Nanaimo Icon Closed This Year

The Nanaimo Bastion

Will Not Open This Year

Two things come to mind when you hear the word Nanaimo, one is the Bastion and the other is the famous Bar. Both have been synonymous with Nanaimo for many decades now.

Well it seems the Nanaimo bar is going strong and is still a hit with anyone who tries it for the first time. My own websites get several inquiries on a monthly basis for questions about our famous bar and the different recipes.

Our other icon The Bastion is not doing all that well. It seems the building is once again showing it's age and since it was built in 1853 it is little wonder it is having a few problems. The three storey building is the oldest in Nanaimo and perhaps the second oldest in the entire province.

It was entirely constructed by hand, without the aid of power tools and cranes and it a testimony to the skill of the craftsmen of the day. The timbers were all hand hewn and finished with axe and adse and assembled without nails.

Time has taken it's toll and the Bastion is in need of a $300,000 repair job to replace timbers damaged by damp rot which has caused it to lean.

The Nanaimo Museum is heading the 'Passion for the Bastion' fund raising campaign and hopes to raise the remaining $160,000 needed to complete the project.

Comment: It's too bad the City of Nanaimo no longer has the resources to pay for the restoration of this Nanaimo landmark. I bet if they tried really hard they could come up with the $160,000. I might suggest they consider firing one or two of those high priced managers at city hall. For that matter, you would think with the labour pool made up of city staff, they could find the talent to do the repair 'in house'.