westwood Lake Park upgrades are expected to begin shortly and will include an extra accessible washroom.

An 8-0 vote saw City councillors approve a second accessible and universal washroom building to be added to the park, resulting in an extra estimated expense of around $100,000.

In total, seven universal washroom spaces will be available next year, a vast enhancement on the two washrooms currently in place.

City councilors opted for this recommended option of expanded washroom facilities at Westwood Lake Park. (City of Nanaimo)

The adjustment endorsed at a council meeting this week was made following a recent recommendation from the accessibility and inclusiveness committee, co-chaired by coun. Hilary Eastmure.

island meetings

Trudeau to face fretful caucus meetings in Nanaimo ahead of return to the House

6h ago

healthcare challenges

'We have this one opportunity:' rally scheduled to boost support for central Island healthcare

11h ago

changing the narrative

'People have been struggling:' Nanaimo event part of World Suicide Prevention Day

14h ago

“I think this makes a lot of sense and I’d rather spend the money to do it right now than regret in the future that we didn’t put in an adequate number of accessible washrooms,” she told a Monday, July 29 council meeting.

Eastmure argued the investment would draw more people with accessibility challenges to the park.

She asked City senior project manager Michael Lonsdale about the idea of a stand-alone change room facility.

“There really aren’t too many calls for that facility to get opened. The existing washrooms there have two change facilities within them and they’re not really high use at this point,” Lonsdale said.

All of the new washrooms are designed to also function as private change spaces, a City staff report noted.

The report stated that while six new washrooms would meet current user demand, a seventh would satisfy increased future usage.

The existing washroom building at Westwood Lake Park is not wheelchair accessible. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Other pending improvements

Following an expanded and re-configured parking lot project and natural storm water management system installed last year, the City expects phase two Westwood Lake Park improvements will commence in September and continue into next year.

In addition to the new washroom offering, an expanded sandy ‘First Beach’ is among other planned enhancements.

Lonsdale said the expanded beach will involve removing the existing asphalt adjacent to the new parking lot just off the end of Westwood Rd.

List of pending enhancements to be included in phase two enhancements at Westwood Lake Park. (City of Nanaimo)

Overhauling popular Westwood Lake Park began with approving a draft concept and garnering public opinions in 2021.

A final concept to upgrade features was approved in 2022, with phase one work starting early last year and was completed in early June 2023.

While the City originally budgeted about $2.8 million for both phases of upgrades at Westwood Lake Park, the project has a revised budget of $5.1 million, including $3.4 million for phase two, according to Lonsdale in a statement to NanaimoNewsNOW.

Lonsdale estimated the construction timeline is preliminarily anticipated to last between September and next April or May, noting there will be “a fair bit of disruption” around the park’s First Beach during construction.

He stated the boat launch will not be publicly accessible during construction, and that a portion of the new parking lot will be used to provide working space for crews.

Lonsdale added the existing washroom building will remain open as much as possible during the project.

In the early 1900s Westwood Lake was dammed for electricity production and was abandoned in the 1950s prior to the City buying the land and dedicating it as a park in 1957.

The park, home to a pair of heavily used sandy beaches, includes a popular nearly six-kilometre exterior trail around the lake, as well as an off-leash dog park.

This section of exsiting pavement will be removed to expand the sandy beach off the end of Westwood Rd. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Alternate rendering of the washroom buildings to be built at Westwood Lake Park. (City of Nanaimo)

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes