Mid Island News » Events

Free Science and Tech Lecture Series at VIU

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:03:31 +0000

Every Wednesday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm at Vancouver Island University the Science and Technology Lecture Series is being held. This free lecture series will be in the Education Building (Building 356) at the Lecture Theatre (Room 109) which is located at the top of the hill from the 4th Street entrance. The closest parking lot is Lot N.

Come and listen to these free lectures given by internationally acclaimed scientists and then after join in for conversation and light refreshments. Here is the schedule:

February 1, 2012 – Derek Matthews -Bird Banding Vancouver Avian Research Centre
February 8, 2012 – Dr. Damien Joly -The international trade in wildlife diseases
February 15, 2012 – Dr. David Gaumont Guay – Leukemia – the science of the disease
February 22, 2012- No Lecture – Reading Break
February 29, 2012 – Dr. Erin McClelland – Effect of Ocean Acidification on Shellfish
March 7, 2012 – Dr. Frank LoPinto – Animated QR codes
March 14, 2012 – Dr. Sheri Molnar – Seismic Hazard Mapping
March 21, 2010 – Speaker: TBA
March 28, 2012- Dr. Sarah Olson - Ebola: Wildlife Conservation and a Deadly Disease
April 4, 2012 – Dr. Jan Lovy – Infectious Diseases: Pacific Herring

For further information and details of the lectures visit Vancouver Island University Science Faculty or you can listen to the speakers being interviewed on “Not Rocket Science” aired weekly at 1:00 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays on CHLY 101.7fm.

Mid Island News

New Look for Cedar Main Street

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:53:23 +0000

The Regional District of Nanaimo is resuming the Main Street design for Cedar with a four day workshop and presentation, starting today. The charrette will take place at the Cedar Heritage Centre located at 1644 MacMillan Road in Cedar.

Cedar Community Design Charrette Schedule of Events
Day	Date	Event	Time	Purpose
Wednesday	January 25th, 2012	Presentations	9:30am – 12:00pm	Overview of the project
Thursday	January 26th, 2012	Presentation	7:30pm – 8:30pm	Presentation of concept sketches
Friday	January 27th, 2012	Work Day (no formal public event)	n/a	n/a
Saturday	January 28th, 2012	Open House and presentation	3:00pm – 5:00pm	Presentation of final concept sketches

In addition to the above, community members may drop in to the Cedar Heritage Centre to view design progress, make suggestions, share ideas, and ask questions at any time within the designated site office hours identified below.

Date	Site Office Hours Cedar Heritage Centre
Wednesday January 25th, 2012	1:00 -5:00pm
Thursday January 26th, 2012	9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday January 27th, 2012	9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday January 28th, 2012	9:00am – 3:00pm

For more information please visit the Regional District of Nanaimo website at www.rdn.bc.ca, email to cedarmainstreet(at)rdn.bc.ca or call Greg Keller, Senior Planner at (250) 390-6510.

Mid Island News

Free Orchestra Day in Nanaimo

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:07:55 +0000

The Vancouver Island Symphony is offering a free special Community Day where the public is invited to come to The Port Theatre on Saturday February 18, 2012.

Come and check out the Vancouver Island Symphony (VIS) to see what happens during a symphony rehearsal and try all the instruments of the orchestra.

Activities include:

11 am – 12 noon: Musical Instrument Zoo – Come try the instruments of the orchestra!
11:45 am – 12:15 pm: NoteworthyKids Music Club Event – meet Conductor Pierre Simard
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Open Symphony Rehearsal Event

Reserve your Free Ticket through the Port Theatre Ticket Centre or call the theatre at 250-754-0177.

Mid Island News

Nanaimo Celebrates Chinese New Year – Year of the Dragon

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:09:33 +0000

You can welcome in the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon on Saturday, January 21, 2012 with two events in Nanaimo.

At the Nanaimo Museum on Commercial Street, the Nanaimo Chinese Cultural Society and the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society are hosting an event from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Admission is by donation.

Starting at 1pm the entertainment includes: an opening lion dance, Guzheng, Tail Ji, calligraphy, Chinese traditional drama – peacock flying to south-east, traditional Chinese songs, traditional Chinese dance – TaoYao and the closing lion dance.

While you’re there, have fun trying some calligraphy, paper arts, and playing mahjong.
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As well, the Nanaimo Art Gallery is celebrating both Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year with an event called Gung Hei Haggis or Xin Nian Haggis. This event takes place at the Bowen Auditorium in Bowen Park Saturday, January 21st from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

You can enjoy a Chinese/Scottish buffet and watch a bagpiper procession bring in a haggis. Entertainment will include piping and Highland dancing, a lion dance, Peking opera and Chinese folk dancing.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children and are available at the Nanaimo Art Gallery downtown at 150 Commercial St, and at McLean’s Specialty Foods at 426 Fitzwilliam Street in the Old City Quarter or by calling the Nanaimo Chinese Language and Art Centre at 250-729-9948.

