Nanaimo Council had a marathon meeting on Monday, August 14th, lasting almost six hours, going past 12:30 am. Council covered many hot topics including Colliery Dam Park expansion, puppy mills and the Nanaimo waterfront. Councillor Kipp was absent from the meeting.
Councillor Fuller had a notice of motion regarding the Greater Nanaimo Water Lands:
“That 801, 1150, and 1151 Nanaimo Lakes Road be made parkland. That would include changes to Official Community Plan and zoning bylaws except the lands under lease with the Nanaimo Search and Rescue and the reservoir proper.”
Then it turned into a motion! Mayor McKay was about to step out of the meeting when the Acting CAO asked why they were hearing delegations speaking to a notice of motion? Was that typical procedure? Acting Mayor Yoachim and Mayor McKay shrugged and the meeting carried on. Three delegations spoke to Councillor Fuller’s notice of motion.
Speaker 1
Asked if the lands could be added to the Colliery Dams Park and was happy overall with the notice of motion.
Speaker 2
Gave a brief history of Colliery Dams and the spillway repair. Recalled how all of council voted for the estimated $10 million upgrades to the spillway. They also asked if there would be an area for ‘gnome homes’.
Speaker 3
Asked if Council would consider using money from the Canada 150 grant to fund accessible trails and washrooms for disabled people.
Council discussion:
Hong: …SFN (Snuneymuxw First Nation) want to talk about these lands?…
Staff: …staff and SFN had conversations…
Fuller: …some areas can be made accessible for the disabled…
Brennan: …consultation plans for this?
Staff: …we were going to go to the public in the fall for consultation…but if motion passes that would change…because the land would be made a park…
Brennan: …a month ago we told the public that we would consult with them and hear what they want…I won’t support designating this as a park without consultation…
Fuller: …did we not have consultation on this before?…123 people did a survey…once this becomes a park we can still get ideas from the public…
Armstrong: …as we heard from Mr. Bolin…never got the opportunity for consultation earlier…so I would like to have the consultation process…
Bestwick: …We were going to carve out a piece as a ‘sliver’ for housing…They told us in the open houses that they wanted it to be park and open space and then we chose not to listen to people…We will ask what people want it to look like…nature park…now we are voting on parks and open space…
Hong: …is the north portion officially parkland? Have we done all the bylaws yet?
Staff: …two separate bylaws coming forward on that…then on the portion south of the Parkway if this motion passes then we would bring forward an OCP (official community plan) amendment for the changes…
Hong: …so the lower portion would need an OCP amendment…then the northern portion doesn’t because it is already open space…what are the steps first?…OCP changes? …my biggest concern is with SFN and if they come forward and say you didn’t consult with us…how are we doing this?…I want to be respectful…can we do this now? and still change this?…
Staff: …if you pass the motion then the wheels are in motion…bylaws to come…
Parks Maintenance a problem
McKay: …I can’t support this…I can’t understand what the hurry is…We can’t afford to look after what we have got!…Someone said Stevie Smith Bike Park is great…but Council hasn’t given any money to look after it…No money to look after Maffeo Park…the water feature is not working…it costs $150,000 and we don’t have the money to look after it…
Caledonia Park finally got some money spent on it…The fans are still waiting for a roof over the stands…There is no money for that…$4.1 million spent buying NDSS property…Then we are going to put in a football field…A CFL-sized football field…It will need lights and turf…There are no stands, no washrooms, no change rooms, no money to look after it…
We have to STOP doing this…this thing [land] is not going nowhere…once we make it a park…then people want it accessible…you heard him…you can’t get a wheelchair to a beach…more land to look after…We never put any money into Linley Valley…Cable Bay…more parkland…What are we doing?…
Bestwick: …we own the property; it is already designated…What does it cost us?…it is in its natural state…is likely minimal…then it is preserved for future…Douglas fir zone…public wants it…stadium is off topic…City took over Beban Park in 1990 from the RDN…Linley Valley…an investment to protect an eco-system…Neck Point Park —to say that was not a good purchase?…glad we didn’t allow two 20-storey towers in a park downtown…private developers will have lots of opportunity to develop…
Thorpe: …I support this motion…makes sense…add it to Colliery Dam Park…worth protecting…we need to increase budget to enhance…Maffeo Park…Caledonia Park…recreation facilities…we have been under serving them…
Brennan: …we need to talk to people first…there is no hurry…this can be done properly…
Mayor McKay called the vote on the motion. It was a close vote!
Approved: Councillors Hong, Bestwick, Thorpe, Fuller
Opposed: Councillors Armstrong, Brennan and Mayor McKay
Trees = Wealth
Colliery Dam Park will get expanded by over 200 acres. Many people worked hard over the years to preserve the natural area of the Greater Nanaimo Water Lands. Because of this parkland, South Nanaimo will be more desirable to live in than North Nanaimo which is facing smaller lots, more condos and high rises, school closures, more traffic congestion on Hammond Bay Road and fewer accessible parks.
‘Golden’ garbage bins
Nanaimo council voted to approve a $7.5 million garbage program which requires garbage bins that work with new automated garbage trucks. These new garbage bins will cost $4.5 million and the City plans to buy six new automated garbage trucks for $3 million.
The City already has two automated garbage trucks and will purchase another four trucks later.
Two delegations spoke about their concerns regarding the new garbage program.
