Mid Island News is a reference on the history, land and civic life of Nanaimo and mid Vancouver Island, written for residents, students and visitors.
The site is organised in four sections. History covers the people and industries that made the mid island, from the Snuneymuxw and the coal companies to Chinatown and the logging camps. Land & Sea covers the physical setting: the faults under the island, the Strait of Georgia, the trees and the watersheds. Civic Nanaimo keeps the record of decisions made at city hall and in the neighbourhoods. Guides gathers practical references.
Stories are written to be read years from now. Each one names the public records, published research and news coverage it rests on at the end, and says so where sources disagree. Images marked "AI" are generated illustrations of places and objects, not photographs of real events.
The area covered runs roughly from Ladysmith in the south to Qualicum Beach in the north, including Gabriola and the other islands close to Nanaimo harbour.
Every article is written by Waldo Swift. Contact details, including the email address and postal address, are on the contact page.