The City of Nanaimo Winter 2022 Activity Guide is online at recreation.nanaimo.ca and registration is open (winter swimming lesson registration is delayed until December 15th).

The annual Winter Wonderland takes place again this year on December 24th and December 26th to 30th at Frank Crane Arena. The arena will be transformed into a Winter Globe theme with all skating sessions either free or only $1. Check recreation.nanaimo.ca for specific session times.

There are two "Skate with Santa" events: Wednesday, December 15th, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm at Frank Crane Arena and Thursday, December 16th, 6:15 pm - 7:45 pm at Nanaimo Ice Centre.

Explore 12 local parks and trails during the school holiday break to win some great prizes with the “Frosty Bucket Sticker Search”. Participants search for clues to find the Golden Bucket Stickers.

Planning is underway with details released soon for the New Year’s Day Family Event called “Activate 2022”. There will be swimming, skating, games, sports and other activities for the whole family as a way to “launch” into the new year with lots of movement and fun.

Beban Pool’s main tank is still closed for repair, the Leisure Pool and weight room are open. Due to this repair, the aquatic schedule at both Beban Pool and Nanaimo Aquatic Centre are not following the regular operating hours. Please be sure to check the temporary schedule posted online to be sure of when the pools are open.

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) facilities are open and programs are running in accordance with current Public Health Orders. Be sure to visit the REC Connect webpage to register for activities, subscribe to the Active Living Guide and find free activities and resources.

Winter Wonderland on Ice is back December 14th to 31st. It’s a holiday tradition to take part in the magical skating event at Oceanside Place Arena. View the public skating schedule online at www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation. New Year’s Eve Free Family Celebration Tickets are required and are available for pick up at Oceanside Place Arena beginning December 10th.

Vote for your favourite festive window at Ravensong Aquatic Centre. Winner will be announced December 21st.

Polar Bear Splash on January 1st, 12:00 pm, at Parksville Community Beach is back!

The District of Lantzville Council Strategic Priorities includes “Bring water to most residents in Lantzville – Implement the Water Master Plan”. On November 17th Council passed a motion to provide this update to residents on the progress of municipal water service.

For many years, Lantzville’s community water supply has been insufficient to fully service existing residents and businesses in the Water Service Area (defined in the Official Community Plan) or to allow any new development in the community. A multitude of studies on water issues in the Lantzville area have been completed during the last 50 years for various entities, including the RDN, Lantzville Improvement District and District of Lantzville current and past Councils. Studies have reviewed water supply, storage, treatment, distribution, and various improvement options, including assessment of groundwater supply, surface water sources, connections to neighbouring communities and improvements to the storage and distribution system.

Progress in water supply began in September 2014, when the District of Lantzville and City of Nanaimo approved the Lantzville/Nanaimo Water Agreement that enables Lantzville and Nanaimo to work together to provide water from the Nanaimo Water System to service Lantzville per the terms in the agreement. View the agreement (& 2018 amendment) at lantzville.ca. In 2017, the District undertook a several months long process, including an extensive public process and study, that culminated in a Water Master Plan.

Also, Water System Bylaw No. 140, 2018, was adopted in April 2018, to establish the rates and terms under which water may be supplied and used in the District of Lantzville. The bylaw was amended in February 2020, replacing Schedule “B” – Design Standards – Residential Water Design. Then Subdivision and Development Works and Services Bylaw No. 175, 2020, was adopted in February 2020, updating the previous bylaw, establishing standards required for development, including reiterating the requirement for developers to provide, locate and construct water distribution systems within their subdivisions.

Now the District’s infrastructure development is guided by the District of Lantzville Water Master Plan – Planning Our Tomorrow, published in November 2017. Within the Water Master Plan (WMP) are the District’s Goals and Objectives:

The recommendations in the WMP are intended to be considered on an incremental basis, in response to community changes and ongoing monitoring, providing a long-range plan. The WMP identified that several improvements should be carried out prior to expanding the District water distribution system. Those were:

Some of those recommendations have been carried out, and others such as “Continue replacement of asbestos cement watermains” will be ongoing for some time to come. As more asbestos cement watermains are replaced, fire flows will be increased and the water system will be strengthened.

The WMP identifies which areas are priority and should be serviced first. Phase I of the expansion is identified as HW-1: The Winds Residential Area; AW: Clark Drive Area; and FW: Fernmar Road Area; in no particular order. Key to the expansion of the community water service is funding from other levels of government. The District has been successful in the past for other infrastructure projects which were partially funded through a grant, with the District portion funded through a local area service (funded by the benefiting property owners). The District applied twice to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program for the Clark Drive Area and once for the Winds Area; however, all applications were denied. Council has also authorized adding to the 2022-2026 Financial Plan an annual $5,000 reserve contribution for expanding the community water system. View the Water Master Plan at lantzville.ca for detailed information and history.

On November 3, 2021, Council authorized the District to apply under the “Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (Green Infrastructure – Environmental Quality Sub-Stream)” to expand municipal water service to the Winds Residential Area, which would facilitate water connections for approximately 136 currently unserviced households. If approved, the Federal and Provincial governments would fund 70% of the estimated $7,868,900 project, and the District of Lantzville commits to 30%, as well as cost overruns, all of which would be funded through a Local Area Service (with benefitting property owners repaying the District through an annual parcel tax for a pre-set term), subject to a petition against by the property owners. Check out the staff report in the November 3, 2021 Council meeting agenda, including Class C Cost Estimates and Figure 18 of the WMP showing the priority in which the water system expansion should be carried out. The District has received letters of support for the grant application, from Island Health, Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose) First Nation, and some residents of the Winds area. The residents shared their hopes for expansion of the municipal water service bringing a safe, secure drinking water, and an end to their inadequate water quality and supply, expense of bottled water, seniors struggling with 5 gallon bottles, expense of water purification systems, and higher house insurance due to lack of fire hydrants.

33.6 km. of water pipe

3 storage reservoirs

6 groundwater supply wells

2 pressure zones

5 pressure reducing valves

1 booster pump station

2 chlorination facilities

Connections - There are currently 927 connected customers.