june 29, 2013

of the

CityBest

2013RESTAURANTS SHOPPING RECREATION ENTERTAINMENT KIDS’ STUFF SERVICE AND MORE

VANCOUVER ISLAND SYMPHONY: Harbour City hosts its own professional symphony

ON THE NANAIMO BAR TRAIL:What’s the best way to eat the city’s official dessert?

NEWCASTLE ISLAND:Jewel in Nanaimo’s harbour has rich and varied history

AERIAL TOURS:A new way to tour the layout of the land

SURVEY SAYS: Results from our annual readers’ poll WINNER PROFILES: What it takes to be picked Best of the City

Thank you Nanaimo for again voting us Best Tile Storeand for all your support over the past 10 years!

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See the difference!

2 Best of the City Saturday, June 29, 2013

Best of the City 2013

Saturday, June 29, 2013 Best of the City 3

This is my favourite time of year.Not only are the days long and sun (when it’s

out) warm, but it’s also Best of the City time, when we get to finally see which businesses, parks and other activities are chosen as the best by our readers.

There’s always surprises, particularly with new businesses opening in the Harbour City all the time.

In addition to the results, reporters and photographers at the News Bulletin head into the community to look deeper into what makes cer-tain businesses tops – a smile here, a kind word there are usually the difference makers.

We get to check out some of the best tourist amenities – like the new mountain bike trail – and what makes Nanaimo unique, from its historical buildings, aboriginal culture and innovative cuisine.

Be sure to drop by your favourite spot this summer, or check out a new one – there are plenty of activities and events to keep you enter-tained, from Marine Festival and the Bathtub races, to VIEX and Summertime Blues Festival.

I’ll see you there!– Melissa Fryer, managing editor

SPECIAL EDITION

Phone: 250-753-3707 / [email protected]

A division of Black Press Ltd.777 Poplar St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 2H7

Winners in the 12th annual Nanaimo News BulletinBest of the City supplement were chosen by Nanaimo

readers. These votes were then tabulated and ranked in order to determine the top three finalists. Black Press,

parent company of the Nanaimo News Bulletin, has sole copyright over any written material or image in this

publication.

Publisher: MAURICE DONNEditor: MELISSA FRYERSpecial Edition Production:

Nanaimo News Bulletin Production DepartmentSales Manager: Sean McCue

Contributors: Chris Bush, Toby Gorman, Chris Hamlyn, Jenn McGarrigle, Marisol O’Brien,

Greg Sakaki, Rachel Stern

Best time of year

41On the cover:James Mark, violinist with the Vancouver Island Symphony, often takes his shoes off during informal concerts to let his creativity flow. Arts editor Rachel Stern captured Mark on a sunny day in Neck Point Park, overlooking the Georgia Strait. Story on page 16.

Aboriginal cultureNanaimo sits on the traditional territory of the Snununeymuxw First Nation.

27 Mountain bikingNanaimo Mountain Bike Club built its first fully sanctioned and insured trail, open to riders of all experience levels.

14 All about the foodFirehouse Grill in downtown Nanaimo succeeded against the odds with a combination of good eats and good attitude.

7 Nanaimo barIt’s the Harbour City’s signature dessert, and chefs, bartenders and estheticians offer new takes on an old tradition.

The results are inFrom Best Customer Service to the Best Fitness Centre (VI Fitness, pictured), News Bulletin readers picked their favourite places, businesses and activities in the Nanaimo area.

Photogenic city36

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Thank you Nanaimo for voting us #1 SIX YearS IN row!

20132013

By Chris hamlynThe News BulleTiN

Doug Riederer, man-ager at the Brooks Landing Thrifty Foods store, might be

new to the job, but he knows the attitude each and every one of his employees brings to the table in terms of cus-tomer service.

It’s exactly the same his staff had at his Parksville store. It’s the same at the stores at Port Place shop-ping centre and Longwood Station.

It’s an attitude of top-notch customer service and it’s the reason Thrifty Foods took top spot for best customer service in the News Bulle-tin’s annual Best of the City reader survey.

“It’s actually not an atti-tude but a culture at Thrifty Foods,” said Riederer. “It’s instilled in the moment a per-son is hired and an example the staff sets every day.

“It’s who we are. It’s what we do.”

Dan Zapotichny, manager at Longwood Station, said a smile and a ‘good morn-ing’ or ‘how can I help you?’ when a customer walks in the door goes a long way in making that customer feel welcome and want to shop in that environment.

“We ask staff how they like to be treated when they shop, and just treat our cus-tomers the same way,” he said. “When we’re hiring, I look for personality, the right attitude. I can always teach them the skills.”

Sarah Thompson, a front-end supervisor at Brooks Landing, said customer ser-vice in the No. 1 thing.

“Being polite, being friendly and providing efficient ser-vice leads to a lot of repeat customers,” she said. “But they’re more than just cus-tomers. We get to know what’s going on in their lives, who is doing what, who is

having a birthday. There’s always lots of hugs around here.”

Mary Vassiopoulos shops at Brooks Landing and said what brings her back is the attention everyone in the store gives their customers.

And it doesn’t hurt that the store sells great products.

“They have fresh produce, a good selection of groceries and the staff is always ready to help,” she said. “They take suggestions and support the community.”

Riederer said a lot of staff were customers at Thrifty Foods first and witnessed the customer service first hand.

“As a customer they see that service culture, what’s expected of our employ-ees,” he said. “That way when they’re hired, there’s no surprises. We want our staff to be happy and that in turn makes our customers happy.”

[email protected]

Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Customer Service

4 Best of the City saturday, June 29, 2013

CHRIS HAMLYN/tHe NewS BuLLetIN

Cindy Breakell welcomes every Thrifty Foods customer with a smile and great service as they pass through her till.

all about attitudeWith a smile and kind greeting, employees at Thrifty Foods ensure customers feel welcome in all store locations in Nanaimo

Best Breakfasts12 years in a row

Best Family Restaurant 7 years

Thank youNanaimo!

Best KIDSRESTAURANT

BEST FAMILY RESTAURaNT

BestBreakfasts

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Best place to buy a used vehicle1. Galaxy Motors2. Nanaimo Toyota3. Bowman Motors3. Steve Marshall Ford

Best floor covering store1. Home Depot2. End of the Roll3. United Carpet

Best store for ladies wear1. Quintessential2. Catwalk Fashions3. Winners

Best store for men’s wear1. Tip Top Tailors2. Moores3. Hudson’s Bay

Best customer service1. Thrifty Foods2. Costco2. Wal-Mart3. Home Hardware

Best outdoor garden centre1. Art Knapp2. Diana’s Garden Centre3. Long Lake Nursery

Best vitamin/health food store1. Charlie Brown’s2. Island Natural3. Fuel

Best paint store1. Home Depot2. Cloverdale Paint3. Benjamin Moore

Best lighting store1. MacLaren’s Lighting2. Home Depot3. Rona3. Illuminations

Best wine making store1. Wine Kitz2. Urban Wine Centre3. Nanaimo Wine Shoppe

Best furniture store1. The Brick2. Dodd’s Furniture3. Scan Designs

Best housewares/linen store1. Homesense2. Home Outfitters3. Sears

Best place to buy meat1. Nesvog Meat2. Piper’s Meats3. Costco

Best place to buy produce1. Thrifty Foods2. Save-On-Foods3. Country Grocer

Best shoe store1. A Step Ahead2. Aldo Shoes3. Buckle My Shoe

Best home building supply store1. Home Depot2. Rona3. Slegg Lumber

Best sporting goods store1. Sport Chek2. Wholesale Sports3. Canadian Tire

Best store to buy books1. Chapters2. Literacy Nanaimo3. Coles Books

Best store to buy tools1. Home Depot2. Midland Tools

3. Canadian Tire

Best jewelry store1. People’s Jewellers2. Bastion Jewellers3. Mappins3. Keller’s Jewellers

Best flower shop1. Turley’s2. Thrifty Foods floral3. Westcoast Classic Floral

Best lingerie shop1. La Senza2. My Undies3. La Vie en Rose

Best bike shop1. Oak Bay Bikes2. Arrowsmith Bikes3. Hub City Cycles

Best place to buy seafood1. Seadrift Fish Market2. Thrifty Foods3. Costco

Best sewing/notions store1. Fabricland2. Snip and Stitch Sewing Centre3. Michaels

Best place to shop1. Woodgrove Centre2. Downtown Nanaimo3. Costco

Best place to get a tattoo1. Black and Blue2. Tranceformations3. Electric Umbrella

Best travel agency1. Flight Centre2. Around the World Travel3. Marlin Travel

Best of the City 2013 – Results: Shopping and Service


Steven Shannon, dealer-ship manager, goes after business with gusto from Galaxy Motors Nanaimo dealership location across from Long Lake. Galaxy Motors was picked by News Bulletin readers as the Best Place to Buy a Used Vehicle.

