Have you ever wondered why Nanaimo’s Downtown has struggled to revitalize?

A stretch of Nanaimo’s downtown called the Terminal Corridor, or as Caleb McIntyre dubs it the “Terminal Trench”, sits over tonnes of coal tailings—a remnant of Nanaimo’s industrial past. 

As a result, Nanaimo’s downtown existed in somewhat of a loophole in dealing with costly efforts to revitalize and rebuild due to regulations on groundwater contaminants.

However, through nearly a decade of volunteer-driven efforts, countless meetings, forming organizations, and fundraising, June of 2023 marked a massive achievement for our downtown.

Now, properties within the “Trench” are no longer obligated to meet impossible standards to progress with sale or redevelopment plans.

It is reassuring to know there have always been committed Nanaimoites championing the roadblocks to success.