City supports Brechin Hill neighbours in improving safety in Waddington tunnel

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed April 14, 2022 12:00 PM

Summary

City of Nanaimo staff provided support to a team of volunteers from the Nanaimo RCMP Community Policing Program, Brechin Hill Neighbourhood Association, Lantzville Rotary Club and parents and their children from Ecole Oceane in a cleanup event in and around the Waddington tunnel on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Up to 30 people painted, picked up garbage and cleaned up overgrown plants in the tunnel and along the walkways leading up to the tunnel. Country Grocer was on hand to provide lunch and refreshments to the volunteer work party.

In 2021, the Brechin Hill Neighbourhood Association participated in the Neighbourhood Safety Audit led by Nanaimo Community Policing. The Waddington Tunnel was identified in the audit as one of the areas with safety concerns. The tunnel has faced vandalism, graffiti and other anti-social behaviour, which led to safety concerns for children who use the tunnel to get to and from the two schools operating in the neighbourhood.

One of the recommendations stemming from the Neighbourhood Safety Audit was for the neighbourhood to take stewardship of the tunnel. Best practices illustrate that when community members get involved in the management and maintenance of public spaces it has a direct link to decreasing the public health and safety challenges in a particular area. The Brechin Hill Neighbourhood hopes to continue on with improving conditions in the Waddington Tunnel by doing bi-annual clean up events.

The Nanaimo Neighbourhood Safety Audit is a hands-on crime prevention initiative undertaken by the Nanaimo Community Policing program in collaboration with the RCMP, neighbourhood associations, Vancouver Island University, and many other people and organizations in Nanaimo. Brechin Hill was one of six neighbourhoods (Downtown, Harewood, Newcastle, Old City, South End) selected to be audited by the Nanaimo Community Policing Program project team. For more information on Neighbourhood Safety Audits, visit: www.nanaimocpvolunteers.ca.

Link to Strategic Plan: Safety audits are a useful tool to help address safety challenges in neighbourhoods supporting a livable community.

Key Points

Public Works staff supported the event by prepping the tunnel and providing paint and other supplies.
Best practices illustrate that when community members get involved in the management and maintenance of public spaces it has a direct link to decreasing the public health and safety challenges in a particular area.
A Neighbourhood Safety Audit was conducted on the Brechin Hill neighbourhood in 2021.

Quotes

"It takes all of us to create the community we want. This is a wonderful example of the City supporting citizens to take ownership of their neighbourhood to make it a safer and healthier place for everyone."

Leonard Krog

Mayor

City of Nanaimo

"This was a great way to bring community together to make a difference, while having fun doing so. The day saw many different partners and groups in our neighbourhood come together to improve community safety."

Michael Ribicic

Brechin Hill Neighbourhood Association

Contact:

For media enquiries, please contact

Communications

City of Nanaimo

250-754-4251

Media.Requests@nanaimo.ca

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