CHRIS BUSH/THe NewS BUlleTIN




















3. Canadian Tire

































3. Canadian Tire

































3. Canadian Tire














Best insurance agency1. BCAA2. Coastal Community Credit Union3. Hub Barton

Best catering business1. Two Chef’s Affair2. Spice of Life3. Mrs. Riches3. Master’s Touch

Best electrical contractor1. Den Mar Electric2. Mazzei Electric3. Houle Electric

Best financial planner1. RBC Dominion Securities2. TD Canada Trust3. Investor’s Group

Best auto servicing1. Bavarian Imports2. Canadian Tire3. Kal-Tire

Best optical store1. Iris2. Visions3. Maycock

Best marine supplier1. Harbour Chandler2. West Marine3. Skippers

Best plumbing and heating business1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating2. Marshall Plumbing

2. Mount Benson2. Norm’s Mobile Service3. Torry and Sons

Best carpet cleaners1. Citrus O2. Classic Care3. Sears

Best appliance repair shop1. Barrons2. Classic Appliances3. Rainbow Appliance

Best gas bar1. Mid-Island Co-op2. Chevron3. Superstore

Best banking institution1. TD Canada Trust2. RBC3. Coastal Community Credit Union

Best roofing company1. Erickson Roofing2. Milne Roofing3. Usher Roofing

For a feature story on the Best Marine Supplier – Harbour Chandler – please

see page 8.

Best of the City 2013 – Results: Services


It’s no wonder that Erickson Roof-ing won Best Roofing Company in the News Bulletin’s annual reader survey – the company was entrusted with roofing St. Andrew’s United Church in the Old City Quarter last year. The heri-tage building required extensive renovations.

News BulletiN file

Commercial & Residential• Refrigeration • Heating & Air Conditioning

• Heat Pumps • Plumbing • Sheet Metal

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BY CHRIS BUSHTHE NEWS BULLETIN

Strange variances of the original recipe are cropping up across the city.

Even the city website cautions pilgrims on the Nanaimo Bar Trail to avoid trying to eat all trail offer-ings in one go.

Dedicated eaters are encouraged to take a day or two to cover the trail to balance calorie input versus output, especially if you’re already concerned about your cholesterol and insulin levels.

With a cup of coconut, a dollop beyond a cup of but-ter, two cups of icing sugar and four ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, plus other goodies that will smack you right in the pleasure centre of your brain – but are equally dangerous when taken in therapeutic doses – gulping down large quan-tities of the basic recipe is about as good for your longterm health as getting into a staring contest with a grizzly.

The main difference being the prognosis from one encounter covers a shorter time frame than the other. Those making the Nanaimo Bar Trail pilgrimage will find a host of culinary muta-tions all claiming lineage to the original ‘missing link’ Nanaimo Bar, the true origins of which remain unknown.

One of those distant relatives is the Nanaimo bar martini, concocted at the Modern Cafe on Commercial Street. The recipe includes a good dose of chocolate and caffeine and is a favourite of Chelsea Barr, creator of the Nanaimo Bar Trail and bro-chure guide.

There are preferred meth-ods for consuming every edible Nanaimo bar variant.

“What I do is I swirl the chocolate around with my finger and then drink it from the rim because they usually have chocolate sauce in the middle and then chocolate sauce lines the cup,” Barr said. “It’s got a really good

hit of caffeine in that one, which is one of the reasons I like it – it has that coffee flavour with it.”

The trail stretches a little more each year as busi-nesses’ tinkerings come to market. This year, 28 eater-ies and merchandizers are blazing a path from Riso Foods in Lantzville to Yellow Point Cranberries in Lady-smith, which has whipped up a bar with cranberries.

Trail encores from prior seasons include the Nanaimo bar cocktail at the Grand Hotel, the deep-fried Nanaimo bar at Pirate Chips and the Nanaimo bar milkshake at Living Forest Oceanside RV and Camp-ground.

This year’s trail waypoints also include inedible spi-noffs of the bar, such as tea towels imprinted with Joyce Hardcastle’s award-winning ‘official’

Nanaimobar recipe. Those can

be picked up at Nanaimo

Museum and Tourism Nanaimo’s

Visitor Cen-tre on the Nanaimo Park-

way at Northfield Road.“We started to see some

products out there that were not just the edible kind,” Barr said.

Nanaimo bar soap can be purchased at the Artisans’ Studio on Bastion Street. Such inedible souvenirs are favourites with cruise ship passengers looking for non-perishable reminders of their voyages, but there is at least one new notion to take particular note of – the Nanaimo Bar Trail pedicure at Kiyo Salon and Day Spa on Stewart Avenue.

Tina Lutz, Kiyo Salon and Day Spa spokeswoman, said the pedicure takes 60 min-utes.

“Rather than just our nor-mal mint mask, it’s a choco-

late-infused mask and a deli-cious sugar scrub instead of a salt scrub,” Lutz said. “It’s going to smell like a deli-cious chocolate Nanaimo bar, essentially.”

Cost is $65.The new Nanaimo Bar Trail

brochure, featuring updated locations, should be avail-able by early July.

“It’s going to be updated with 28 locations,” Barr said. “We’re moving from a stan-dard, two-sided brochure to a fold out map and it’s going to be awesome.”

The best way to get started on a Nanaimo Bar Trail pil-grimage is to make a quick visit to the City of Nanaimo website at www.nanaimo.ca, click on the ‘Visitors’ drop tab and click on the Nanaimo Bar link to start planning where to take your sweet tooth for a walk.

[email protected]

... of the Nanaimo bar

Chefs, bartenders and even estheticians put their creativity to use to reinvent Nanaimo’s

premier dessert

On the trail ...

Nanaimobar recipe. Those can

be picked up at Nanaimo

Museum and Tourism Nanaimo’s

Visitor Cen-

CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN & CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

TOP: Kara Walsh, left, Tourism Nanaimo visitor centre coordinator, and Bailee Macnab, sum-mer student, serve up a selection of Nanaimo Bars created by bakeries and eateries around the city during an open house of the Tourism Nanaimo’s Visitor Centre. ABOVE: Just two of the many examples found on the Nanaimo bar trail, an assortment of fresh creations from local chefs on the classic Nanaimo bar recipe.


By Chris BushThe News BulleTiN

You can always tell a store has been around a while by the depth and

breadth of oddball items it has in stock.

Say, for instance, you’re looking for that hard-to-find set screw. You know, that tiny one that rattled out of your mountain bike’s brake lever that you can’t seem to obtain anywhere, even from the manufacturer? There’s a good bet you’ll find it – and in stainless steel to boot – in the back aisles where Harbour Chandler keeps its treasure trove of nuts, bolts, screws and other fas-teners.

Let’s face it, if you own a boat or anything else that gets beaten through the ele-ments as part of its regular duties, it’s going to need parts and repairs and you can probably find what you need at the marine supplier that was voted Nanaimo’s best in this year’s Best of the City survey.

Habour Chandler, founded in 1985 and co-owned by Leigh Bonar, Denise Perkins

and Matt Price, has had enough time to develop a strong following from the local boating community. That’s partly because cus-tomers can find the items they need.

But it’s also due to the staff’s dedication to cus-tomer service, Price said, and it’s important that repeat customers see familiar faces whenever they stop by, so it helps that there is very little turnover among the company’s 18 staff mem-bers.

“Everybody who works here is basically part of a family,” Price said. “Most people have been here five-plus years, for our regular core staff, and then we have some summer staff who we hire on, but they’re like a regular rotation of summer staff. So we have sort of a family-oriented business here.”

Price said it’s important for this kind of business to

carry a lot of stock to be sure people can walk in and find what they need when they need it during the boating season.

Fair pricing has also con-tributed to the company’s longevity. You can get most anything you want from

Harbour Chandler ranging from audio equipment, to folding bikes, fish-ing tackle, foul weather clothing, navigation equipment and manual flush toilets.

“We even have boats,” Price said. “They’re small boats, but they’re still boats.”

In fact there’s very little you can’t find at Harbour Chandler, although Price admitted he has been stumped by one customer request. “We were asked for a replica of Davy Jones’ locker, which I was never able to find,” Price said.

Pirate memorabilia, including T-shirts and

outdoor fixtures such as a pirate lend to the store’s overall theme.

It’s something that just goes along with the local boating community, espe-cially in Nanaimo which likes to lay claim to a cer-tain pirate lineage that goes back to at least 1967 when former Nanaimo mayor Frank Ney officiated the first Bathtub race dressed as a pirate and continued the tradition.

Nanaimo’s best stocked marine supplier is charting a course into the future by casting for customers on the Internet.

