Officials consider dog-free park areas
TAMARA CUNNINGHAM Tcunningham@nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4230
Nanaimo Daily News
8 Mar 2013
Nanaimo city officials are calling on residents to weigh on in potential dog-free parks in a new survey released this week. The City of Nanaimo recently launched its annual dog park survey to test the public appetite for its growing network of pooch…read more…
Posts Tagged ‘Deverill Park’
Officials consider dog-free park areas
Posted in Neighbourhood Issues, tagged Deverill Park on March 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »
What’s Up in the Neighbourhood?
Posted in Deverill Park, Neighbourhood Flavour, Neighbourhood Issues, Uncategorized, untagged, tagged Balmoral, Deverill Park on July 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »
The initial paint lines have been drawn for a water pipe upgrade project on Irwin Street between Farquhar and Milton. It’s still budget dependent and nothing will happen for certain until after Aug 10. If it’s a go, plan for 4 weeks of construction.
At the same time, Parks and Rec have requested that the yellow concrete blocks at Irwin and Milton be removed and that a cul de sac bulb with grass and curb be installed…woo-hoo!
While the water main work is being carried out on Irwin, Parks is planning to work with Engineering to build a trail along the Deverill Square Park frontage on Irwin and to upgrade the parking along the Irwin Street park edge (including the creation of 4 universally accessible stalls).
If you want to see a copy of the plan, click here.
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Deveril Park improvements are complete for this year and we hope that they have been enjoyed by the neighbourhood this summer. However, parks is still considering small public art projects including new murals on the washroom building murals.
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Sunday Morning Soccer is one of Deveril Park’s newest additions. Last Sunday, the Gillespie Street Gang waged a mighty and valiant battle against the Irwin Street Eagles!!! Fun was had by all!!! Remember, we play the first and last Sunday of each month at Deverill Square Park at 10 am sharp! We play for about 45 minutes. All ages and skill levels are welcome. We’re here for a good time!! For more info or questions, contact Ed at fernville [at] telus.net
- Expecting some burly bully footballers? Remember, we’re the South End…highly inclusive and we play well with others!
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At the Balmoral Hotel, the old strip club bar has been done a total “about face” and now houses offices for Income Assistance and the Homeless programs, which are now operating. Plans are now underway for the next phase of renovation–tenant suites.
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Robins Gardens engineers have contacted the city as they begin to work on drawings to ensure that the ultimate site (now 8 lots) has proper drainage so both the trees and buildings will be safe. Still a long way to go, but in progress.
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The condo development at 119 Haliburton is in the working drawing/pro forma financials/getting financing phase. Baby steps, but heading forward.
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Welcome to Matt Baker, who is our new resident RCMP bike cop. And best wishes to Cam Thompson who is settling into his new position in Prince Rupert. (And a “you’re not getting away from us even tho’ you’re in PR now” to Anne Thompson, our blogging expert who helps us out here when we trip over our own technology..:)
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IPI is rumoured to be moving their glass operations to Duke Point, at least temporarily. Click here to link to the article in the Aug 1 Nanaimo Daily News.
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Thanks to our resources: Park Planner Kirsty McDonald, Heritage/Community Planner Chris Sholberg, Development Approval Planner Gary Noble, Christina Martens from the CMHA, Norm Abbey from Nob Hill, James Younger, and Ed Chan.
If you would like to comment, just click on the title and the complete article along with a comment box will magically appear…:)
What’s up in the South End
Posted in Artbins, Community Garden, Community Member Profiles, Deverill Park, Events, News Release, tagged Artbins, Balmoral, Deverill Park, Garden on February 24, 2009| 4 Comments »
What’s Missing from this Picture?
If you guessed the problematic stairs at Deverill Park, you’re 100% correct. Plus, the newly extended fence will allow the “At Play” paintings to grow around the perimeter of the park.
According to Kirsty MacDonald of the Parks & Rec Dept: “Parks is looking forward to finishing the playground improvements for summer use including installing a new spray park, paving a tricycle path around the play area and improving the site furnishings.”
