A fire which started outside the Departure Bay Activity Centre spread inside, causing major damage. (Nanaimo RCMP)

By Ian Holmes

Making adjustments

User groups adjust after Departure Bay Activity Centre fire, facility’s future unknown

Mar 27, 2022 | 10:37 AM

NANAIMO — Local user groups are making alternative arrangements in response to a recent suspicious fire causing substantial damage to a Nanaimo recreation hall.

The Departure Bay Activity Centre on Wingrove St. sustained serious damage, including to the hall’s interior, during a fire on the morning of Thursday, March 17.

Randy Harvey, president of the Nanaimo Amateur Radio Assn (NARA), said their organization called the facility home for about 20 years.

“It’s sad that we lost this site, we’ve been there for so long,’ Harvey told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He said while they managed to salvage most of their equipment this week, they did sustain some losses.

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“A little bit of heat damage to some parts, but most it was very, very bad smoke damage and water damage just from putting the fire out.”

Harvey said it’s not clear where their membership of more than 70 people will establish their next home base.

“Our biggest thing is we’ve lost our home and now we have to find a new home to where we can store our stuff and operate out of in the future,” Harvey said.

NARA members communicated with other amateur radio enthusiasts around the world and held meetings at the hall.

The organization volunteers in the community by establishing communication systems for various races, including the annual bathtub race in Nanaimo, Harvey said.

Several recreational programs for geared towards seniors and youths have been displaced as a result of the fire.

Other impacted organizations include Vancouver Island Pro Wrestling (VIPW), which hosts several shows annually at the impacted facility.

A VIPW event scheduled for April 30 won’t proceed as planned at the Departure Bay Activity Centre.

The City of Nanaimo is accommodating impacted user groups at other facilities where possible.

It’s unclear what the future has in store for the gymnasium-style building constructed in the 1950’s.

A statement from the City of Nanaimo noted an insurance investigation is ongoing.

“We will need to wait until the investigation is complete and recommendations have been made before we could speak to this. We hope to have that info in the next few weeks,” the statement said.

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