The company is now online with a website and catalogue it is managing in-house.

With so many products and descriptions to get online, developing and managing the website has been a long and laborious task, Price said, but Inter-net sales will be part of the company’s future growth.

“We’d like to have the newest, latest and greatest products because there are so many of them coming out,” Price said.

[email protected]

Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Marine Supplier


Matt Price, co-owner of the Harbour Chandler, shows off one area marine technology is advancing. A Lehr 2.5-horsepower outboard motor can run up to two hours on one disposable can of propane, which sim-ply screws into the motor’s fuel intake. Larger pro-pane tanks can be hooked up using a standard pres-sure hose similar to those found on gas barbecues.

Much to discover at Harbour Chandler

Everybody who works here is basically part of a family.“


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20092009Thank You Again,

Nanaimo!

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First Place Hamburgers

Third Place Family Restaurant

Third Place Catering

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Nanaimo

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oss R

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Thank You Nanaimo

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Thank you for all your continued support. We appreciate your business and

look forward to making wine with you in the year ahead.

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Best of the City 2013 – Results: Food and Dining

Best romantic restaurant1. Asteras Greek Taverna2. Zouglas Restaurant3. Mahle House

Best breakfasts1. Ricky’s All-Day Grill2. Tina’s Diner3. Tania’s Restaurant

Best lunches1. Delicado’s2. The Thirsty Camel3. Gabriel’s Cafe

Best fish and chips1. Trollers2. Pirate Chips3. Old City Takeout

Best hamburgers1. Mrs. Riches2. White Spot3. Teresa’s House of Burgers

Best fast food1. Wendy’s2. Subway3. A&W3. Delicado’s

Best nachos1. Gina’s Mexican Cafe2. Baby Salsa3. Longwood Brew Pub3. Delicado’s

Best pasta1. Milano’s2. New York Style Pizza3. Boston Pizza

Best sushi1. Firehouse Grill2. Nori Japanese Restaurant3. Blue Ginger

Best pizza1. Mambo’s Gourmet Pizza2. New York Style Pizza3. Panago

Best pies1. Nanaimo Bakery2. Thrifty Foods3. White Spot

Best martini1. Acme Food Co.2. Modern Cafe3. Cactus Club

Best seafood1. The Keg Steakhouse2. The Bold Knight3. Trollers

Best chicken wings1. The Oxy2. Miller’s Pub3. Harewood Arms

Best bakery1. Nanaimo Bakery2. Cobs Bakery3. Columbia Bakery

Best deli1. Nesvog’s2. Thrifty Foods3. McLean’s Specialty Food

Best steak1. The Keg Steakhouse

2. The Bold Knight3. Beefeaters Chop House and Grill

Best Sunday buffet/brunch1. Longwood Brew Pub2. ABC Restaurant3. Risos

Best vegetarian food1. The Thirsty Camel1. Rawmbas2. Delicado’s3. Powerhouse Living Foods

Best Asian food1. Huong Lan2. Blue Ginger3. Hong Kong House

Best Mediterranean food1. Asteras2. Zougla’s3. Alexandria’s

Best family restaurant1. White Spot2. Ricky’s All-Day Grill3. Mrs. Riches

Best patio restaurant1. Cactus Club2. Penny’s Palapas2. Earl’s3. Lighthouse Bistro

Best desserts1. Mon Petit Choux2. Moxie’s3. Modern Cafe

Best french fries1. Pirate Chips2. McDonald’s3. New York Fries

Best restaurant (overall)1. Firehouse Grill2. Asteras Greek Taverna3. Simon Holt



Co-owner Lynelle Goldenblatt is one of the smiles on the daily menu patrons turn out for at the Thirsty Camel in downtown Nanaimo. The restaurant shared top spot with Rawmbas for Best Vegetarian Food.

Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Place to Meet for Coffee

By Marisol o’Brien

After the chaos of get-ting three children off to school and before facing the hustle and bustle of

the office, I take a much needed half hour of “me” time each morning at the Terminal Park Starbucks enjoying a great cup of coffee.

A plain and simple Tall Blonde to be exact.

I’m not one for ordering any-thing that has more instructions than the assembly of an IKEA bunk bed.

To be completely honest, I’ve always been slightly intimidated by people who order those types of drinks: grande half-skinny half-soya extra hot split quad shot latte with whip.

I don’t even know what that means.

Makes me feel somewhat inad-equate, like I missed out on some extensive tutoring from Juan Val-dez that everyone else received.

Although I frequent many of the Starbucks in town, Terminal Park is by far my favourite. What makes it so unique? The people, of course.

The smiling faces of the fabu-lous staff. Monica, the manager, or Friendly Francine, to name a few, greet me by name each morn-ing, and make me feel as special as Norm from Cheers.

I don’t even have to order any-more, by the time I get up to the counter they have my Tall Blonde poured and ready to go.

Then there’s the regulars, who, like me, have made stopping in a part of their daily routine.

I assigned them all names – the Wise Men, Happy Married Couple, Elvis, the Writer, Bubba Mohawk and Terry the Keeper of the Park-ing Lot. I spent the better part of a year creating stories about their lives in my head.

A few months ago I decided to stop speculating and to make an effort to get to know a few of these strangers with whom I spend a half hour each day. I’ve met some truly interesting people as a result.

Last, we have the non-regulars and these people are perhaps my favourites and who give me my funniest material for Facebook status updates. They sit down within two inches of me, yet seem

to believe they are encased in the Cone of Silence.

I can hear you. Yep, I totally admit it, I eavesdrop. I know that makes me a total creeper but it’s not like I can help it – they are right there gabbing away, loud as can be.

I’ve witnessed numerous first dates that have gone horribly wrong, so often that I’ve con-sidered making up cue cards to assist them in their awkward con-versations. I’ve overheard break-ups, make-ups and the juiciest gossip. I don’t watch soap operas – I don’t need to as I have my own little version of As The Coffee Bean Turns going on right here, and I love it.

So next time you’re in the area, stop in to the Terminal Park Star-bucks. Meet the awesome staff. See if you can pick out some of the regulars by the names I’ve given them, get to know them – they’re good people.

Perhaps if you come in often enough, I’ll assign you your own special nickname, too.

uMarisol O’Brien is a Starbucks

regular.

At Starbucks, you’ll find not only a great cup of coffee, but also a friendly environment and plenty of opportunity for people watching

The coffee’s hot


432 FITZWILLIAM ST. • Pub 250.753.3771 • Liquor Store 250.753.7118

34 VICTORIA CRES. • Downtown Nanaimo • 250-754-6751 • www.thequeens.ca

Thank You Nanaimo!Thank You Nanaimo!

BEST PLACE TO HAVE WINGS

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Serving Nanaimo for over 112 Years

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2#We applaud our employees and thank you for recognizing their commitment to providing

“Advice you can Bank on.”

We are honoured to have been voted one of the Best Banking and Financial Planning Institutions in Nanaimo for the fi fth year in a row.

Bonnie ReadFinancialPlanner

Graeme HughesInvestment Retirement

Planner

Aimi GodboutFinancialPlanner

David LindbladFinancialPlanner

Michael KosseyInvestment Retirement

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Jayme PalynchukInvestment and

Retirement Planner

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Dean SimpsonInvestment Retirement

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Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Desserts


Commercial Street café and bakery among this year’s winners

More than just desserts

By GreG SakakiThe NewS BulleTiN

Mon Petit Choux Café and Bakery is named for a French term of endearment, and this year it’s Nanaimo’s most endearing dessert spot.

The Commercial Street eat-ery won the Best Desserts category in the Nanaimo News Bulletin’s 2013 Best of the City survey.

At Mon Petit Choux, dessert isn’t just an after-thought, something that comes after a meal. Owner Linda Allen doesn’t simply want to fill bellies – she wants to wow her custom-ers, so that they’ll exclaim, “God, that was good,” she said.

“I believe food is an expe-

rience; it’s a celebration,” said Allen. “I want it to sat-isfy you. That’s my motive; that’s my passion.”

She’s a proponent of whole food and organic ingredients and she has alternatives to suit any palate.

“My desserts that are glu-ten-free, everybody would love them,” she said.

Appropriately, the most popular dessert item at her café might be the

Nanaimo bar, which isn’t as overwhelmingly sweet at Mon Petit Choux as it is at some other places. The caramelized apple tart and the lemon curd tart are two other favourites.

Aside from the desserts, the café bakes breads and serves breakfasts and lunches such as sandwiches. Staff believes, too, that Mon Petit Choux should also be considered in the Best Place to Meet for Coffee category next year.

All the baking is fresh every day, and the dessert case and the bread baskets are filled with endearing fla-vours and colours and aro-mas first thing in the morn-ing. After all, any time of day is a good time for dessert.

