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| When I saw on Facebook that a local bike shop had made pink stickers reading “bike lane Barbie” in response to an insult levelled at city councillor Erin Hemmens, I thought it was both a cheeky way to push back against anti-bike rhetoric as well an opportunity to look into the state of cycling infrastructure in Nanaimo.
One thing that is a frequent criticism by cyclists and drivers alike is the patchwork system of bike lanes in the city that seem to start and then end without any rhyme or reason.
In 2020, a couple of local residents even made a hilarious music video about bike lanes in Nanaimo that illustrates the absurdity of the current situation.
I wanted to try and understand why this happens and what city officials and advocates are doing about it.
I spoke with Hemmens, as well as an advocate from the new Nanaimo Area Cycling Coalition and a spokesperson for the Evolve Bike Share program, to try and get to the roots of some of the challenges and opportunities for active transportation in Nanaimo. You can read my story below.
See you on the trails, Mick Sweetman
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| How city officials and cycling advocates are addressing Nanaimo's patchwork of bike paths | Nanaimo’s ‘bike lane Barbie’ says the city is working to make cycling more accessible for everyone.
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| Read the full story
| | On the Island
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| Scotch broom increases wildfire risk. What can we do about it?
| Invasive species such as Scotch broom can exacerbate wildfires, but communities are working hard to remove these invaders from local ecosystems.
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| Read the full story
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| | Council corner |
In the July 21 city council meeting, council got an overview of the key findings and trends from the 2024 Point-in-Time Count led by Snuneymuxw First Nation that counted 621 people experiencing homelessness in the city, up from 525 in 2023. It also found that 34 per cent of respondents identified as Indigenous, despite making up eight per cent of the city’s population.
Council approved $148,000 to extend the E&N Trial from Columbia Street to Seventh Street and $125,000 to extend operations at the drop in hub at 55 Victoria Rd. until March 31, 2026 while working to identify and secure a more suitable location.
Council also directed staff to prepare changes to the city plan, update existing vehicle parking rates and fines and apply for funding to continue to support the Home Energy Navigator program to help homeowners upgrade their home’s heat source and energy efficiency.
City council reallocated $100,000 to build a raised crosswalk at Townsite Road and St. Patrick Crescent.
A special council meeting will be held on Monday, July 28 in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium. On the agenda are reports on the 911 contract, the successful Alternative Approval Process to remove park dedication from a portion of Elaine Hamilton Park so a road can be built for the Sandstone development, a new media accreditation policy, a tax exemption for the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society, telecommunication antennas, a progress report on housing targets and various bylaw updates.
There are also motions by councillors around cleaning services in the south end of Nanaimo around supportive housing and services and sober housing, and a request that Island Health close the city’s only Overdose Prevention Site. | |
In other news |
👉 Nanaimo’s Crime Severity index dropped by 16 per cent in 2024, following the national trend. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story while The Discourse Nanaimo’s Mick Sweetman updated a graph that shows the trends over time since 1998.
👉 A man was arrested at a city finance and audit committee meeting after being asked to leave by Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog. Dean Leon Propp was detained for violating the Community Charter that allows the chair to expel people for acting improperly. The man was not charged and was released following the end of the meeting. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story.
👉 A three-hectare wildfire along Nanaimo River Road is now considered under control according to the BC Wildfire Service and is suspected to be human caused.
👉 Seven-hundred hectares of land for te’tuxwtun (Mount Benson) North has been returned to Snuneymuxw First Nation from the province as part of the 2020 Snuneymuxw First Nation and British Columbia Land Transfer Agreement. My Coast Now has the story.
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| Community photo
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A large raft of sea lions gather on the rocks at Neck Point Park on March 21, 2025. Photo by Mick Sweetman / The Discourse.
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