Aging tennis bubble saved by community advocates

After advocacy from the tennis playing community, the Westwood Lake Tennis Bubble will remain inflated, for now.

NanaimoLuis ZablahOctober 27, 2026Luis Zablah, Nanaimo, City of Nanaimo, Westwood Lake Park, Westwood Lake Tennis Club, Tennis Bubble, Friends of Indoor Tennis in Nanaimo, Nanaimo Area Indoor Tennis Society, NAITS, Charlotte Davis, Whitman Tomusiak, Beban Park, Tennis, Club, Featured, Feature Three

Gabriola Island gets connected with a new locally made social media app

A Gabriola Island software engineer is taking on tech giants by creating her own community hub for the gulf island. Barnacle Exchange is an up and coming application developed by software engineer Jacqlyn Bender.

NanaimoLuis ZablahOctober 23, 2026Luis Zablah, Nanaimo, Gabriola Island, Barnacle Exchange, Community, Meta, Jacqlyn Bender, Software Engineer, Feature Two

Candidates in Ladysmith Oceanside in their own words

Three candidates are vying to become the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Ladysmith-Oceanside in the provincial election.

NanaimoMick SweetmanOctober 22, 2026Nanaimo, Mick Sweetman, Provincial Election 2026, BC NDP, BC Green Party, BC Greens, BC Conservatives, Communist Party of BC, George Anderson, Sharleen Weatherley, Pepper Saltman, Communist Part of BC

Turnout up from 2022 for municipal elections in Nanaimo

With election day behind us and the final voting results in, official results for the City of Nanaimo point to an increased voter turnout from 2022’s election. Fast forward four years, the 2026 official final results showed a higher turnout with a total of 25,450 ballots cast, leading to a 31.31 per cent turnout, and an increase in estimated eligible voters.

NanaimoLuis ZablahOctober 22, 2026Luis Zablah, Nanaimo, City of Nanaimo, Voter Turnout, Advance Voting, Voting Day, Local Elections 2026, Sheila Gurrie, Preliminary Results

Candidates in Nanaimo-Lantzville detail their positions

Three candidates are vying to become the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Nanaimo-Lantzville in this provincial election.

NanaimoMick SweetmanOctober 21, 2026Nanaimo, Mick Sweetman, Provincial Election 2026, BC NDP, BC Green Party, BC Greens, BC Conservatives, Communist Party of BC, George Anderson, Sharleen Weatherley, Pepper Saltman, Communist Part of BC

Doughnut Economics? A community bike ride to explore the concept, while eating a local donut (or two?)

The Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation is taking part in the global event celebrating the Doughnut Economics framework.

NanaimoLuis ZablahOctober 16, 2026Luis Zablah, Global Donut Days, Nanaimo, DEAL, Doughnut Economics Action Lab, Doughnut Economics, Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation, NPC, Anni Thesen, Harbour City Donuts, Milk Jam Donuts, Beaufort Park Food Forest, Beban Park, Tom Harris Regional Food Centre, Bikes, Cycling, Feature One

Nanaimo-Gabriola Island candidates express priorities

Three candidates are vying to become the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Nanaimo-Gabriola Island in this provincial election.

NanaimoMick SweetmanOctober 16, 2026Nanaimo, Mick Sweetman, Provincial Election 2026, Sheila Malcolmson, Mark MacDonald, Anna Mary McKenzie, BC NDP, BC Green Party, BC Greens, BC Conservatives, Feature Three

Local Nanaimo group marks five years of supporting women fleeing intimate partner violence

When Kerri Isham watched the Netflix show Maid in 2021, she felt something had to be done to support women fleeing intimate partner violence in her own community.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieOctober 15, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, Nanaimo Women Helping Women, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, Maid

Hul'q'umi'num' art, history and legacies on display in new city-wide virtual art tour

Hul'q'umi'num' art, history and legacies are on display in new city-wide virtual art tour in Nanaimo.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieOctober 14, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, City of Nanaimo, Feature One, Snuneymuxw, Snuneymuxw First Nation, First Nations, Indigenous, Arts and Culture, Hul'q'umi'num', Aunalee Boyd-Good

VIU Students’ Union starts campaign to inform students of the effects the local election could have on them

With general voting day around the corner in Nanaimo and across the province, Vancouver Island University Students’ Union (VIUSU) is taking on a campaign to help students understand how local governments affect their everyday lives.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieOctober 8, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, VIU, Vancouver Island University, Vancouver Island University Students Union, VIUSU, Election, Voting, Municipal Elections, Local Election, City of Nanaio, City of Nanaimo, RDN, Local Elections 2026, Local Elections, Feature One

A spooky spectacular: Nanaimo group celebrates five years of giving back

A local society is celebrating five years working to decrease clothing waste and to make the cost of Halloween a little less spooky.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieOctober 6, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, Halloween, Costumes, Giving Back, low income

For the love of the game: local soccer club builds community in the heart of Harewood

Semiu Oyolola can see the positive impacts soccer has in Nanaimo.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieOctober 2, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, Sports, Community, Culture, Soccer, Football, Feature Three

Nanaimo council candidates to face off at upcoming election forum

Voters will get to hear from candidates running for mayor and council in the City of Nanaimo at an upcoming Civic Engagement Forum.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 25, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, City of Nanaimo, Local Elections, election, Local Elections 2026

“This is what democracy is all about, right?” Volunteer sign team erect election signs around Nanaimo

Wednesday night a Harewood backyard had been brimming with close to 1,000 election signs. Thursday morning, it was up to John Little to get those signs where people could see them.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 18, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, City of Nanaimo, Local Elections, John Little, Richard Bruce, Sharleen Weatherley, Election Signs, Local Elections 2026

Commemorating the fire that burnt down Nanaimo’s last Chinatown

Shirley Lo only has a faint memory of the fire that destroyed Nanaimo’s final Chinatown.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 15, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, City of Nanaimo, Chinatown, Hecate St., History

Candidate nomination period closes for Nanaimo City Council and other local elections in B.C.

Nanaimo voters now have a clearer picture of who will be on the ballot this fall as the nomination period closes for candidates wanting to run in this year’s municipal election.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 11, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, City of Nanaimo, Election, RDN, Regional District of Nanaimo, School District 68, Islands Trust, Local Elections 2026

Recovery oriented housing announced for previous 250 Terminal supportive housing site in Nanaimo

After outcry from the community and advocacy work from the City of Nanaimo, the Government of B.C. has announced they will be changing plans for an upcoming housing project.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 4, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, City of Nanaimo, Shelia Malcomson, Leonard Krog, Government of BC, Karen Kuwica, Newcastle Community Association, Recover

Habitat for Humanity and BMEx celebrates one year of reducing building material waste

It has been one year since two organizations decided to team up and save surplus building materials from the landfill.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 3, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island, ReStore, Building Material Exchange, Construction

25th anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day marked in Nanaimo

August 31st, 2026 marked 25 years of International Overdose Awareness Day, and community members in Nanaimo came together to grieve those who have been lost, and reflect on years of advocacy amidst a crisis.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieSeptember 2, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, Nanaimo Child Development Centre, CDC, Overdose, International Overdose Awareness Day, IOAD, Public Health

Fundraising campaign underway to improve safety and accessibility for free playgroup program

The Nanaimo Child Development Centre is raising funds to upgrade their indoor and outdoor play space to keep their no-cost playgroup program safe and welcoming for all.

NanaimoLauryn MackenzieAugust 28, 2026Nanaimo, Lauryn Mackenzie, Nanaimo Child Development Centre, NCDC, CDC