[email protected]

i believe food is an experience; it’s a celebration.“

Tasha MacMaster, a server at Mon Petit Choux Café and Bakery, serves up dessert and coffee. The Commercial Street eatery is this year’s winner in the Best Desserts category.

GREG SAKAKI ThE NEwS BullETIN

Best selection of fresh fl owers, plants and all

fl oral services.Accredited Flowers

Canada Floral Designers

Specialty Garden Centre.

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Toll Free: 1-800-699-6344email: marianne@turleysfl orist.com

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Over 50Years inNanaimo

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We’re Proud to be YourRegional Theatre

Thank you to our patrons and sponsors for your generous support NA

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EVENTS & TICKETS

250-754-8550 • www.porttheatre.com

@PortTheatre facebook.com/porttheatre @PortTheatre facebook.com/porttheatre

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Special thank you to all our customers and to our sta� who make our business a success.

#2-1533 Estevan Road (250) 753-424812 Best of the City Saturday, June 29, 2013

Best of the City 2013 – Results: Entertainment

Best sports bar1. Old City Station2. Boston Pizza3. Piper’s Pub

Best place to dance1. Queen’s2. Level 23. Spice Lounge

Best place for live bands1. Queen’s2. Cambie3. Port Theatre

Best pub1. Longwood Brew Pub2. Black Bear Pub3. Fibber Magees

Best live theatre1. Port Theatre2. Nanaimo Theatre Group3. Nanaimo Centre Stage

Best art gallery1. Nanaimo Art Gallery2. Barton and Leier Gallery3. Yellow Bird Arts Gallery


With acts like the Beach Boys, above, and Natalie McMaster, right, taking centre stage, it’s no wonder that the Port Theatre was selected by News Bulletin readers as the Best Live Theatre. The 800-seat venue in downtown Nanaimo plays host to an array of performing artists, including the National Ballet of Canada, Bryan Adams and Bill Cosby, as well as home grown musicians like Diana Krall and David Gogo. For more information, please visit www.porttheatre.com.

Photos contributed

Congratulations to all of the “Best of the City” winners

[email protected]/promotions www.facebook.com/fairwindsgolf

Fairwinds Golf Club has one of the best maintained courses on the Island. Fairwinds is Audubon certifi ed (since 2009) and recently upgraded the irrigation system to decrease water useage and wet spots on the course.

Did you know that Fairwinds uses only rain water and water from Enos Lake to water the entire course?

Join us for weekly Ladies’ and Men’s Nights, Family Golf Specials, and Ladies’ Nine & Wine events. .

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THANK YOU NANAIMO FOR VOTING US ONE OF THE BEST

AUTO SERVICE CENTRESFOR 12 YEARS IN A ROW!

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SERVICE BEGINS WITH A SMILE AT

CANADIAN TIRE!

Left to right are Service Manager Michael Langermantel and Automotive Service Manager, Craig Connors.

By ToBy GormanThe News BulleTiN

Looking back, starting a restau-rant just before the worldwide economic meltdown would not have been the preferred sce-

nario. Add a pinch of the newly intro-

duced HST and a sprinkle of heavily enforced and stringent liquor laws a little later and you might have a recipe for disaster.

Unless you have good sushi. Really, really good sushi. Good enough to build a regular clientele and gener-ate an atmosphere that keeps people coming back for more.

Firehouse Grill not only survived the recession, it prospered against all odds.

For the 2013 Best of the City, voters declared Firehouse Grill the best in Nanaimo, as well as the best sushi in town.

Owners Dean Andrichuk and Mike Atherton cringe slightly when the word ‘recession’ is brought up. Atherton, Firehouse’s operations manager, even shudders slightly at the thought.

Firehouse Grill officially opened Oct. 10, 2007, less than a year before the economy went off the rails

“Mike, how did we get through that?” asked Andrichuk, head chef, laughing.

“I don’t know,” was the reply.“I think we just focused on the task

at hand, the things we could con-trol,” said Andrichuk.

A good vibe, strong location to cater to the show crowds and a contemporary but classy layout cer-tainly help, but it’s the menu, prob-ably the most diverse in the city, that brings people back.

“And the staff,” said Andrichuk. “A lot of them have been here since Day 1. Without them we’re nothing. We’re just two guys by ourselves wishing and dreaming.”

Appetizers include everything from crab cakes to stuffed avacados, there is a variety of sandwiches and sal-ads, and entrees cover the spectrum from jambalaya to halibut to seafood fettucini.

Throw in in-house hand-cut steaks and the famous sushi menu – Godzilla roll anyone? – and nobody leaves the Firehouse hungry.

Consistency, said Adrichuk, also plays a key role.

“Word of mouth is key, if you don’t

have to advertise and you have sup-port, and people keep coming back because you’re consistent and you’re putting out a good product, and feeling like you’re part of something when you come into the restaurant, all of that is very important,” he said.

By keeping a consistent menu as the core and revolving sushi cre-ations around it keeps things inter-esting.

Atherton said they rarely post spe-cials because, knowing their clients,

minds are already made up on what to eat before looking at the menu.

“But the sushi is very original,” he said. “Most popular is the chef’s choice where our chefs get to create.

“We’ve come up with phenomenal sauces and we’re always experiment-ing with sushi.

“It’s a lot of fun and we like trying things out on our regulars to see what works.”

A new sushi and kitchen menu are scheduled to be released in July.

Not having to report to corporate chefs allows the creative process to shine, said Andrichuk, who met Atherton through his wife while working as a chef in Calgary.

“She knew Mike and his wife and was back in Nanaimo on vacation, she’s from here, and heard that Mike was thinking of starting up a restau-rant,” said Andrichuk.

“She came home and said ‘Dean, we’re moving.’ For me, it’s every chef’s dream to own a restaurant and working with Mike is easy. We’re like brothers.”

A resident of Nanaimo for 35 years, Atherton spent years in the city’s service industry, and a key goal of his was to provide a place people could eat and enjoy themselves while being part of Nanaimo’s down-town revitalization.

“The more places that are success-ful down here the better,” he said. “The more vibrant it is down here the better.

“If there is only one or two great places to go people won’t come down, but if there are a lot of great places it becomes a destination, people know they’ll find what they’re looking for.”

For the past six years, Firehouse Grill has been one of those great places where people know they’ll get what they’re looking for in an evening of dining, and chances are Atherton or Andrichuk will visit your table to see how things are.

Talk about the food, the wine or the show you’re headed out to.

Just don’t mention the [email protected]

Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Restaurant Overall & Best Sushi


Firehouse Grill owners Dean Andrichuk, left, and Mike Atherton celebrate being voted Best Restaurant in Nanaimo and Best Sushi by Nanaimo News Bulletin readers in the annual Best of the City voting. The pair say good food and a relaxed, comfortable atmo-sphere are what keeps customers coming back.

Toby Gorman/The News BulleTiN

Good atmosphere and even better sushi combine

to make Firehouse Grill a favourite in Nanaimo

and readers’ pick for Best Restaurant in the News Bulletin’s annual survey

recipe for success served up at Firehouse

The staff ... without them we’re nothing. We’re just two guys by ourselves wishing and dreaming.“


By GreG SakakiThe News BulleTiN

On balmy Vancouver Island, golf sea-son goes almost year-round.

The mid-Island region has excellent golfing, including some destination courses, and Nanaimo has its fair share of fine fairways.

“We are fortunate that we can golf year-round here and it does attract people from other areas, like Alberta and Ontario,” said Trent Kaese, general manager of Cottonwood Golf Course.

Cottonwood, in Nanaimo’s Cassidy area, is one of the city’s three full-length 18-hole courses and golfers have

been enjoying a lot of rounds there so far this spring.

“We don’t have a very big mainte-nance staff and they’ve done a marvel-ous job,” Kaese said. “The course is looking better than it ever has right now.”

The city’s premier course is the Nanaimo Golf Club in the Departure Bay area. The club has been buzzing with activity this spring as its new club-house is in the final stages of construc-tion. The new building will be about 23,000 square feet, around 25-30 per cent larger than the old clubhouse.

“The building and its design is not by any means what we would call over the

top or grand, but it’s a beautiful build-ing keeping in mind its use and who the ultimate users are,” said Ash Chadha, the club’s general manager.

He said some of the members got a chance to look at the building’s prog-ress in April and liked what they saw.

“There was a lot of positive feedback. They seemed absolutely ecstatic,” he said.

The area’s other full-length course is Fairwinds Golf Club in Nanoose Bay.

Another 18-hole course is Winchelsea View Golf Course in Lantzville, an exec-utive-length course.

Two nine-hole courses are the Gab-riola Golf and Country Club on Gabriola

Island and Pryde Vista Golf Course in Nanaimo’s Quarterway neighbourhood.