Arlene On You Tube
You might have guessed that also missing from the picture is Arlene, our red-jacketed regular from the corner of Milton and Haliburton. She’s featured in a video on You Tube titled “Gutsy Mama”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JnkAGnPnIM
No word yet on whether she’s been asked to used her pad of paper to sign autographs!
New By-law Enforcement Officer Bill Kiselbach
Most of Nanaimo’s by-law enforcement officers work all over the city, but there are a few areas where a dedicated officer is located. One of those areas stretches from Comox Avenue in the north to Milton Street in the south, and includes downtown, Nob Hill, and parts of the South End and old City Quarter. Bill Kiselbach took over the position of “downtown bylaw officer” earlier this month and works out of the Community Policing and Service Office located at 18 Victoria Crescent.
Bill’s job is to ensure that Nanaimo’s by-laws are abided by: that buildings, residences, and public areas are safe and being used and maintained in the way they were intended. He patrols public areas. He assists property owners who request help for the removal of squatters from their property. He assists the police and other agencies during investigations of nuisance properties and grow ops.
Then there are the more complicated situations where by-Laws and city departments work in tandem. For example, Bill works with the Engineering and Building Departments around new building construction, and he deals with illegal suites and houses that may be deemed unsafe.
I asked Bill to list the top issues he’s been dealing with over the past month. He said:
“Every day is SO different! But what I see most right now are issues involving property maintenance, such as garbage all over yards. The other one is squatters – people on city or private property that have no legal right to be there. I try to spend about 1.5 hours daily in the downtown parks and parkades, being the eyes and ears for the police. If I see something illegal, I’ll call them.”
So, Bill, when people have a specific problem in their neighbourhood, who should they call…the city department or by-laws? Either is fine, according to Bill. The downtown Community Policing and Service Office intends to make things easier for downtowners and south enders to report problems that may be straddling both city by-laws and the law. If you aren’t sure who you should be calling, the Community Policing and Service Office will channel your call through to the right place. You can reach the Community Policing and Service office at (250) 753-3777 between the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday.
Bill, we know that if nothing else, you’ll NEVER have a dull moment working in the South End! May EVERY day continue to be different!
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Speaking of Community Policing, the new Director of the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership, Matt Hussman, attended the February SECA meeting. He moved here a little over a month ago from Washington DC, and is trying to get a handle on the most critical issues in the downtown area. One of the biggies is safety.
To that end, they they would like to hear from people who are living/working in/around the downtown area, or people who walk to downtown on a regular basis. They’ve created a survey; we’ll bring some hard copies to the next SECA meeting. Or you can e-mail Sharon Welch and she will send you one: Sharon.Welch@nanaimo.ca
Are you a Green-thumbed Organizer?
Tucked away in a sunny corner beside the Princess Royal family centre is a little patch of heaven…well admittedly there are one or two weeds…ok, quite a lot of weeds actually…but the point is we have an uncultivated treasure, an oasis of hope, a symbol of renewal, crying out for a firm hand on the plough!
A brief history:
- the garden has been around for many years and was originally cultivated by John McKay and other teachers at the school.
- It was briefly an exercise yard for Maggies’ goats, who demolished all available greenery but were a big hit with the kids.
- Eileen Bennewith, community nutritionist, took up the mantle when VIHA took over the school and did a power of work to get it going and incorporate it into the community kitchens program.
- Various SECA members have chipped in and helped out, Signey Parkin in particular, but what has been lacking is one or a few local residents to really take the project on.
The purpose of a community garden is to provide local residents who perhaps have no access to a garden with an opportunity to share in the production and harvest of fresh organic produce at a fraction of the cost. The Princess Royal Family Centre lease the garden and make it available to local neighborhood residents to develop as a community resource.
We have a possible benefactor in the generous form of Helen Phelps who owns a shop called “Dream With Me” downtown on Commercial. She has offered to fund the purchase of various plants and seeds and SECA has funds available also. If you’re interested or would like more information, please come along to our next SECA meeting at 7pm on March 4th at Princess Royal.
Amber Alert!
Missing….one of the neighbourhoods more colourful characters! We don’t think that she would leave the South End on her own and without a fight. We say that because she has no arms, legs or feet..:) We’re talking, of course, about one of our Art Bins, which if you’ve been paying attention, are starting to pop up all over the place. Except one of them seems to have been bin-napped from Sandra’s Head-to-Toe Salon.
