Sadly, I had to miss the COW meeting of Sept. 28 where I am most confident our city councillors will have made many wise decisions and have decided to put the garbage automation process on hold until after the core review.
Spending time in other Island communities gives a different perspective on one's view of Nanaimo as a tourist destination. While I agree (I live there) that Nanaimo is a pleasant place to live it has miles and miles to go before it could hope to hold itself up against Victoria, which actually has a smaller population than Nanaimo.
Nanaimo pulls a half dozen cruise ships, Victoria draws 220+. Nanaimo has Bowen Park, Victoria has Beacon Hill Park. We have the seawall along the inner harbour, Victoria's walk from Ogden Point to Clover Point is spectacular by comparison. In Victoria you can actually find food truck vendors with their unique offerings, in Nanaimo, not-so-much.
Yes, Nanaimo is known for Nanaimo Bars, Nanaimo Bar Trail and the seawall. None of which qualify as tourist destination material, so why don't we decide on what we really are and focus on improving that for the benefit of those choosing to live here. One sound step in that direction is to get control of what will be never ending tax increases as city hall comes up with more and more ways to creatively spend tax dollars.
Victoria is also getting two different companies to start passenger only ferries to Vancouver starting next spring and summer.
ReplyDeleteWe need a 'world' class WORLD CLASS indigenous tourist facility on Newcastle island AND a way to get there by foot !
ReplyDeleteforget noisy festivals and beer tents etc….been there done that events.
We need real attractions, the type that guide books love to list, and older tourists 'need' to see. Time to be pros here !