For pitch-and-putt golf, there is Beban Park Golf Course in central Nanaimo and Eaglequest Golf Centre in South Wellington. Harvey Hurd, general man-ager of the Beban course, said this spring’s weather was a little better than recent years, which has helped both business and the course conditions.

“The course is in great shape right now,” he said. “With the rain and the sun, it’s really getting a lot better than it has been for awhile. The greens are really good.”

– with files from Chris [email protected]

Golf season goes year round Fine fairways attract visitors from across the country, with plenty of room for locals to hit the links

saturday, June 29, 2013 Best of the City 15

2 Locations to Serve You...

Thank You Nanaimo for voting us your favourite vegetarian food!

#101-572 STEWART AVE, NANAIMO

250-591-2114

awmbaswww.rawmbas.ca

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BEST VEGETARIAN FOOD 2 Years Running

Check out our menu on Facebook.

Check out our menu on Facebook.

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Best ESTHETICIANS

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BY RACHEL STERNTHE NEWS BULLETIN

Music transcends cul-tures.

It has a way to speak to a person’s

heart without the need to understand words.

“It creates an emotional conversation that is difficult to match even from other art forms because it speaks directly to you,” said Pierre Simard, artistic director of the Vancouver Island Symphony. “It’s a celebration of beauty

that opens the eyes. We bring beauty to our community, that’s our job.”

For 19 seasons, orchestra members have entertained people on the Island with con-certs that celebrate timeless treasures or contemporary shows with music by the Bea-tles or Elton John.

The symphony’s place in the community started with a vision by a dedicated group of volunteers who worked tire-lessly to bring a professional orchestra to the city.

◆ See ‘FREEDOM’ /17


Vancouver Island Symphony, based in Nanaimo, was built by entire community working together

SymphonySymphonySymphonySymphonySymphonyis simply sublime

VOTED #1

Best Esthetician

VOTED #1

• small classroom sizes • payment plan option

VOTED #2

Best MassagesThank you Nanaimofor putting us up there!250.751.2511

u From /1Margot Holmes, executive director

of the symphony, said it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the community and the patrons who attend concerts.

“Nanaimo has a richer culture because it has a symphony orchestra,” she said. “The people built this orches-tra.”

Nanaimo is one of only about five communities in the province that has a professional orchestra, although there are numerous community orchestras in B.C., said Calvin Dyck, symphony con-certmaster.

Dyck joined the symphony more than 14 years ago. He thought it would just be for a year but there was something about the V.I. Symphony that made him continue.

“The atmosphere in Nanaimo is unusually positive and creative,” he said. “I credit especially Margot for cre-ating such a positive environment.”

What makes the Vancouver Island Symphony so special is the collabora-tion between musicians and the direc-tors.

Dyck said musicians can brainstorm their own ideas. Many of the concerts produced were a dream of members. He said that kind of atmosphere is great to work in.

That positivity is one of the reasons Nanaimo’s James Mark, a section violin-ist for the symphony, loves being part of the organization.

“I just feel lucky from a musician’s standpoint to have it in the city and having the opportunity to play,” he said.

James performs during various events in the community beyond the sym-phony. During informal concerts he likes to go barefoot because it makes him feel more comfortable and he said it allows him more freedom of expres-sion. That freedom is transmitted to the audience through his music.

He loves that he can live and perform

as a musician in his community. He also teaches music at Vancouver Island Uni-versity. Many of the musicians involved in the symphony are also involved in many aspects of musical life on the Island. The symphony is made up of musicians from around Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

The musicians and patrons visiting Nanaimo inject more than $1 million a year into the local economy, said Sasha Angus, Nanaimo Economic Develop-ment Corporation’s chief executive

officer. “We’re fortunate to have the symphony not only from an economic perspective but because of the cultural vibrancy impact,” he said.

Angus said the symphony is a fantas-tic organization and its presence in the city is a sign of the community depth of commitment to the arts.

This year symphony musicians and the Vancouver Youth Orchestra have partnered to perform at Maffeo Sutton Park Aug. 17 at 6 p.m.

Special guests include Ken Lavigne and Sarah Wood.

Dyck said it’s reminiscent of the Symphony in the Harbour event that attracted about 5,000 people. The Sym-phony in the Harbour was cancelled because of funding issues.

For more information about the Vancouver Island Symphony and its upcoming season please call 250-754-0177 or go to http://vancouverIsland-symphony.com.

[email protected]


Photo contributed

Members of the Vancouver Island Symphony travel from across the Island and the Lower Main-land to perform with the group. Members say that artistic expression from the musicians is encouraged, which makes for a particularly creative environment.

Freedom of expression hallmark of Nanaimo’s symphony

The atmosphere in Nanaimo is unusually positive and creative.“


CELEBRATING OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY

EuropeanStyle Bakerywith a largeselection of Breads,Sweet Desserts andalso Sausage Rolls,Meat Pies andQuiche. We alsooffer light lunches(soups, sandwichesand salads) in ourcafe.

#1 - 2025 Bowen Road • 758-4260

Thank You, Nanaimo!Thank You, Nanaimo!

EuropeanStyle Bakery

#1 TWELVE YEARS IN A ROW!

NANAIMO’S BEST BAKERYT hank You, Nanaimo!

#1-2025 BOWEN ROAD • 250-758-4260

With a large selection of Breads, Sweet Desserts and also Sausage Rolls, Meat Pies and Quiche. We also offer light lunches (soups, sandwiches and salads) in our cafe.

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EuropeanStyle Bakery

2013

BEST PIES 2013

Shop online www.harbourchandler.ca

52 Esplanade • Nanaimo Fax 250-753-6355 • Tel. 250-753-2425

“BEST MARINE STORE”

12 Years in a row!and going strong!

ThanksNanaimo!

For choosing us once again as your

BOOKSHARDWAREPAINTCHARTS

LOWRANCE®

CLOTHINGTACKLEINFLATABLESELECTRONICS

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Oceanside Campground & RV Parkend of Maki Road- turn at Rona

53 acres, 300 incredible sites

Oceanside Campground & RV ParkOceanside Campground & RV Parkend of Maki Road- turn at Rona

53 acres, 300 incredible sites

The only thing we overlook is the waterfront...

LivingForest.com 250-755-1755Facebook.com/LivingForestRV

Thank youNanaimo!

link toLivingForest.com

Cafe opens July long weekendwith Nanaimo Bar Milkshakes!

5775 Turner Road, Nanaimo250.729.8225

www.longwoodbrewpub.comEmail: [email protected]

LONGWOOD BREWPUBT H E S P I R I T O F T H E I S L A N D

� ank you Nanaimo for v� ing us 8 years running...

v� ing us 8 years running...

v� ing us 8 years running...#1 PUBIN THE CITY!#1 SUNDAY BRUNCHIN THE CITY!

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#1-1559 Estevan Road Nanaimo

www.seadrift.market.ca 250-754-4913

Family Owned & OperatedYour fresh & wild

seafood storeHome made delicious soups, chowder,

and dinners for pick up.

Platters prepared for your celebrations

Warm and friendly staff to help you.

The best of Nanaimo is you!

OUR CUSTOMERS!

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TINT • WHEELS & RIMS • RUNNING BOARDS • SPRAY ON BED LINERS • ROOF RACKS

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BEST MEDITERRANEANBEST ROMANTIC

A N D . . . Thank you for all your support since we opened. We

couldn’t do it without you! We look forward to seeing familiar and new faces this year and doing our best to

ensure a great dining experience.

We appreciate your continued support... Thank You once again

OLD CITY QUARTER 347 WESLEY STREET, NANAIMO

Tel. 250.716.0451Bringing the � avour of Greece to Nanaimo

Lunch: Mon. - Sat. 11:30 am to 4:00 pmDinner: 4:30 pm until late into the night

(7 days a week)

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HOME • BUSINESS • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL

VOTED BEST OF THE CITY 5 YEARS IN A ROW!

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1810 FREMONT ROAD, NANAIMO | PHONE: 250-758-8464 | WWW.DENMARELECTRIC.COM

“Give Us A Callto � nd out why”

THANK YOU#1NANAIMO

FOR VOTING US

AGAIN!

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LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED, SERVING VANCOUVER ISLAND SINCE 199424 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

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Best of the City 2013 – Results: Health and Beauty

Best beauty salon1. Rich 1 Beauty Salon2. Breze Salon and Day Spa3. Kiyo Salon and Day Spa

Best estheticians1. Rich 1 Beauty2. Breze Salon and Day Spa3. Kiyo Salon

Best massages1. Breze Salon and Day Spa2. Rich 1 Beauty Salon3. Kneed Massage Therapy

Best tanning salon1. Divine Glow2. Coco Cabana3. Spanish Sol

Best fitness centre1. VI Fitness2. Nanaimo Athletic Club3. Northridge Fitness and Spa3. Nanaimo Aquatic Centre


For a feature story on the Best Beauty

Salon – Rich 1 Beauty Salon –

please see page 25.

