By Spencer Sterritt

Ocean centre included in Nanaimo’s draft waterfront master plan

Jan 8, 2018 | 7:54 PM

NANAIMO — “Please unchain us and let us do this.”

Those words from Tim Tessier, a member of the Nanaimo Deep Discovery Association speaking to City Council Monday night. His request: to have the proposed Ocean Discovery Centre be included in the City’s draft of their waterfront master plan for 1 Port Dr., which was the topic of discussion during the Committee of the Whole meeting.

The $50 million centre, which is hoped to be predominately funded by the provincial and federal governments, is designed as an education site, more like a science centre than an aquarium, where visitors will be able to learn about oceans across the world and marine life and use virtual reality to explore the deep sea.

Their request about it involved a letter of formal support from City and Council endorsing the proposed plan, allocating a parcel of land up to two acres in size at 1 Port Dr. for it, an 18-month window to gather funds for the project and continued support from City staff in regards to future engagement.

Tessier told council when the association tried to make plans and gather investors over the last two years, they were constantly asked “Where’s the City of Nanaimo in this and how are they contributing? Time is running out for us. We need some indication from Council we can move ahead and start approaching our potential funding sources.”

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After lengthy discussions at the Council table, including leaving the matter behind to hear other delegations, Council unanimously voted in favour of supporting the Association.

“You have my utmost support,” coun. Bill Bestwick said, before continuing to say he believed the development could be the catalyst for a bright future down on Nanaimo’s waterfront. “This is about future generations…and opportunities that will be presented.”

Mayor Bill McKay questioned the uniqueness of the project, citing media reports he’d read about a major likely investor looking at other, similar options in the Lower Mainland.

Tessier responded by saying the alternatives were being discussed due to delays with the City.

“Every time we go back to (the investor), he asks where the City is and where we’re at. And guess what we’ve been able to say? Nothing. If I can go back to him with a letter in our pocket saying the City is finally on-board…he’s actually offered to help raise some of the money.”

Negotiations and consultation with Snuneymuxw First Nation was a concern during the delegation, asked by coun. Sheryl Armstrong about how many talks there had been.

Tessier said a member of Snuneymuxw is on their board and the Association will do further consultation now that plans for the centre are more concrete.

Shortly after the meeting began, Snuneymuxw First Nation sent out a news release saying they have serious concerns about the whole waterfront master plan.

“It would be premature and not appropriate at this time to approve the master plan in principle or be facilitating the development of the Ocean Discovery Centre,” the release said.

NanaimoNewsNOW will follow up on their concerns in a further story this week.

Two land options for the centre were listed in the draft waterfront master plan which was discussed by Council Monday night. One was located on the water, valued at more than $5 million with the other on Front St. closer to the Gabriola ferry terminal valued at nearly $3 million.

The Front St. space was recommended since it was the cheaper of the two and wouldn’t limit other waterfront opportunities.

A City staff report referenced both positives and negatives to having the ocean centre included. While it would attract people to the area, it would limit opportunities for housing and take up some of the most valuable land, the report said.

Negotiations will now occur about whether the land will be given to the Association and then returned to the City, if they’ll lease it or buy it outright.

Tessier said he hoped to be back in front of Council within a year with concrete details about their funding and the project moving forward.

The draft waterfront master plan, which staff first started working on in the fall of 2015, focused on a little more than 24 acres of City-owned land. It also included installing a roundabout at the corner of Front St. behind the Port Place parkade, a waterfront park and evolving the downtown harbour.

The overall draft plan was approved by Council Monday night. City staff will now engage with the public before returning with a finalized plan.

Check back with NanaimoNewsNOW this week for follow-up coverage on other facets of the waterfront master plan story.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit