Winter Edition December 2001
Departure Bay Neighbourhood Association

Building Block of our Community

Member Newsletter 

Executive Positions  - Term May 2001 to April 2002

 

Executive Committee Co-Chairs: Allan Davidson & Jennifer Davidson 756-0395

Executive Committee Secretary: Joan Wallace 758 - 8973
Executive Committee Treasurer: Robin Ward 756-2534

Neighbourhood Planning Committee:  Co-Chairs: Dave Shillabeer 758-4355 Allan Davidson 756-0395

Plan Nanaimo & Parks Advisory Representative: Sue Wipper 756-4530  

Neighbourhood Watch & Policing Chair: Gunter Zimmer 758-3846 

Disaster Preparedness Committee Chair: Angus Weller 729-7292   

Beach Walkway Committee Chair: Dave Shillabeer 758-4355
Communications Committee Chair: Wendy Ehman

Hospitality/Functions Co-ordinating Chair: Joan Shillabeer 758-4355

Business Liaison: Dave Shillabeer 758-4355
Administrative Assistant: Mary Scott mlscott@shaw.ca

Notes from the Chair

 

We apologize that this newsletter is a little late in being published.  Due to personal and work pressures, followed by the busy Christmas season, we were unable to put out a newsletter as soon after the General Meeting as we had planned.  However, we are sure when you see all the hard work that has been done by the Association over the past few months you will agree that we have earned a short respite!

 

As reported at the November General Meeting, membership is up considerably this year.  We now have 142 paid up members as compared with about 100 at this time last year.  This is due mostly to the huge volunteer effort of members pounding the pavement and distributing surveys to every home in our area.  The response was very worthwhile, as you will see from the reports below.

 

One other positive aspect of the surveys was that many people identified special areas of interest and expertise that they were prepared to offer to the neighbourhood.  We have placed these in our database and will certainly contact those members when opportunities to use their particular skills arise.  Another related point that was raised by a member at the General Meeting is that of how we choose people to serve on various committees.  Until now, our organization has been a very grassroots one with committees being formed in a somewhat casual manner.   Because some areas have attracted more interest than others, we now feel the need to have a more streamlined and organized way of selecting committee members.  We have contacted Volunteer Nanaimo and have been fortunate to obtain the services of a consultant (at no cost) who will guide us through this process and help us develop policies and procedures.  In the meantime, the elected members will continue to run the business of the Association.  We expect the selection process will not result in one of exclusion, rather that we will find new ways to include more members in the running and decision making of the organization.  As always, we use our surveys (three including the most recent) to enable our members to guide our focus and decision-making.

 

Report on events from the November 22nd General Membership Meeting

 

Survey Results

 

Once again, we would like to thank all those members who volunteered hours of their time to deliver questionnaires throughout the neighbourhood.  We estimate that this massive task took approximately 500 hours of volunteer time to compile, type, photocopy, distribute, collate and classify results.  We had some help from Staples with a reduced cost of photocopying, but the bulk of the costs have been paid out of general revenue.  Those of you who were members last year, will recall that we submitted a proposal to City Council for a full neighbourhood plan and were turned down due to funding concerns.  We can be justifiably proud that we have accomplished so much on a limited budget with volunteer manpower.  A summary of the results of the survey was presented at the November General Meeting and is attached to this newsletter.  A full copy of the results, about 1.5 cm thick, complete with charts and graphs, may be purchased for $5, which is the cost of the photocopying.  (We had previously quoted $3 per copy, but had to copy one for a member and discovered the actual cost is $5.03).  The complete results may also be viewed online at www.dbna.nanaimo-online.net.

 

November 2001 Seawall Walkway Report

 

1.      Of 117 surveys returned, 81% commented on seawall being important to them.  62% are strongly in favour, liking the connection to the Ferry,  Downtown and the Waterfront, with a multi-use trail on a level grade suitable for all ages.  They see the walkway being one of the most valuable assets of the City.  Some felt it would encourage the type of small café and village-type stores considered desirable in the Departure Bay commercial zone.  Concerns expressed related to the cost and potential visual and environmental impact of the existing conceptual design for the project, added traffic and parking, disturbance of beach users, and maintenance of beach access. 

 

2.      A status meeting has been held with the City Parks & Rec. staff.  Subject to satisfactory negotiation with the contractor already working at the Ferry Terminal, they anticipate work commencing shortly on the section of walkway through the ferry property, using existing allocated funds.  This will include a new pedestrian crosswalk across Stewart Avenue on the west side of the Stewart/Brechin Hill/Zorkin Rd. intersection, a 4 m wide multi-use walkway from the crosswalk to the foreshore behind the Ferry administration and stores buildings, steps to beach level, railings, and safety barricades to separate users from disembarking vehicles off the ferries.  This work is expected to be completed in 2002, creating an excellent start to the walkway.