Selena Riley, left, and Celise Squire chase down their train-ing goals on the treadmills at VI Fitness. The men’s and women’s fitness centre on Wellington Road was chosen by News Bulletin readers as the Best Fitness Centre.

CHRIS BUSH THe NewS BUlleTIN

If you want to take your fitness routine outside, try one of Nanaimo’s favourite trail at Westwood Lake.

Nestled at the foot of Mount Benson, the park offers a 5.51-kilometre trail around the lake, popular with walkers and runners.

The path is well groomed and apart from a steep knoll toward the west end of the lake, it is considered an easy walking trail. Shorter loops are available toward the south end of the trail.

To get your pooch some much-needed exercise, head to the far side of the lake for the off-leash area, which runs along the hydro lines easement lands. Dogs must be leashed along the main chip trail within the park.

For more informa-tion, please visit www.nanaimo.ca.

Hit the trails at local parks

6421 Applecross Road(behind Ricky’s Restaurant) Nanaimo

250.390.1125715 Finlayson Street, Victoria

250.388.6663

Our professional sales team would be pleased to help you � nd what you are looking for.

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THANK YOU NANAIMO FOR VOTING DODD’SONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE FURNITURE STORES!

Gary David

Scott Amanda

NANAIMO’S #1 COUNTERTOP SOURCEQuality, affordability, experience and service make Valley Countertops the first choice for discerning consumers. With over 30 years in the countertop manufacturing industry, Valley Countertops has been influencial in shaping the way we use our kitchens and baths. Innovations in technology and materials have made Valley Countertops the premier supplier of Quartz, Granite and Solid Surface countertops throughout Vancouver Island. Their focus on food safe materials and products, attest to their commitment to their customers’ long term satisfaction and health. With well over 30,000 successful installations you don’t have to look far to find a satisfied Valley Countertops customer.

Visiting a Valley Countertops showroom is a great experience. As soon as you walk through the door, it is immediately obvious that you are in the largest indoor countertop showroom on Vancouver Island. If you had an opportunity to visit their previous location near Costco, you would have seen the huge selection of products that they offer in large, real size pieces. The newest showroom located on Mostar road at Dunster road, boasts over 100 slabs of Granite, Quartz and solid surface from around the world that will suit every decor. There is a unique colour coordination center where you can bring cabinet doors, paint and tile to match under normal household lighting, while viewing your slab of material on a high definition screen. In one stop, you can get the perfect colour and product for every room in your home. In terms of technology Valley Countertops is unmatched in the industry. They were the first in Canada to implement

computer operated water-jet cutting into a stone facility, the same technology used to build Boeing jets. With virtual digital imagining and computer guided cutting equipment, Valley can ensure a superior job compared to those that rely on the human eye. Couple this with precision laser templating, and ii becomes obvious why Valley Countertops installations are the best in the business.

If you are currently in the midst of a renovation, planning a new build or just want to freshen up the look of your kitchen or bath, we highly recommend a visit to the showroom. Don’t miss out on Valley Countertops grand opening specials on until

the end of July! With Valley Countertops’ over 30 years experience comes over 1000 years of combined industry expertise and a reputation to match. Whether you are a Builder, Designer, Architect or in charge of your own renovation, don’t trust your money to a fly by night cash deal. Choose Valley Countertops for quality, affordability, experience and service you can trust.

Valley Countertops colour coordination centre

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visit www.thriftyfoods.com


COQUITLAM 1400 United Blvd 604.524.3444RICHMOND 12551 Bridgeport Rd 604.273.2971

LANGLEY 20429 Langley By-Pass 604.530.8248VICTORIA 661 McCallum Rd 250.475.2233

NANAIMO 1711 Bowen Rd 250.753.6361KELOWNA 1850 Springfield Rd 250.860.7603

Perfecting the art of comfortPerfecting the art of comfort

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GIFT CERTIFICATESpend $2500 or more,

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VISIT OUR OTHER SHOWROOM

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Visit us at any of our4 locations in Nanaimo

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We’re open 8 ‘til late,6 days straight & Sunday 11 ‘til 4

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OPEN SUNDAYS 11-4

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BEST FINANCIAL PLANNER

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BEST BANKING

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Thank You

Thank You Nanaimo!

2517 Bowen Rd., Nanaimo250-760-0065

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9:00 am - 5:30 pmOPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9:00 am - 5:30 pmwww.dianasflorist.com

We at Diana’s Garden Centre and Florist would like to say Thank You to all of our loyal customers for voting us 2nd Best In The City. Of course, without you, we wouldn’t be going in to our 9th year in business! (We take much pride in our work). We’re proud that we are supporters of local farmers and greenhouse growers.

Best Garden

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STORE NAMEAddress, City, Phone number




LSM AD–ADDRESS ONLYBEST FAMILY RESTAURANT WSPT5.6875W X 7.142H INCMYK201.18.2013KS

Thank you for voting us “Best Family Restaurant”!

We’ve been making families happy since 1928. From our award-winning burgers and signature fries, to our fresh salads, BC Chicken, pastas, Spot classics, and of course our famous Pirate Paks. At White Spot, there’s something for everyone.

Thank you for making our restaurant your family favourite.

WHITE SPOT GRAPHIC STANDARD GUIDE 15

USING AD TEMPLATESThere may be times when our ad templates do not fit within the media space available and as a result you need to resize the ad template. If this is the case, the ad must be resized proportionately. Here are some guidelines as to how much space should be allocated to each element within our templates. See visual V.

If the ad templates do not fit your requirements Marketing is able to provide a quote for custom designs. Please note, all custom design work takes 2-3 weeks. Refer to page 2 for contact details.

All marketing communication pieces must be reviewed with your Business Consultant and approved by Marketing prior to publishing.

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LSM ad - address onlyKid Friendly White Spot5.6875” x 7.142”CMYK1November 9, 2011Yes

INSERT OFFERInsert offer details.

STORE NAMEStore Address Phone number




Serving up smiles for over 80 years.White Spot has been a favourite kid spot for as long as most people can remember. From our award-winning burgers, served in our famous Pirate Paks, to our amazing hand-scooped milkshakes and more, we love to make kids happy. Which, of course, makes moms and dads pretty happy too.

whitespot.ca

Valid from now until INSERT DATE. Valid for dine-in only. Minimum purchase of $XX. Maximum discount XX. Not to be combined with any other promotional offer. No cash value. Limit one coupon per visit. Valid only at XXX.

Visual V - Example ad template with offer

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app

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Thank you for voting us ‘Best Kid-Friendly’& ‘Best Family’ Restaurant!

Offer available for dine-in only, after 11 am at the Nanaimo White Spot Restaurants. Pirate Paks valid for children 10 and under. Limit one Pirate Pak per entrée purchase. Toppings and milkshakes extra. Not to be combined with any other promotional offer. No cash value. Limit one coupon per table per visit. Offer expires September 30, 2013.

FREE PIRATE PAKPresent this coupon at the Nanaimo White Spot Restaurants & receive a free Pirate Pak with the purchase of an entrée.






Job info:

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We’ve been making families happy since 1928. From our award-winning burgers & signature fries to our Spot Classics and famous Pirate Paks. At White Spot, there’s something for everyone.

#


By Jenn McGarriGleThe News BulleTiN

What makes Rich 1 Beauty Salon and School the best overall salon in

Nanaimo?Owner Richard Tchamourian

credits the clients, his staff and the atmosphere in his business.

“I take great pride in the relationships that we built and I have bent over backwards for a lot of my clients and they have seen me through so much,” he said. “We’re all one big family. Everybody says they feel comfortable coming in and that it’s not preten-tious.”

Jacqui Graham, who has been getting Tchamourian to do her hair for about 20 years, describes the salon as

a relaxed, easy-going place where she feels more like she’s stopping in for a visit with a friend than paying someone to make her hair look fabulous, although she gets that part, too.

“He’s a friend now, I can’t imagine going anywhere else,” she said. “Some custom-ers stop by just to give him things. There’s always a lot of funny things going on here.”

“All the taboo subjects are discussed here,” added Tchamourian. “Non-judgmen-tal, of course.”

And the bonus is that ser-vices are not expensive com-pared with some other places around town, said Graham.

The salon offers full hair ser-vices, hair extensions, spray tanning, esthetics, eyelash extensions and permanent makeup – as well as counsel-

ling and advice, joked Gra-ham.

The school part of the busi-ness focuses on permanent makeup, as well as workshops on spray tanning and eyelash

and hair extensions.Tchamourian said the most

popular services are hair and waxing.

“We have the best waxer in town,” he said.