Speaker 1
This is the first time this topic has come before Council where a delegation can speak to the topic. This automated garbage service will cost homeowners 30% more per year. At the same time there will be no increased level of service. The total weight of these bins is 80 pounds. This will be a hazard to the aged and infirm. The City is spending $380,000 for each new truck. This whole problem started with the poor design of garbage trucks with the green bins which was never fixed.
Speaker 2
Where do we put these bins? How do the old and weak get these to the curb?
Council Discussion
Hong: …City offers a program for seniors and people with disabilities…
Staff: …contact public works if you have problem finding a spot to put garbage bins on the street…
Fuller: …apartments? what about them? …can people opt out? …
Bestwick: …$6.2 million…what are the terms?
Staff: …over a 5 year term…
Bestwick: …does the money for equipment include all of the automated trucks?
Staff: …No …$4.5 million is for the bins…$1.7million is for the additional trucks…$900,000 is coming from reserves to pay for the trucks as well…
Bestwick: …the existing garbage trucks we have are redundant…they are useless…
Staff: …we can auction them off…
Bestwick: …We have committed to purchasing the entire fleet…City has to get rid of some of the trucks because of how they were manufactured…can’t use the old trucks …
Staff: …more injuries because of green bins…
Fuller: …I get the safety issue…$4.5million for bins?!! …I won’t support this…
Hong: …rates are good…I thought we were going to phase this in…We still have the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange (NRE) to discuss…I can’t support this…
Approved: Councillors Brennan, Yoachim, Bestwick, Thorpe, Armstrong, Mayor McKay
Opposed: Councillor Hong, Fuller
Puppy Mills
A pet store merchant spoke to council in response to a letter from Nanaimo SPCA about a ban on pet sales at their store. Here are some of the highlights from the delegation:
Speaker 1
The SPCA is calling for a ban of sales of bunnies, kittens, and puppies at my store. We have been in business for a total of 39 years.
Puppies are 40% of our total sales before tax. Without puppy sales we would not be able to be in business. I don’t like being lumped in with those mainland pet stores. We have a puppy contract that people sign to ensure people don’t leave a new puppy alone for more than two hours.
We haven’t sold a rabbit in 2 years. We sold 16 kittens this year. That is a third of what the internet sites sell. The three main internet sites have banned all pet stores from advertising pet sales.
Council discussion:
Fuller: Who can sell rescue dogs?…not everyone can afford a pure breed…I paid $800 for a pure bred husky that recently passed away…I don’t think many in Nanaimo can afford pure breed pets…
Thorpe: …we are not considering a ban on puppy sales…we haven’t debated the issue…we are not making a decision tonight…
(McKay glares at Thorpe)
Armstrong: Do you keep records of where your animals come from…?
Speaker: …private information…if something goes wrong with the dog then we stand by it…
Bestwick: …puppy contract…states no more than two hours to leave a puppy on its own…What happens when you go home?…When the store closes?…What goes on?…What is going on with that puppy? ….
Speaker: You have a point…we come in the store the next day…
Bestwick: …are any of your pets from a puppy mill?…the people you buy from?…only from breeders?…would they be selling online too? …
Yoachim: …I want to know the background of the puppies…I will need more than just word of mouth…a more concrete process…
Councillor Bestwick put forward a motion to have staff return with options on the pet store regulation issue.
Approved: All
Nanaimo Harbour meeting
What is happening with the new Nanaimo harbour group? The SFN sent a letter to the City of Nanaimo regarding the harbour situation and here are some highlights of the topic discussed:
Bestwick: …what has staff done so far?….
Acting CAO: …staff met with Transport Canada staff from Vancouver…one meeting regarding an alternative model…we are not leading the charge…when we have a meeting with federal officials then we will meet…
Bestwick: …’direct staff to explore alternative model’…don’t know that council supports the current model…what’s the status? …Met with Transport Canada? SFN? Nanaimo Port Authority? …
Acting CAO: …in following your direction we met with Transport Canada and Doug White and Mr. Sirri…
Bestwick: ….So is it case closed?…do we need more direction? Where is this going?…
Acting CAO: …we are waiting for a response from the federal government…the case is not closed…
Yoachim: …ensure federal government is getting the message…What is the game plan? …
Fuller: …dialogue in September….I am happy…
McKay: …Transport Canada has no interest in changing the model…now SFN has to take it to a different level …Canada Marine Act…let the government know how things don’t work for them …Nation to Nation …we don’t play a role…
Acting CAO: …SFN is not going solo on this…effort of multiple parties…
Bestwick: …Nothing happens unless all parties are at the table…the case is not closed…we are working towards a different model…we need to be at the table…waterfront…most valuable land…
Armstrong: …we should stay engaged…
Brennan: …we should wait for them to call us…
Councillor Bestwick put forward a motion to set up a meeting between City of Nanaimo, SFN, Nanaimo Port Authority, to discuss next steps.
Approved: All
Question Period
The meeting dissolved slowly after midnight as one by one, council members left the chambers, leaving behind Acting Mayor Yoachim, Councillors Bestwick, Armstrong and Thorpe.
- Is there a problem providing/affording park maintenance to Stevie Smith Bike Park?
- Why was there no public consultation on the $7.5 million garbage program?
- Is it legal for council to have made a decision in-camera to spend $7.5 million?
- What will seniors do about moving the garbage bins?
- Councillor Fuller, what changed for you that you won’t sign the code of conduct?
- Why has the parks budget been robbed?