We won’t show the photo of it here, because it might simply have been an error in judgment, someone thinking that the bins are there for the taking, and we don’t want to embarrass you.

Serena Omm, who will calm your fears and inhale your garbage at the same time. BREATHE deeply now...all is WELL!
So let’s take a moment and tell you HOW the Trashy Art Bin project works. While many of the original bins were generously funded and created by residents, not everyone is in a position to buy their own garbage can. So with some much-appreciated support from the City of Nanaimo, and some generous donations of paint and time, we’ve (SECA) moved to buying bins for people to
FOSTER. That means we own it, and you look after it. We provide you with a chain so it doesn’t wander off. If you and the bin don’t hit it off, we’ll find another home for it.
So far, all the bins that are painted (including these) are either hanging out around the South End or getting ready to go to their new foster homes. But stay tuned…we hope to have a few more colourful personalities ready for the NEXT newsletter!
And if you WOULD like to foster a bin, call Sandra at 753-1394 to get more information.
Balmoral Update
Fresh off the press, from the Feb 27 Nanaimo Daily News. Click here.
Deverill Park Update
Posted in Deverill Park, tagged Deverill Park, Gino Sedola on November 25, 2008| 3 Comments »
Kirsty MacDonald, Parks and Open Space Planner for City of Nanaimo Parks Recreation and Culture Dept reported in on the playground progress:
…safety surfacing for the playground [was] installed Thursday November 13. The playground [was] open for play right after that. We will be back in the park early 2009 to install the spray park and trike trail.
On a related note, we’ve been hoping to create a neighbourhood island at the intersection of Irwin and Milton Streets (where the barricade is). Douglas came up with the brilliant idea of planting a tree there in memory of Gino Sedola. Kirsty’s response was:
The idea of planting the tree and creating a neighbourhood node of information at the road closure at Irwin and Milton is doable. We can’t do [a] bench (we no longer have a memorial bench program) but certainly trees, art, and a bulletin board are possibilities.
Engineering is planning utility upgrades along Irwin for 2009 and the node at the road closure and accessible parking for the park along Irwin will be completed then. So, it would not be an immediate opportunity, but certainly one for next spring or fall.
Gino Sedola: Farewell, Good Friend
Posted in Community Member Profiles, Deverill Park, News Release, tagged Deverill Park, Gino Sedola on October 30, 2008| Leave a Comment »
It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of a fine gentleman and one of the south end’s greatest champions. Gino Sedola passed away after a courageous battle with cancer, a battle that he fought with the quiet dignity that characterized his life and made him such a great friend and neighbor to so many. Gino was immensely proud of the fact that he was born and raised in the south end and he was happy to pass his last years back in his old family home and in the neighborhood that he loved.
Gino served on city council for 14 years and later on the board of the Harbour Commission. As an alderman of the city, Gino was rightly proud of his contribution to the development of the down town waterfront and Sway-a-Lana lagoon. Gino was in the vanguard of city councilors who acted on behalf of the environment in this city. Gino was an artist, studying at the Emily Carr School of Art and a dedicated teacher throughout his professional life.
Gino was a great friend of the South End Community Association, supporting our many projects and events and providing invaluable guidance and encouragement along the way. When the old house “Fernville” moved from Esplanade to its new location on Irwin and Milton, he and Leona hosted a wonderful neighborhood celebration. The evening summed up everything that was important to Gino about living in the south end. An important piece of our unique heritage was saved, a wonderful new family was welcomed to the neighborhood, and the street was packed with south end residents, enjoying the spectacle and each others company.
Gino probably wouldn’t enjoy all this attention and the many tributes that have been made to him. He was a kind, humble man, incredibly generous, and a great citizen of the south end. Gino was our quiet leader and we mourn his loss deeply. Our very wishes go to his family.
We’re hoping to plant a tree in Gino’s honour in Deverill Park.
Douglas Hardie, SECA Chair
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Click on this link for a touching tribute that describes more fully Gino’s impact on Nanaimo, from the October 29 Nanaimo Daily News:
Nanaimo’s Gino Sedola will not be forgotten
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