The salon, located on Bowen Road, is open Tuesday to Sat-urday.

For more information, please go to www.rich1beauty.com.

[email protected]

Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Beauty Salon


JENN McGARRIGLE/ThE NEws BuLLETIN

Stylist Kalliandra Fawdry, left, and Richard Tchamourian, owner of Rich 1 Beauty Salon and School, are grateful for clients such as Jacqui Graham, centre, for frequenting the business. The business won Best Beauty Salon in the News Bulletin’s annual Best of the City reader survey.

Easy, relaxed atmosphere contributes to Rich 1 Beauty Salon being named tops in the city

Beauty spot

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FITNESS CENTRE

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NANAIMO’SFRIENDLIEST

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We are proud to be locally owned and

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Thanks Nanaimo for voting us one of the BEST � tness centres in Nanaimo!

Nanaimo Athletic Club has been wonderful when it comes to me trying to lose my post-baby weight. They have been very supportive, and made me feel 100% comfortable about leaving my three children in their childminding area. Great place to go for guilt free “mummy” time.

Nanaimo Athletic Club has been my second home for 5 and a half years. Great staff, awesome people. You owe it to yourself to come check it out.

The Nanaimo Athletic Club has many excellent classes available all week. I enjoy the Spin classes at N.A.C. I had never tried Spinning before but I gave a class a try and now I am hooked on it. Kate’s weekly Spin class is one of the best and hardest workouts I have ever done.

I love coming here, it feels like home, everyone is so friendly. It’s a great finish to my day!

I had never been a member of a gym before, but joining Nanaimo Athletic Club has been one of my best decisions. The facilities helped me reach and surpass my goals. The best part of the NAC is that it is always striving to make one’s experience better each time.

I love NAC because it’s a great atmosphere and we have really friendly staff!

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The backwoods around Nanaimo are busier than ever these days with hik-

ers, runners, horseback and ATV riders seeking out serenity and maybe even a few thrills in the great out-doors.

For the better part of 30 years, mountain bikers have literally carved out their niche and blazed their share of trails through Crown and private lands with a wink and a nod from landowners.

Trail names like Face

of Death, Geronimo, the Abyss, Monkeys in the Mist, Space Balls and Cheap Sunglasses suggest a range of difficulties from gentle, rolling terrain for novice riders to topogra-phy that can evoke raw terror from even the most experienced riders willing to mash gears and mix it up with mud, rock, trees and the occasional bear along the way. The bottom line is Nanaimo offers some of the best and most challenging mountain biking territory to be found anywhere.

Until recently riders rode where the trails they carved were tolerated, or

at least until the land the trail passed through was logged or developed.

In 2013 mountain bik-ing in Nanaimo went legit with the first trail in the region on Crown land in the Doumont trail network area, built by the Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club with the blessing of the woodlot manager and the provincial government.

Fine China, as the trail is called, opened in April as 900 metres of groomed, engineered downhill with berms, jumps and other features designed to appeal to every calibre of rider from novice to expert.


Backwoods are busier than ever, particularly with mountain bike riders as they break in a new, fully insured trail in Nanaimo

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“At this stage it doesn’t really have protection, but now we’re going to the second stage of its application in which it will become an established feature, which means it is entered into the provincial map and it will actually have protection,” said Mark Perdue, the club’s landowner liaison director.

“So any other resource manage-ment plans that go on will have to consider how to manage around the trail.”

The trail is managed by the club which carries liability insurance from the International Mountain Biking Association of Canada.

Mason McGarrigle, one of Fine China’s primary designers, was a professional downhill racer for 10 years and has designed and built trails since 1996.

“It was designed so expert riders who’ve been riding for years can push their limits and then people who are new to the sport can enjoy it as well because it’s so wide and so smooth they’ll find it easier than technical trails,” McGarrigle said.

He credits the local mountain bik-ing community’s dedication for mak-ing the trail possible and, in doing so, significantly advancing the sport.

To build a proper mountain bike trail you need to move a lot of dirt and hundreds of people worked on the trail for more than a year with help from construction equipment to clear the way and do the heavy lift-ing donated by local companies.

“On one main trail build at the start of the season, I think there were 90

people on that one trail build day,” McGarrigle said. “I would say hun-dreds worked on it.”

The second stage of construc-tion, already underway, will see an additional 300 metres added to Fine China. Ultimate plans call for a third stage of construction that will build the trail out to about 3.5 kilometres.

Perdue said building Fine China will help to continue galvanizing the

Nanaimo mountain biking commu-nity and secure the sport on Nanai-mo’s tourism footprint.

“In our mind, it would bring the mountain biking community together on a particular project that they would all enjoy down the road,” Per-due said. “If we could get it extended all the way down, we could have some pretty amazing trails that would draw people from throughout

the whole region to try that trail and there could be some pretty spectacu-lar events that could be held with it.”

McGarrigle hopes to keep the momentum going.

“Right now we’re just starting something completely different and, hopefully, we can keep that rolling and building on that,” McGarrigle said.

Why name the trail Fine China? Mountain bike trails often derive their names from something found or some event that occurred while the trail was under construction.

“There was a lot of debate over the name, but we went with the original, Fine China, just because the very first time when we walked through to do the layout there was a bunch of garbage with plates and dishes and stuff like that,” McGarrigle said. “One of the designers said, ‘Oh, we could call it Fine China,’ so that’s where it came from.”

[email protected]

Dave NuNez-DelgaDo Photos

ABOVE: Miranda Devisser arrives at the bottom of Fine China, the Nanaimo region’s first sanctioned mountain bike trail. OPPOSITE: Colleen Wtorek navigates an easy section of Fine China. The trail is designed to appeal to riders of all skill levels.


We could have some pretty amazing trails that would draw people from throughout the whole region.

“

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HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 5pmSat 9am to noon

[email protected]

Serge & Sew WE SERVICE MOST SERGERS

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105 Nored PlazaNorth Nanaimo(Beside Costco)

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Best of the City 2013 – Results: Outdoor recreation and children’s activities

Best people-watching spot1. Waterfront promenade2. Swy-a-lana Lagoon3. Woodgrove Centre

Best place to watch birds1. Buttertubs Marsh2. Morrell Sanctuary3. Pipers Lagoon

Best place to walk your dog1. Westwood Lake2. Colliery Dam Park3. Neck Point Park

Best romantic parking spot1. Departure Bay Beach2. Pipers Lagoon3. Neck Point Park

Best place to meet for coffee1. Starbucks2. Tim Hortons3. Serious Coffee

Best local campground1. Living Forest Campground2. Brannen Lake3. Westwood Lake Campground

Best place for kayaking1. Newcastle Island2. Departure Bay3. Long Lake

Best place for a picnic1. Pipers Lagoon2. Newcastle Island3. Neck Point Park

Best place to swim outdoors1. Westwood Lake

2. Nanaimo River3. Pipers Lagoon

Best place to walk, jog or hike1. Westwood Lake2. Waterfront promenade3. Colliery Dam Park

Best place to mountain bike1. Mount Benson

2. Doumont Road3. Westwood Lake

Best playground1. Beban Park2. Oliver Woods3. Maffeo Sutton Park

Best day-care centre1. Jolly Giant Childcare

2. Boys and Girls Club3. Katie’s Korner

Best kids restaurant1. White Spot2. McDonald’s3. Ricky’s All-Day Grill

Best toy store1. Toys R Us2. Kool and Child3. Wal-Mart

Best kid’s clothing store1. Old Navy2. The Children’s Place3. Pumpkin Pie

Best place for birthday parties1. Jumpin’ Jiminy’s2. Oliver Woods community centre3. McDonald’s


There’s no end to the flora and fauna in the outdoor spaces in Nanaimo. Fish and amphibians are easy to spot in places like Westwood Lake and Pipers Lagoon.

For a feature story on the Best Place for Kayaking – Newcastle

Island – please see page 35.


A Family Run Business with you in Mind!RESIDENTIAL – COMMERCIAL – INDUSTRIAL

Ph: 250-751-1727www.mazzeielectric.com

Proud electrical contractor to C&M Developments!Thank you Nanaimo we

appreciate your business!

No job too big or too small

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Any questions please email us at...

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Terminal Park, Island Highway • Ph: 250-753-5211

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Let us help you feel bet ter



There is a lot of history in Nanaimo’s Old City neighbourhood homes, and if they could talk

they’d have plenty of interest-ing stories.

But they can’t, so the Nanaimo Museum is hosting a new walking tour called Old City Heritage Homes Then and Now to bring back to life many of downtown Nanaimo’s impressive heritage homes.

Though some of the homes have been demolished over the years, many remain as land-marks today.

