Keeping in touch

Part of my job as your representative on the Regional District of Nanaimo Board of Directors is to ensure that the Board meets the goals it has set out for the region in its Strategic Plan.This plan maps out the improvements we as a board wish to make in areas such as growth management, watershed and drinking water protection,environmental protection, public works,infrastructure and governance process and communication.In the past year,we have achieved a number of these goals.

In the past year the RDN has hosted a Sustainability Workshop and a Drinking Water Protection Workshop, both of which were well-attended by the public.Recently the RDN also produced a Sustainability Report outlining our various initiatives in this area.In terms of environmental protection,we have a new Waste Stream Licensing bylaw,and we have expanded the gas collection system at the Regional Landfill to make it possible to capture,reuse or resell gas (with support from Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Project funding).Thanks to capital improvements at our wastewater treatment plants,we have been successful in reducing odour and improving processing at these facilities. The RDN has just completed its Regional Parks and Trails Plan Review, and continues to develop new parks and regional trail networks.

Plans for the future include revamping our Public Consultation Policy to improve communication with residents, conducting a greenhouse gas inventory (part of our Partners for Climate Change commitment),and producing a Best Practices Guide to assist developers with our development application process.Our focus is on improving quality of life for RDN residents,and strengthening the relationship between the RDN and the public.

George Holme,
Director, Area E

OCP Update

The Regional District of Nanaimo is proceeding with revisions to the Electoral Area E Draft Official Community Plan,using the comments and suggestions made by residents at the November 29 public information meeting. The RDN Board is tentatively looking at introducing the Draft Official Community Plan as a bylaw in June,when it will be given first and second reading. If this is achieved, then a public hearing will happen by the end of June.

This month, staff is scheduled to return to the Board with an amended plan and a revised public process. In late May, there will be a public information meeting for residents of Electoral Area E, where the RDN will present the new Draft Official Community Plan. Copies of the draft will be available to the public prior to this meeting at Nanoose Place. For more information about the Electoral Area E Official Community Plan, please contact the RDN Planning Department at 390-6510 or 954-3798.

Arrowsmith Water Service Update

In November 1996, voters approved a referendum to construct a dam at Arrowsmith Lake to provide storage for a bulk water supply system to service Qualicum Beach,the City of Parksville, and Regional District of Nanaimo Water Local Service Areas in Nanoose Bay and French Creek. The RDN,City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach entered into a joint venture agreement to construct, operate and maintain the Arrowsmith Dam and other bulk water facilities. They formed the Arrowsmith Water Service (AWS) and received a water licence on Englishman River from the provincial government.

The AWS operates and maintains the dam and storage reservoir, which currently benefit the City of Parksville and the RDN Madrona water system. Other RDN service areas will benefit as future components of the bulk water infrastructure are developed. Water conservation is one means of deferring the demand for bulk water and the associated tax increases that will be necessary to pay for new infrastructure.

The Arrowsmith Dam reservoir fills over the winter and spring and when full,overflows to the river.

The water licence requires AWS to release water from the reservoir between (approximately)June and October.Over the summer and fall,the reservoir is drained to support river flows for water extraction and fishery resources and is typically,by design, empty by the end of October.

The AWS is currently preparing a newsletter to update residents about the Arrowsmith Dam's function and the terms of the AWS water licence. This newsletter will be mailed to households in late June,and will also be available online at www.rdn.bc.ca, or at the RDN administrative offices.

The sound quality is stellar at Oceanside Place thanks to the acoustical baffles now installed in the Howie Meeker Arena. The baffles,which were added last fall, are suspended from the arena's ceiling and have reduced the rink's previous eight-second sound reverberation time to approximately 2.5 seconds. According to Tom Osborne, Manager of Recreation and Parks, "The baffling improves the sound with respect to the arena's PA system, as well as everyday use."

Now that the sound in the Howie Meeker Arena is clear, the next step is to add acoustical baffles to the adjacent Victor Kraatz Arena. The Regional District of Nanaimo Board of Directors has approved this project, and work should be completed in late spring. The baffles for the Victor Kraatz Arena will be paid for through funds from 2004 user revenues, while the baffles in the Howie Meeker Arena were paid for through 2003 operating surplus.

Oceanside Place has just won the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA)Facility Excellence award. The award will be presented on May 13th at the BCRPA Annual Conference in Prince George.

This is the second award for Oceanside Place -- the arena also received the Recreation Facility Association of British Columbia's Outstanding Facility Award in 2004.

Oceanside Place is located at 830 West Island Highway in Parksville,and opened in October, 2003. The facility is owned and operated by the Regional District of Nanaimo.

West Nile Virus

Warmer weather is on the way,and so is the start of mosquito breeding season.In a small percentage of cases, mosquitoes can transmit infections that lead to serious illnesses, including West Nile Virus. While the virus has not yet arrived in B.C., the Vancouver Island Health Authority suggests that it's still important to protect yourself and your family from risk of infection.

West Nile Virus is a disease that affects birds of the Corvid family, including crows, ravens and blue jays. When mosquitoes bite infected birds, they then carry virus-infected blood to other hosts, such as horses, dogs, cats and humans. Most cases of infection cause mild, flu-like symptoms, but a small percentage of cases progress to severe encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain.

In humans, only about one percent of those infected with the virus show flu-like symptoms and of these only one percent of cases progress to encephalitis. Still, it is a good idea to protect yourself and your family from the possibility of infection. Cover up with protective clothing whenever possible,and use insect repellent on exposed skin. Consider staying indoors during peak mosquito times — dawn, dusk and early evening. Also reducing or removing standing water from around your home is a good way to control mosquitoes, since many mosquitoes need standing water in order to lay their eggs. Dispose of or turn over outdoor containers,turn over wheelbarrows and wading pools when not in use, change bird bath water every three days, clean and chlorinate outdoor pools and hot tubs, and remove any water that collects on pool covers. For more information, please contact the Regional District of Nanaimo Protective Services Coordinator at 390-4111 or toll-free 1-877-607-4111.

Electoral Area Director | George Holme
250-468-2387 | Fax 250-468-2397 | gholme@shaw.ca

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