 

$50,000 is already in a dedicated City fund for the continuing walkway to Departure Bay Beach, with an additional $200,000 to be deposited in 2002 and annually thereafter.  Your committee encouraged Parks to continue with advancing the project, which firstly requires proceeding to formal public hearings.  Parks staff was interested in alternative concepts, providing they can be practically implemented, resulting in a top quality facility at a lesser overall cost.

 

3.      Seawalk committee is attempting to represent the majority of the neighbourhood, and, as discussed at the last two General Meetings, have been working on an alternative concept to the fully elevated preliminary design concept prepared by consultants working for City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation.  This has been prepared in concept form only, following input from the Department of Fisheries & Oceans, an examination of the alignment, and review of approximate air photos, contour and property boundary information mapping obtained from the City.  Possible routing for the initial sections from the foreshore at B.C. Ferry Terminal to the east-end of Battersea has been shown.  Back of beach fill sections with rock facing is considered a suitable, lower cost, alternative for 900 metres, plus 335 metres elevated in accordance with the original concept in front of a steeper and potentially less stable cliff section and at the mouth of Northfield Creek.

 

4.      The Association has sent a letter to Parks & Recreation, confirming the overwhelming neighbourhood support for the project, and requesting that they obtain Council approval to prepare presentation information and proceed to the public hearings at the earliest opportunity.  The Chair of the Seawalk Committee will maintain occasional contact with the City to monitor their progress, and report back to the Executive.

 

Please Note:  We received a letter of resignation from Jan King, Chair of the Seawall Walkway Committee on August 18,2001.  She is unable to continue as an active member of the Executive as she has moved away from the area and is involved in other work commitments.  Dave Shillabeer has now taken over as Chair of the Committee.

 

 

Hammond Bay Road/Departure Bay Road Intersection: Upgrading Planned

          

The City is planning improvements for this area, to be started in Spring 2002.  There will be a dedicated right turning lane from Departure Bay Road.  Traffic signals will soon follow.   After removing all the bushes beside the present pathway, a retaining wall will be built to provide for a 1.5 m (5 ft) wide blacktopped sidewalk, and also for supporting a cedar fence to screen off the pumping station.   A concrete safety barrier, for protection of sidewalk users from passing traffic, will also be provided - a direct result of safety concerns, which were strongly advanced to City engineering staff by your Association directors. 

 

 

Linley Valley

 

Harriet Rueggeberg of Nanaimo Area Land Trust presented a brief update of the work being done in the Linley Valley area.  NALT is still trying to secure funding for the project from private and public sources.  Anyone interested in the project can contact them at 714-1990 or check out www.nalt.bc.ca.

 

 

Petro-Canada/7-Eleven Lights

 

As requested by members attending the May Annual General Meeting, the Executive wrote a letter to Petro-Canada and 7-Eleven requesting that the bright lights and neon red stripe be turned off at night.  We received very positive response from both organizations, expressing their desire to work with the neighbourhood.  We would like to thank Ken Jones of 7-Eleven for his efforts in this regard.  As you have noticed, the lights are now turned off in the evening and at night, much to the relief of those whose view includes this property!  Occasionally you will see them on; this is usually due to an inexperienced employee not knowing how to shut them off!  You will find that the problem is usually corrected later in the evening when a regular employee is present.  The Executive will be sending a letter of thanks to Mr. Jones for his cooperation in this matter.

 

 

Next Membership Get Together

 

Our next meeting will be our AGM in May.  As last year, we will have a short update meeting and elections, followed by a social evening where neighbours can chat and exchange ideas.  As per rules laid down by the Societies Act, we will be sending out sufficient advanced notice of this event.

 

 

Fairway Market

 

Fairway Market supplied the refreshments at the November General Meeting.  They have been very generous in their support of our organization over the past year by providing refreshments for our general meetings.  At the last Executive Meeting we voted to acknowledge their contribution by making them honorary members and placing them on our mailing list.  

 

 

Web Page

 

DBNA is now on-line at  www.dbna.nanaimo-online.net.  Please visit us and find out new information, survey results etc.  Many thanks to Mary Scott for setting up the Website.

 

 

Blast from the Past of DBNA

 

Some members expressed an interest in local flavour anecdotes and memorabilia.  DBNA would be interested in stories you may have to share and photographs, which we could scan and make available on our Website.  Submit info to mlscott@shaw.ca

 

 

Reminder:  Keep info current

 

To help us keep our information current, please inform us of any changes and particularly, a new email address.

 

 

 

See you this spring!