A 5000 seat stadium is proposed for the site circled bottom right, currently a
Howard Johnson Hotel. A sensitive site in that it is edged by 2
multi-lane busy arterials one of which is BC Hwy 19 linking to the BC
Ferries terminal at Departure Bay. The City has very low population
densities (Nanaimo has about the same population as Victoria but sits on
between 4 and 5 times the land mass.) and mobility within the city is
almost 100% restricted to the private automobile. Previous development
models have included acres of surface parking making the surrounding
area uninviting to other uses and spin-off economic opportunities. That
would be particularly unfortunate at this site as properly conceived
and designed it could create connectivity from the harbour through the
river valley, into Bowen Park and beyond into the residential
neighbourhoods to the west and north. Success of a large stadium here
would require a Bus Rapid Transit system on the Island Highway (at the
very least a dedicated Bus Priority Lane north and south). And on-site
parking kept to a minimum and only in pay parkades.
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