It's the final days for the former Howard Johnson Hotel site at the entrance to downtown Nanaimo, with the property due to be demolished in early 2025. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

to be demolished

Top Stories of 2024: Former Howard Johnson Hotel site entering final days

Dec 29, 2024 | 10:04 AM

NANAIMO — One of the city’s biggest eyesores and problem spots over recent years is poised for demolition in 2025, after an eventful 2024.

The former site of the Howard Johnson Hotel, at the corner of Terminal Ave. and Comox Rd. will be demolished early in the new year, after a development proposal was initially supported, then rejected, before the property was eventually sold.

After sitting largely stagnant through the end of 2023 and into the start of this year, Nanaimo City Councillors opted to return a proposed development of the property back to public hearing in March.

They’d initially supported, through rezoning approvals, an expansive reimagining of the high-profile site to include multiple high-rise apartment buildings and a hotel, along with lower-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Animation of what the initially proposed footprint would look like for the Howard Johnson Hotel site. (City of Nanaimo/NanaimoNewsNOW animation)

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However, growing objections from Snunueymuxw First Nation threatened to derail the development.

As a result, negotiations opened up between the First Nation, the property owner and the provincial government to attempt to come to a solution.

With no immediate traction in talks, councillors again held public hearing in mid-April, and again passed third reading, the final step before officially rezoning the properties.

Objections from Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse and the Nation remained.

In Wyse’s opinion, a prior archaeological impact assessment left “significant concerns” about potential remains or artifacts on the site, which was once a historic Indigenous settlement known as Swayxum Village.

“We believe that there is high probability that an archaeological site was missed in this area given the shallow depth machine tests [in a particular area],” Wyse wrote in a letter to Council.

Roughly three months then passed without final adoption of the zoning bylaws, before the province announced purchase of the property in mid-July.

Snuneymuxw First Nation elder Lolly Good welcomes those attending the July 15 announcement at Maffeo Sutton Park. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

At an event at neighbouring Maffeo Sutton Park, Wyse celebrated the return of land which was purchased for $28.5 million and funded almost entirely by the provincial government ($26 million).

“The rightful return of this land will positively impact our Snuneymuxw citizens, residents of Nanaimo, this region as a whole and all who visit the downtown area,” Wyse said. “By returning this land to Snuneymuxw, we are not only honouring treaty commitments but also supporting the shared economic goals and aspirations that our Nation has with your government.”

While firm plans have not been announced, Wyse said they “are now poised to breathe new life into our sxwayxum village” through a mixed-use project.

Minster of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin said the purchase is about righting past wrongs.

“From our perspective, it’s 170 years since the Douglas Treaty where promises were made that would be protected as a village site, it obviously hasn’t been so this is part of our journey of reconciliation together to make sure that’s restored,” Rankin said.

Various contractors, including hazardous material personnel, had been inside the building in recent weeks, addressing the hotel’s interior prior to the demolition permit’s approval. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Despite an initially announced timeline of around four months for demolition, building remain upstanding.

Relevant permits were issued for the site at the start of the month, with crews arriving soon after.

Preparations are underway, including asbestos removal, for the buildings to be taken down between mid-January and the end of February.

Snuneymuxw First Nation are still yet to unveil their vision for the site.

Fencing and signs advising of a “future mixed use development site” are placed around the property. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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