Chinese New Year trivia: the Lunar calendar has a cycle of about 29.5 days and they insert an extra month in once every few years, resulting the Chinese New Year to fall on a different date each year. This is the year of the Dragon which is the mightiest of the signs in the Chinese Zodiac. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition.

Mid Island News

Poets wanted in Nanaimo & Poetry Festival on Gabriola Island

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:45:51 +0000

The mid island is turning to poetry! The City of Nanaimo is looking for a poet laureate to serve a three year term. A minimum of one original poem is to be produced per year. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2012. For more information email Bob Kuhn at The City of Nanaimo, bob.kunh(at)nanaimo.ca.

On Gabriola Island, they are kicking off 2012 in a big way – with the 8th Annual Poetry Gabriola Festival! This year’s celebration of literature, spoken word, and music runs from February 16th to 19th 2012, at the Dragon’s Lodge on Gabriola Island.

The four evening mainstage performances feature artists from across Canada, including six British Columbia poets commissioned to create new works. This year’s commissioned poets are Susan Musgrave, Gregory Scofield, Barbara Adler, C.R. Avery, Jordan Scott and Tim Lander.

As well as four feature evening presentations, 2012 will offer afternoon events, salons, workshops, school shows, cameo performances, and the return of the hit event, “Knock-Knock, Who’s There?”

Mid Island News

CKGI Gabriola Island Radio making waves

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:30:03 +0000

A belated congratulations to CKGI – Gabriola Co-op Radio 98.7 FM for getting a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station on Gabriola Island.

It took 11 years from concept to getting permission to proceed, but Gabriola Radio Society (GRS) got the green light from the CRTC to start a community radio station on Gabriola.

If you would like to support Gabriola Radio you can check out their fundraiser event coming up this January 7, 2012. This event called, “You turn me on – I’m a radio” fundraiser will kick off a year in which the Gabriola Radio Society aims to raise $320,000 to establish a tower, studio, and offices on Gabriola Island.

Mid Island News

Call for submissions: Vancouver Island Short Film Festival

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:55:35 +0000

Calling all film artists, the deadline to enter your short film is February 1, 2012.

It is year number 6 for The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival!

This film festival is extra special because it specifically features short filmmakers from Vancouver Island. The length of film is maximum 12 minutes including credits.

The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival creates opportunities for local filmmakers to screen their films, network with other film professionals and inspire.

For more information visit the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival website.

Mid Island News

Kids Christmas Workshop at the Nanaimo Museum

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:00:45 +0000

Come to the Nanaimo Museum this Saturday, December 10th from 11 am to 4 pm and experience what Christmas was like a hundred years ago.

Whisper your Christmas wishes to Santa who will be going over his list in the lobby. Then listen to Anne Royle tell some old Christmas tales (11:30 and 12:30). You can make toys to take home, decorate Christmas sugar cookies and have fun eating them! Sing Christmas carols with Arvon Brunt from 1pm to 3pm and create old fashioned felt stockings to hang above your fireplace.

Free admission, please bring a non-perishable item for the food bank. Everyone is welcome!

Mid Island News

Vancouver Island Symphony Hero Concert

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:00:11 +0000

The Vancouver Island Symphony will be starting 2012 with a concert to honour first responders and four Mid Island heroes.

This is your opportunity to nominate someone who has made a difference or saved your life! Local heroes should reside between Ladysmith and Nanoose Bay.

Four heroes will each receive four free symphony tickets and the nominator will also receive two free tickets to the celebration concert on January 28, 2012.

Deadline for Nominations:
Friday December 9, 2011 to the Vancouver Island Symphony office: Box 661, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5L9 OR
150 Commercial Street (Wharf St entrance) OR fax: 250-754-0165
OR email: info@vancouverislandsymphony.com

The four heroes selected will be notified by January 9, 2012.

All Nominations will be on display for the community to view on Saturday February 18 at the Symphony’s Community Day from
11:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Mid Island News

Cedar: New Community Plans

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:44:10 +0000

Cedar is making plans for the future!

You are invited to come join the Regional District of Nanaimo to discuss the parameters for the Cedar Main Street design.

Cedar Community Secondary School at 1640 MacMillan Road
on: Thursday, November 24, 2011
time: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

This is a last chance for the public to discuss important design elements such as building heights, acceptable uses, and to identify if there are any special site conditions that the design plans should respect, prior to the actual design charrette to be held on January 25th – 28th, 2012 (schedule to be confirmed at a later date).

Local area residents, property and business owners, and those with an interest in property in the Cedar Area are invited to comment on the draft design brief. You can submit your response by email to cedarmainstreet(at)rdn.bc.ca.

Make sure you provide your comments by December 22nd, 2011 to allow sufficient time to amend the draft design brief prior to the charrette in January.

For more information visit:

Mid Island News