South Downtown Waterfront Initiative

The South Downtown Waterfront Committee (SDWC) served as a collective of partners and stakeholders providing guidance and advice for the South Downtown Waterfront area. 

  • Progress

    This project is complete.

  • Documents
  • Details

    Framing the Future - Vision and Guiding Principles

    FRAMING THE FUTURE for the South Downtown Waterfront is not a regulatory document. Therefore, its effectiveness will be determined by ongoing community support for its tenets, and its continuing regard by all decision makers. It is intended to be a living document that guides future development decisions over the next 30 to 40 years.

    Given that the future is uncertain, and that change will be driven by a host of social, cultural, economic, environmental, political, and technological factors, the Vision and Guiding Principles not prescriptive in predetermining what the future of the South Downtown Waterfront will be. Rather, the document provides a set of Guiding Principles, which constitute a framework to evaluate the myriad development proposals that may arise in the future.

     

    Framing the Future - Technical Report

    The Nanaimo South Downtown Waterfront Initiative is a long-term, high-level consultation and visioning process for a 59-hectare (146 acres) study area along Nanaimo’s South Downtown waterfront. The area is bounded by the Snuneymuxw First Nation to the south, the Esplanade and Front Street to the west, and Cameron Island to the North, with the eastern boundary extending into Nanaimo Harbour.

    • Spanning a six-month process, the Initiative involved:
    • Reviewing extensive background materials;
    • Meeting and consulting with stakeholders;
    • Conducting public input events; and
    • Carrying out a Design Charrette.

    This report summarizes the Initiative’s process, undertaken from July to December 2013. Together, this report and the accompanying FRAMING THE FUTURE: Vision & Guiding Principles Report solidify a shared vision and guiding principles to inform and shape future planning processes and decisions for this important waterfront asset.

  • Background

    The South Downtown Waterfront Committee (SDWC), established June 25, 2013, served as a collective of partners and stakeholders providing guidance and advice for the South Downtown Waterfront area. The guiding principles of the Committee were to:

    • Promote access and connectivity to local neighbourhoods, the city, and the region.
    • Support an evolving working harbour.
    • Promote ecologically positive development.
    • Promote bold and resilient land use.
    • Embed cultural and social considerations in future decisions.

    The SDWC completed the South Downtown Waterfront Initiative project with the delivery of two documents:  the Vision and Guiding Principles; and, a Technical Report.  The SDWC concluded their work respecting their 2014 mandate and objectives with recommendations to the November 9, 2015 Council Meeting.

    On January 23, 2015 the Committee conducted a working session on the preparation of a charter to help implement Framing the Future: Vision & Guiding Principles. The session included an overview of types and functions of charters as well as a video conference and presentation with Marshall Foster, Director of the Office of the Waterfront (Seattle, WA).

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