Strong Towns Nanaimo supports the OCP amendment and rezoning on 564 Fifth Street and 502 & 505 Howard Avenue. Our group sees the development partnership of Te’tuxwtun as an opportunity to add to the increasing vitality and diversity of the Harewood Neighbourhood. More importantly, Te’tuxwtun will contribute to the growing urban fabric of an amenity-deprived part of town and further the continuing effort of Truth and Reconciliation in our city.
Landscape concept art and proposed public pathways. (Formline Architecture)
We assert that the development’s plan will help not only the residents of Harewood but Nanaimo as a whole, by providing an alternative-learning school, community gathering space, and affordable housing. As outlined in the staff report, the benefits of this development are plain. Its proximity to frequent transit, educational institutions, and daily needs makes excellent use of the 5th Street corridor and the already limited space in our built-out neighbourhood. Te’tuxwtun is a wise use of existing infrastructure helping to accommodate growth within our city and mitigating the need for further urban expansion into our peripheries.
Master plan for the whole of the Te’Tuxwtun project. (Formline Architecture)
Considering this development lies within an area that Nanaimo Reimagined has already been designated as a mixed-use corridor, the community has already demonstrated support for the city to further such developments in our neighbourhoods. Although our group has reservations regarding the extensive parking requirements being imposed on a frequent transit corridor, Strong Towns Nanaimo agrees with staff that the proposed rezoning should pass the first and second reading.
– Strong Towns Nanaimo
