Nanaimo

The image captures a young women from the chest up standing in front of a dark blue wall. She is smiling at the camera with her mouth closed. She has dark brown wavy hair with bangs that goes down to her shoulders. She is wearing a dark green shirt under a dark brown dress coat

Nanaimo Youth Poet Laureate reflects on year of growth, connections, and writing

December 30, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

It has been a year since Paige Pierce was appointed as the City of Nanaimo’s Youth Poet Laureate and she is reflecting on her time connecting youth with poetry.

As the youth poet laureate, Pierce’s role is to be the “poet for the youth,” something she is passionate about doing in her role and as a pre-service teacher in her school practicum.

Currently, the poet is finishing her last year in the Vancouver Island University education program before she graduates in June of next year. She has allowed her to connect with more young people and try to connect them with poetry.

In 2024, Pierce published her eighth poetry collection, losing languages, discussing the journey of grief she felt after the passing of her grandmother.

An aged building on the side of the road. The building is long, taking up half a block. Th side of it is faded blue colour. There is some pink spray paint on the side of the building. There are windows lining the top part of the building that are all closed.

New drop-in daytime hub and nighttime shelter to open in Nanaimo

December 20, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

The unhoused will soon have access to a daytime warming shelter in Nanaimo but one group is saying that’s still not soon enough.

Operated by Island Crisis Care Society in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day in all weather. It is expected to open on January 2, 2025. Along with the new drop-in daytime hub, the Nanaimo Family Life Association is working on opening an overnight shelter at the same location.

CHLY spoke with NFLA Executive Director Deborah Hollins, about the overnight shelter they are working on opening.

As well CHLY spoke with a group of concerned citizens who have been rallying outside Nanaimo City Hall who have been calling on the City to open a daytime warming shelter for the community. The group told CHLY that this new hub opening is still not enough.

Options for Sexual Health fears closures across the province

December 19, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

UPDATE: The audio to this story was updated after publication with a statement from the BC Ministry of Health.

Options for Sexual Health is currently fearing it may have to close 85% of its clinics across British Columbia if it can’t get increased funding.

The organization says it supports 14,000 people annually at over 50 clinics across the province, offering free birth control, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and care, Pap screenings, pregnancy testing, and pregnancy options counselling.

Currently, there are two clinics located on Vancouver Island, in Nanaimo and Courtney, as well as clinics located in Powell River and Salt Spring Island.

CHLY spoke with Nicole Pasquino, a registered nurse and clinical policy director for Options about what can be done to save some of the clinics and her fears for the majority of them have to close.

A group a five women stand at the bottoms of some steps that lead up to a door. The group is standing in front of the grey cement Nanaimo City Hall building. Each person in the group is holding a sign that reads "warming centre is essential."

Rally outside City Hall: Where are the daytime warming shelters?

December 12, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

A group of concerned citizens are frustrated and confused about the lack of daytime warming shelters in Nanaimo.

By this time last year, the City had opened three warming shelters in the community but by December 10 this year, none have reopened. A small group met outside of Nanaimo City Hall, calling on the City of Nanaimo to open a daytime warming shelter for the community.

The City of Nanaimo’s Services and Supports website notes that unsheltered or precariously housed residents may seek shelter in the lobbies of recreation centres such as the Bowen Park Complex and the Nanaimo Ice Centre, along with Vancouver Island Regional Library locations. Drop-ins, however, must follow the code of conduct for those facilities.

CHLY met with the group as they marched around city hall to speak with them about the importance of having a daytime warming shelter in the community.

A large red chest sits in a office space. The chest top is lifted opened with a sign on the inside that reads "toy drive". The chest has a clear side facing the camera. This a red squiggle design over lapping the clear side. Inside the chest is almost half full with a different assortment of toys.

Nanaimo toy drive sees a decrease in donations despite increase in need

December 11, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive is seeing an increase in people registering for Christmas toys and is calling on donations.

For over 40 years the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive has been Nanaimo’s biggest toy drive serving families from Lanztville to Cassidy by providing toys and gifts for families in need.

But now as the drive sees the highest number of registrations ever in its history, there is a concern for the shrinking number of toys being donated.

CHLY spoke with Janet Mirau, the chair for the Great Nanaimo Toy Drive. She told CHLY about the current need for support in toy drives and age ranges that tend to be forgotten in donations.

City of Nanaimo AAP to borrow $90 million for Public Works Yard fails

December 4, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

After the City of Nanaimo’s third attempt to borrow funding to upgrade the city’s Public Works Yard has been denied by voters.

This comes after two failed attempts due to administrative errors, in the fall of 2023 and winter of 2024, for the Alternative Approval Process (AAP). This AAP was meant to seek voters’ consent to borrow $90 million to upgrade the Public Works Yard.

For the borrowing to be denied if 10 per cent of the voting population or 7,974 or more eligible voters submitted forms opposed.

According to the City of Nanaimo, 8,655 valid response forms were received by the deadline–681 voters over the minimum required to stop the borrowing.

Now, the Nanaimo City Council has decided they will not immediately go to referendum and is reevaluating options for how to upgrade the aging Public Works Yard

Nanaimo postal workers collecting Santa letters despite strike

November 29, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

Nothing will stop the magic of Christmas as postal workers ensure Santa Claus will still receive holiday letters.

