* Staff from the CityProjects team present their recently won trophy to Council on October 7, 2019.
This week, learn about blowouts, prepare an emergency kit and dive into some Halloween fun!
Read on to see what's happening for the week ahead.
What's a Blowout?
A blowout can have many meanings. It could be a clearance sale at your favourite clothing shop, a temper tantrum by your lovable 3-year-old, or a sudden flat tire on a roadtrip. In this case though, we’re blowing out the sprinkler lines for winter. It may look like we’re watering our fields and gardens, but at this time of year, Mother Nature does that for us. We’re just winterizing and protecting our sprinkler systems in preparation for some freezing temperatures ahead.
More on Winter Storms!
Last week we talked about cleaning fallen leaves and debris out of eavestroughs, drains and storm catch basins in front of your home. Interested in learning how to keep a storm drain clear? Watch our Cleaning Catch Basins video for a quick tutorial.
If you see a blocked culvert in a ditch, please report it to Public Works at 250-758-5222. City staff are trained to recognize and handle potential dangers, so please DO NOT try and unblock it yourself during a storm, heavy rain or snowfall.
What's Shaking?
The threat of a big earthquake looms! The Great British Columbia Shakeout takes place October 17 at 10:17am (www.shakeoutbc.ca). Of course, a real earthquake would never be so predictable, so this is a good reminder to be prepared! Visit our website for more information on Earthquake Preparedness and watch our How to Prepare an Emergency Kit video.
Upcoming Community Events
- Thursday, October 17: Musical Entertainment in Bowen Park, 1:30 to 3 pm in the Bowen Park Auditorium. This week featuring Blossom Tree!
- Friday, October 18: Halloween Dive-In Movie (Coco), 7 pm at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre
- Friday, October 18: Free Swim (Courtesy of Coast Capital Savings), 7 – 9 pm at Beban Pool
- Note: Although the time is the same, this is a different event than the Halloween Dive-In Movie at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre
- Sunday, October 20: Lions FREE Skate, 12 pm to 1:30 pm in Frank Crane Arena
Find a complete list of City-related events at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/events.
Construction Updates
You can follow project progress and learn about detours that may affect your commute by going to our City construction projects on our website at nanaimo.ca/construction. Here is an overview of our current construction zones:
- Plan ahead if you are in the Hammond Bay area as the Hammond Bay Road widening and storm improvements project continues and delays should be expected.
- Bruce Avenue is closed between Third and Fourth Streets as crews work on Bruce Avenue transportation and utility upgrades.
- Bruce Avenue will be closed for one more week between Dundas Street and Fifth Street as the development project at Bruce and Fifth completes road work.
- The majority of Seventh Street was paved this last week and Seventh Street is now open. However, construction on the pump station and forcemain project continues and is expected to be complete in November.
- Work on Haliburton Street will continue until spring 2020. The work requiring the southbound detour is now complete. Single lane alternating traffic during working hours will be in affect while work is ongoing. Some delays on Haliburton Street can be expected.
What's New
This week, the Finance and Audit Committee will see presentations on the Loudon Park Boathouse Project, updates on priority projects downtown, a recommendation for a Heritage Façade Grant at the Queen’s Hotel, and will decide on an application to the Union of BC Municipalities for the Community Resiliency Investment Program.
The Health and Housing Task Force originally scheduled for October 16 at 3 pm in the Service and Resource Centre has been cancelled.
Meetings This Week
- Wednesday, October 16: Finance and Audit Committee Meeting 9 am to noon in the Service and Resource Centre Boardroom, 411 Dunsmuir Street
- Thursday, October 17: Board of Variance Meeting, 5:30 pm in the Service and Resource Centre Boardroom, 411 Dunsmuir Street
Visit the Meetings, Documents and Videos page on the City website to view upcoming meetings, agendas and past meeting videos or visit the Council Meeting Summaries page to read a recap of decisions made in previous meetings.
Here's a recap of City-related news from last week: