Nanaimo unveils concept designs for downtown redevelopment project

Initial concept drawings for a Commercial Street redesign in Nanaimo, B.C. have been released as the city looks to revitalize its downtown core.

Last week, the city’s consultant team came up with the renderings, where they used ideas that were gathered by the city during a public engagement process last fall.

The entire street will be open to two-way traffic still. However, street curbs will be removed to make the street a more flexible space.

"Parking spaces can be converted into patios or used for event space, or the whole road can be closed down when there’s an event like the night market," says Bill Corsan, director of corporate and business development for the City of Nanaimo.

Improvements are expected in certain areas of the street as well, which include making Diana Krall Plaza more of an event area, enhancing the rainbow crosswalk at the Bastion Street intersection, and upgrading the Wallace Street and Albert Street intersection to make it more pedestrian friendly.

A rendering of the Commercial Street redevelopment project is shown. Feb. 7, 2022 (City of Nanaimo)

"It’ll be a lot easier for people to move around the street as opposed to now," Corsan says.

The concept drawings will be made available on the Design Commercial website where the city will be looking for more feedback so that adjustments can be made.

Over the next several months, the city will determine the cost of the project, and how it will be developed in phases.