It has been 2 weeks since the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) went on a nationwide strike halting mail delivery. But Shane Lorenz, president of CUPW Local 786, says no strike will stop Santa from receiving letters from children.

CHLY met with Lorenz to talk about how the tradition of sending letters to Santa, and Santa sending letters back will not be affected by the strike.

Also, CHLY spoke with Christina Pearson, who has worked for Canada Post for 25 years and has volunteered with the Santa letter exchange since she started working for them.

Parents and their children are encouraged to drop off their letters to Santa at 140 Terminal Ave from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 1847 E Wellington Rd from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

A person in a black long sleeved shirt is in front of a large bookshelf. The book shelf that takes up the whole background is filled with CDs of various different musical groups

Gender-affirming clothing event supports those on gender journeys

November 28, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

Supporting diversity and those on gender journeys, local pride group The Coast is Queer is hosting a free clothing event with gender-affirming styles.

Co-founder of The Coast is Queer, Ash Horner, spoke to CHLY about the event and the importance of people going on their gender journey.

Horner Told CHLY about their own journey with gender and how it took them 43 years to finally take the time to find out what gender means to them. They said they hope this event will give transgender and non-binary people a safe space to get new clothing that reflects their authentic selves.

After only starting three years ago hosting more events for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Nanaimo, The Coast is Queer, along with the First Unitarian Fellowship of Nanaimo is hosting a clothing event to offer a safe space for transgender and non-binary people to find new gender-affirming clothes.

Volunteers still needed for United Way study on homelessness

November 21, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

With days leading up to the Nanaimo Point-in-Time Count, United Way BC is still looking for volunteers to help survey those experiencing homelessness in the community.

The Point-in-Time (PiT) Count is a survey that captures a community-level snapshot of people facing homelessness to estimate the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness in a typical 24 hours.

This year, the count will be on Tuesday, November 26. Currently, only 70 volunteers have signed up to help with the count and 30 more volunteers are needed.

CHLY spoke with Julie Rushton, director of community impact and investment for United Way BC about the role volunteers play in getting the information needed from the count.

She gave CHLY a look into what the day will be like for volunteers and why it is so important for the community to get involved.

People can sign up to volunteer for the Nanaimo Point-in-Time Count on the United Way’s iVolunteer website.

A group of people stand around on a sidewalk. One person is holding a small pink sign on a long wooden pole that reads "saving lives is not controversial"

Pop-up overdose prevention site opens across the street from NRGH

November 19, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

Vancouver Island physicians and advocates attempted to set up an unsanctioned “pop-up” overdose prevention site at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital but were met by hospital staff, security and the RCMP.

An overdose prevention site is a location where people can use substances under the supervision of trained staff that can monitor for drug poisoning and respond to an overdose if needed.

After being told they could not set up the OPS at the hospital, the group moved it across the street. Dr. Jessica Wilder, family and addiction medicine physician, and group organizer spoke to CHLY about the pop-up OPS.

Wilder is part of Doctors for Safer Drug Policy, an organization that works with people who use substances and advocates for inclusive and evidence-based care for all. She said the pop-up OPS was intended to bring attention to the current toxic drug crisis and the need for better support for people.

A wooden table in a dark brown tent. On the table is OPS supplies such as bandages, naloxone kits, and a sharps box

A man wearing a security uniform is standing in a parking lot where a group of women stand around looking at him. Some of the women are recording what he is saying on their cameras.

Photos from pop-up OPS on November 18. Credit: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY 101.7fm

Man wearing a black sweater and black glasses is standing in front of a fountain. Water is being shot out of the fountain behind the man. There are silver sculptures in the shapes of salmon above the fountain

Nanaimo’s new poet laureate looks forward to sharing poetry and language

November 18, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

The City of Nanaimo is welcoming its new poet laureate, Neil Surkan as he takes on the role of poet laureate to connect people with poetry.

Surkan is an English professor at Vancouver Island University and has an extensive list of published works including his newest chapbook Ruin published in 2023.

Surkan came down to CHLY’s studio to talk about his poetry work and his excitement about the role. He told CHLY he was interested in the role of getting the community into having conversations about the language they use and finding new ways to express themselves through poetry.

Surkan’s two-year term as Nanaimo’s Poet Laureate will begin on December 1 of this year followed by a free holiday poetry showcase at the Harbourfront Library on Thursday, December 5 at 6 p.m. There will be readings by Surkan and youth poet laureate Paige Pierce.

A women with her brown hair tied back is standing on the side of a road. She is wearing a blue puffy winter jacket and black pants. She has a hi-vis strap wrapped around her. Behind her a white truck is driving behind her in front a large white business building

City of Nanaimo encourages all road users to be alert and be seen

November 15, 2024 by Lauryn Mackenzie

According to the City of Nanaimo, intersections are the most common place for drivers to hit pedestrians and as the days get shorter, the City is reminding everyone commuting to stay alert and be seen.

November 13 is Pedestrian Safety Day in Nanaimo and CHLY met with Madeleine Koch, Active Transportation Project Specialist for the City on the corner of Fitzwilliam and Wesley Street, while she was handing out the reflector keychains for the day.

Koch says a day like Pedestrian Safety Day is important for everyone, as everyone will be a pedestrian at some point in their journey. She tells CHLY her tips for pedestrians and drivers for community safety.

As well she reminds drivers of the new provincial safe passing law, where drivers must now keep new minimum distances from vulnerable road users.