Everything marked on this photo will be either enhanced or diminished by decisions made now in regards to the Terminal Avenue- Nicol Street highway

These, marked in the picture below, are either in-play or in-need in downtown Nanaimo. None are independent, one of any other, they are all interrelated and interdependent. This is particularly true when it comes to the Terminal Ave - Nicol Street inter-city highway. Under Provincial Government jurisdiction, this urban highway forms a barrier between our south end neighbourhoods and a barrier between the east and west neighbourhoods of our downtown core.

Everything marked below on this photo will be either enhanced or diminished by decisions made in regards to this highway.

These and the urban design of the public realm, the traffic calmed streets, the street trees, street furniture and lighting, parks and neighbourhood squares, the diverse mix of uses, are also interdependent. Synergistic urban design that weaves it all together, the glue you might say. Nanaimo needs to commit to this principle and hire a proactive chief of planning and urban design to head up an empowered department, one decentralized to neighbourhood planning offices.

1. City owned downtown waterfront lands; 2. Port Place shopping centre; 3. Marriott Hotel; 4. Diana Krall Plaza; 5. Commercial Street; 6. Dallas Square; 7. Georgia Park; 8. Terminal-Nicol Highway; 9. Howard Johnson Hotel site; 10. Mill Street residential; 11. Caledonian Clinic site residential; 12. Telus site residential; 13. Island Corridor rail; 14. School District owned redevelopment site; 15. City owned 500 block Terminal site.

From the Downtown Urban Design Plan and Guidelines : Originally a tidal ravine along its southern extent, Terminal Avenue became the main route through downtown Nanaimo and part of the Trans Canada Highway in the 1960s. With the construction of the Nanaimo Parkway, the role of Terminal Avenue is changing. The design of Terminal Avenue with its unique curving geometry, continues to act as a barrier that disconnects the Old City from the downtown core and the waterfront. However, any proposed design changes to the streetscape will require extensive consultation with the road's current authority, the Ministry of Transportation.

Urban Design Strategies : Terminal Avenue is a major gateway to downtown Nanaimo, both from the north and south approaches. Emphasize on-street parking, which is required to ensure viability of ground-floor commercial. Recommend traffic-calming road design for 50 km/hr.

Street trees are to be located between every 4 on-street parking stalls. Sidewalk widths should be increased. Traffic patterns would be maintained but calmed by the proximity of trees and buildings at the setback/build-to line. Traffic bulges at intersections would be employed to reduce crossing length and further calm traffic. (A treed boulevard in the centre of the right-of-way would preclude on-street parking.)

From the Nanaimo Downtown Urban Design Plan and Guidelines : concept drawing Terminal Ave looking north from the Bastion Bridge, concept plan Terminal at Wentworth crossing. pic.twitter.com/fbo88FwSSy

— NanaimoCommons (@NanaimoCommons) August 25, 2021

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