New council aims to rebuild Nanaimo’s tattered reputation

The year 2018 saw a transformation at Nanaimo City Hall, where an atmosphere of tension and unhappiness was replaced after the October election by a new council determined to carry out business in a professional, calm and respectful way.

The previous council’s four-year term was marked by ongoing battles and feuds among individuals and factions that included council members, some senior staff and, occasionally, citizens. Socialmedia websites burned up with commentary from fed-up residents. Examples of unpleasant comments made at city hall remain posted on YouTube.

Not only did Nanaimo become something of a laughing stock, but the turmoil was expensive and bills are still coming in. Consultants were hired, court cases mounted and two special prosecutors were brought in to try to sort out various messes. Three human-rights complaints are outstanding.

Nanaimo’s former chief administrator is scheduled to appear in provincial court in March for a peace-bond hearing, following a January 2018 incident at city hall. B.C.’s special prosecution service said there were allegations of threats being uttered.

The drama drew attention away from other serious issues, including efforts to bring vitality to the downtown, add residential accommodation to the core, the opioid crisis and tackling homelessness.

A tent city sprang up on city-owned land in May, growing to 300 or so residents, making it the largest in the province. There were rallies for and against it. The encampment wound up in December after the province opened two temporary supportive housing projects with more than 160 beds in total. The city intends to continue working with the province to address homelessness.

As tumult continued throughout the year, residents from various Nanaimo sectors approached longtime NDP MLA Leonard Krog, who did not have a cabinet post, and asked him to run for mayor in October’s municipal election.

Krog swept to victory with more than 20,000 votes and has resigned his provincial seat. He heads a new nine-member council made up mainly of newcomers.

The two councillors who were re-elected, Coun. Ian Thorpe and Coun. Sheryl Armstrong, had largely avoided the public battles.

Krog said that in 2019, “I think what I look forward to is a continuation of what has started already — which is settling things down, re-establishing our reputation and our status as a place to do business and to invest.”

Krog, a lawyer, brings a confident approach to the job and experience in administration, including serving as the B.C. government’s caucus chair. A “solid” council has been elected and members are treating each other with respect, he said. “It’s not rocket science.”

Krog talks of a “sense of optimism and goodwill” in Nanaimo.

Encouraging development of affordable and rental housing, and setting up a dedicated agency to foster economic development are goals.

Krog, like others in the business community and around the council table, is eager to see a private foot-passenger ferry between Nanaimo and Vancouver.

Such a service would be enormously beneficial for business and for downtown, he said, and could assist in the city’s goal to get more people living downtown. Krog said he can imagine people living in Nanaimo condos and commuting to work in Vancouver.

A hotel, to be built next to the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, is also on the mayor’s wish list.

Conflict in Nanaimo did not deter tourists from visiting. There were record numbers in 2018, said Dan Brady, executive director of the Nanaimo Hospitality Association, who is predicting another strong summer in 2019.

B.C. Ferries ridership to the city was high and hotels were at 90 per cent occupancy over the summer, Brady said. Local and regional tourism associations help boost Nanaimo’s profile.

Council is reviewing options for extending Nanaimo’s waterfront walkway, including consultation with the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Krog said the south end of the city is short on amenities and deserves more attention.

Businessman Coun. Jim Turley, a newcomer to council, said hiring a new chief administrative officer is the priority. Staff vacancies that developed under the previous council need to be filled. “We need to make sure we get them filled again so that the city can operate in a little more efficient manner,” Turley said.

Coun. Zeni Maartman, also new, said the council is taking a positive approach. “I’m thrilled with bringing back respect in the workplace — and that starts at the top and moves on down.”