Watch the live webcam of the new Nanaimo City Hall addition being built.

The City of Nanaimo has awarded a $11.875 million design-build contract to ICI/Windley to construct a replacement building for the City Hall Annex. The new building is being built at 411 Dunsmuir Street and should be completed by the fall of this year, 2012.

You can see the architectural firm and what the new three level City Hall of Nanaimo addition will look like; Chow Low Hammond Architects.

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Mid Island News

First, happy 2012 everyone! Hope you all had a great holiday season. Did you have time to take a drive to Ladysmith and take in all their beautiful holiday lights down First Avenue? Did you notice anything missing? Yes? Closed up shops?!

Just like Nanaimo, Ladysmith has seen some local small businesses close up on their main downtown streets. To stop this trend, Ladysmith has embraced a plan to turn up the business for local small business merchants by challenging all residents to take the Ten Percent Shift Challenge.

The plan is to challenge all Ladysmith residents to spend 10% of all their purchases in Ladysmith! One of the top ten reasons to shop local is to spread the prosperity! Time to change your daily routine.

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Mid Island News

The City of Nanaimo has a bid opportunity for the services of an engineering consultant for a water audit.

The goal of this Nanaimo water audit is to review the existing water uses and accounting measures; identify where and how improvements can be made, quantify water uses, consumption, unaccounted water and determine a water system leakage index.

Also, the water audit is to review the water utility billing procedures and recommend improvements.

Proposals for this bid opportunity close December 9, 2011 at 2pm PST.

The City of Nanaimo is also seeking proposals from a planning consultant to develop a comprehensive strategic plan. The consultant would work with the City Council of Nanaimo and senior city staff. The consultant is required to coordinate and facilitate the planning process, and create a strategic planning document suitable for public review and presentation.

Proposals for this bid opportunity close December 9, 2011 at 2pm PST.

For more information visit The City of Nanaimo.

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Mid Island News

Ladysmith Visitor Centre

Ladysmith will soon have a new floating visitor centre! The Ladysmith Maritime Society commissioned plans from a Victoria architect firm for a visitor centre which will have all the amenities for maritime visitors including: laundry, showers, washrooms and social reception facilities.

In the meantime, the LMS is looking for a commercial contractor to build the Ladysmith Visitor Centre.  If you are interested in this construction opportunity, visit their website.

Mid Island News

Opportunity knocks, the City of Nanaimo is looking for brush cutting and clearing services.  The closing date and time: tenders must be received at the Purchasing Department before 2:00 P.M. (14:00 hrs) PST on Wednesday, March 23, 2011.

Do you offer Towing and Storage Services? The City of Nanaimo requires your services. Closing date and time: Prior to 2:00 PM PST on March 24, 2011. 

Closing Location is the City of Nanaimo, Purchasing Department
2020 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, B.C. V9T 6J9.

Proposals will not be opened in public, for more information on these bid opportunities go to City of Nanaimo on the blogroll.

Mid Island News

Opportunity knocks! Do you offer a healthy food vending machine service in Parksville or Qualicum Beach?

This month the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) will  issue a request for proposals for a new contract to operate vending machines at Oceanside Place and Ravensong Aquatic Centre in Qualicum Beach. The chosen contractor will be required to supply healthy choice vending in accordance with the three year healthy eating guide implementation chart approved by the regional board.

For more information visit RDN on the blogroll and follow the links to Recreational Services.

Mid Island News

Have you ever wanted to ride the train down to Victoria? If you have a business do you think it would be cheaper to truck it or go by freight rail?

These are good questions to ask in a time when highway traffic on the Island is only getting more and more congested.  Unfortunately, there is only one company that runs the rails and they can set the price – CN.  Local Mid Island business owners have seen their rail rates increase by over 25% just since last year. Is there any other option other than trucking?

Time to think about our local highways and the increase in congestion of truck traffic and the lack of fare priced passenger rail transportation on mid Vancouver Island.  Take your opinions to the Federal Ministry of Transportation.

Mid Island News

Do you sell software? The City of Nanaimo is seeking quotes for a SAP Software Upgrade Project.

The City of Nanaimo is requesting quotes from interested parties for the upgrade of their existing SAP BW and EP environments to the latest versions. For more information visit The City of Nanaimo or for more bid opportunities visit BC Bid.

Closing Time: Tenders must be received before 2:00 PM Pacific Time on: June 2, 2010

Mid Island News

Loose leaf tea is the highest quality and better for you says Coreen Green, the owner of Tea Leaf  Specialty Tea and Cafe on Commercial Street in Nanaimo.  Here is my interview with Coreen:

Mid Island News:  How did you get interested in tea?

Coreen Green:  Originally I was thinking of operating a cafe, but then I realized the health benefits of tea, so I thought why not combine the two and create a trendy tea/cafe.  I’m working with the former owner of the Shanghai Tea Emporium, who travels to China five times a year to import teas and he has also introduced me to another high quality line of teas which are unique to Vancouver Island.    Just recently, I have shipped tea to people in California, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

MIN:  What are some of the health benefits of tea?

CG:  One of the major benefits with tea is that it has 1/3 less caffeine than coffee and contains nutrients that can help you stay calm, fight colds and generally bolster your immune system.  I also carry a selection of medicinal teas.

MIN:  Is there a difference between loose leaf tea and tea sachets?

CG:  There is a huge difference.  Here, when you come into the store, you can smell the flavours of each type of tea and that is exactly how the tea will taste once it’s brewed.  When I make a chai latte for example, I brew the tea first.  Everything that goes into that latte is natural; there are no syrups or artificial ingredients.  It takes a bit longer to make, but it’s worth it.

MIN:  Do you offer baked goods and sandwiches?

CG:  Right now I’m working with a baker to create a large variety of scones, everything from bacon to chocolate that will be a complement to our teas and coffees.

Coreen also carries books on meditation and inspirational plaques and notes.  So if you’re feeling harried and want to calm down and let your mind and body relax, visit the Tea Leaf Specialty Tea and Cafe in downtown Nanaimo at 13b Commercial Street (across from the Vancouver Island Conference Centre) or visit online at www.tealeafteas.com.

Mid Island News

Looking for a community cause to get behind?  The shovels and tools are getting into action to give a facelift to the old E&N train station on Selby Street in Nanaimo. First, a little history for you: In 1920 the new E&N Station was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company on the site of the original station and remained in continuous use until it was gutted by fire in 2007.

Who is behind the rescue of the Nanaimo train station?  The Nanaimo Train Station Partnership which was created to raise the funds necessary for the restoration of Nanaimo’s E&N Train Station.  The Partnership includes the Young Professionals of Nanaimo, the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership Society and the Island Corridor Foundation.

The Nanaimo Train Station Partnership hopes to raise the remaining $400,000 for the full restoration of the E&N Station.

To find out how you can be a part of rebuilding Nanaimo’s E&N Station contact Andre Sullivan of the Young Professionals of Nanaimo or Matt Hussmann of the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership Society.

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Mid Island News