“Heritage homes that we see every day have great stories to tell,” said Aimee Greenaway, program and volunteer coordi-nator at the Nanaimo Museum. “We will also stop where grand homes from the past owned by Andrew Haslam, Cappy Yates

and Robert Dunsmuir were located.”

Photos from the museum’s collection will give walkers an idea of how many of the promi-nent homes looked in the past.

Tour participants will stop outside several houses, some of which are still homes, on the heritage register to learn more about their place in Nanaimo’s history.

The tour is recommended for both longtime and new resi-dents to Nanaimo, as well as visitors, said Greenaway.

“Many locals ask questions about heritage houses when they visit the museum,” she said. “Guided tours of the Old City neighbourhood are rare but its homes have a timeless appeal.”

To complement the tours, the Nanaimo Museum will be highlighting well-known heri-tage homes in a new permanent exhibit scheduled to open later

this year.Registration for the Old City

Heritage Homes Then and Now walking tour is required and the only available tour left this year is July 17 from 1-2:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per person.

For more information visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca, phone 250-753-1821 or e-mail [email protected].

Private tours can also be booked for a fee as well.

[email protected]

To tell people more about Nanaimo’s key historical or interesting figures, Nanaimo Museum offers Cemetery Tours in addition to heritage tours.

The tour highlights the stories of people who have helped shape Nanaimo over the past 150 years, including successful gold prospectors, victims of a tragic plane crash and scores of immigrants who left the security of their own countries to seek a better life in Nanaimo.

The tour has been offered for several years, but in 2013 it will also feature people connected to the 100th anniversary of The Great strike, a coal miner’s strike that divided communities from ladysmith to Cumberland and resulted in burnt homes and violence.

The cost is $15 per person and registration is required at www.nanaimomuseum.ca or 250-753-1821. Tour dates are July 9 and Aug. 20, from 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. both days. Private tours can be booked for a fee.

A walk through timeNanaimo Museum guides residents and visitors

to the city’s unique and impressive heritage homes and buildings

Cemetery tours focus on people

NaNaimo museum archives

For decades, Haslam Hall stood at the corner of Wallace Street and Comox Avenue as one of Nanaimo’s most elaborate Victorian houses. It mysteriously burned to the ground on Christmas Eve in 1977. Tim Hortons now stands on that corner of downtown Nanaimo.


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Patrick (right front) and Joyce Fam (centre front), independent owners of A Step Ahead and staff - Kerri, Linda, Carla, Paulette, Jennifer and Bonnie, Emma and Samantha (not in photo) wish to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all their customers for their continued patronage.

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Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Playground

BY RACHEL STERNTHE NEWS BULLETIN

On sunny summer days the Altrusa Playground is bus-tling with activity.

The playground is nestled between the Kinsmen Participark and the Beban Park Social Centre. It fea-tures a variety of playground equip-ment. The paved bike track is one of the park’s popular attractions. Other favourites among children include the digger machine, swings, the slides and the climbing apparatus.Kesler Bilton brings her kids to the

park for safety reasons. She said the park has good sightlines to help her keep an

eye on her children.“I can see everyone,” said Bilton. “It’s

easy to keep track of the kids here and it’s suitable for young children and small children.”

Three-year-old Kendall Doherr said his favou-rite part of going to Altrusa Playground is going

for a bike ride.Kaila Kornberger said the park is easy to get to

because it is in a central location and there is a great selection of playground equipment for her four-year-old twins Ava and Abby Wood to play on.

“It keeps them occupied,” she said. “You can stay here for a couple of hours.”

The park is divided into two sections, one for smaller children and another for bigger kids. Kornberger said it allows parents to bring their kids to the same park as they grow older because of the diversity of activities.

Some of her twins’ favourite parts include the swings and the toy helicopter.

“I like the swings,” said Ava.“You get to ride on it by yourself,” added Abby.The City of Nanaimo is currently updating the

Beban Park Master Plan, which includes updates to Altrusa Playground.

For more information about the process, please go to www.nanaimo.ca and click on current proj-ects under the parks, recreation and culture tab.

[email protected]

Play awayParents love the enclosed Altrusa Park for its clear sightlines – kids love it because it’s a fun place to be

Best of the City 2013 – Winner: Best Playground

Obetween the Kinsmen Participark and the Beban Park Social Centre. It fea-tures a variety of playground equip-ment. The paved bike track is one of the park’s popular attractions. Other favourites among children include the digger machine, swings, the slides and the climbing apparatus.Kesler Bilton brings her kids to the

park for safety reasons. She said the park has good sightlines to help her keep an

eye on her children.“I can see everyone,” said Bilton. “It’s

easy to keep track of the kids here and it’s suitable for young children and small children.”

Three-year-old Kendall Doherr said his favou-rite part of going to Altrusa Playground is going

Abby Wood, 4, glides down the slide at Altrusa Park.


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BY GREG SAKAKITHE NEWS BULLETIN

From the peewees to the pros, Nanaimo loves its football.

When considering the Best of the City for this year, there’s no doubt

that a lot of Nanaimo’s best-loved teams are the ones that give it their all on the gridiron.

“I guess in ways we call it a blue-collar town and I think that correlates well with the game of football,” said Matthew (Snoop) Blokker, coach of the V.I. Raiders. “People are paying their money to get in the door and they just want their football team to be a hard-working team and give everything it can on the field and don’t quit.”

When it comes to football, the Raiders are the biggest game in town, drawing 1,000 fans for some games at Caledonia Park. It helps that the team has been hugely successful on the field, winning three Canadian Junior Football League championships and six provincial titles since coming to Nanaimo in 2005.

“There’s young kids that come to our games and as they’re going through their minor football, they want to be Raiders and that’s the coolest thing in the world,” Blokker said.

He and team owner Hadi Abassi couldn’t really have known how CJFL football would be received in Nanaimo when they secured the expansion fran-chise.

“There was a hope,” Blokker said. “When we came into town there was already some football teams established here and it’s taken time to grow and build a relationship with those programs.”

It’s been a mutually beneficial arrange-ment, as the Raiders have provided another source of inspiration for John Barsby Bulldogs, Nanaimo District Island-ers and Nanaimo Redmen players and those pro-grams have graduated tremendous talent to the junior level.

It might not be a coincidence that Barsby, NDSS and Football Nanaimo have all won pro-vincial or league championships in recent years.

One of the greatest ambassadors for local football has been B.C. Lions star tailback Andrew Harris, who played all his junior here, and there are oth-ers who could follow a similar career path. Jordan Yantz, the for-mer record-setting Raiders quarter-back, has been at Lions camp the last two years and receiver Whitman Tomusiak played a pre-season game with the Lions earlier this month.

Those guys could be pros, and so could some of the peewees roaming Nanaimo’s football fields right now, for that matter.

GAME ON … The Raiders play home games Saturday afternoons at Caledonia Park starting in August. The Redmen play Sunday afternoons starting in September. The Bulldogs and Islanders usually play Friday afternoons at their school fields or at Merle Logan Field starting in Septem-ber.

[email protected]

V.I. Raiders give it all on the gridironSuccess of Canadian Junior Football League team equal only to its popularity among fans in the Harbour City

We call it a blue-collar town and I think that correlates well with the game of football.“



Farmers’ markets?We got ’em, from the south to

the north and several points in between, allowing farmers and

artisans to sell their produce and products at several locations and times during the week.

Throw in that perfect Island summer sunshine and cool ocean breezes, and a morning or afternoon spent at any of the area’s farmers markets is a treat in itself.

For many, shopping at farmers’ mar-kets is a way to purchase products unique to the mid-Island region, learn more about the food they eat from the people who produce it, and sup-port local agriculture.

Having a direct link to food, rather than relying on the modern food sup-ply, has fostered a growing desire for increased participation when it comes to farming.

“In short, things are on the up, local food is increasing,” said Dirk Becker, a Lantzville-based farmer and orga-nizer of local farmers’ markets. “And absolutely, a lot more young people are interested in this and we know this because a lot more people are showing up at the door saying ‘will

you show us how to do this’... and if you go to the Bowen Road, Lantzville or Cedar markets you’ll see a lot more people who are brand new at this, in their 20s or 30s, and wanting to do this for a living.”

Products that can be found at local farmers’ markets include baked goods, fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, fish and seafood, soaps, honey, pet items, flowers, cheese and crafts and other artwork. Many provide live local entertainment.

While most markets run between Mother’s Day and early October, there is a plan in place to establish the city’s first permanent indoor

market co-op. Still in the preliminary stage, Island Roots Market, a formally registered co-op, could provide local growers with a year-round facility to sell their food, helping to re-establish a mid-Island farming industry while providing local food that more people are demanding.

The current plan is to have the market open Thursday to Sunday at a location yet to be determined, but likely somewhere in central Nanaimo.

It could open as soon as this sum-mer.

“We’re just at the cusp, we’re teeter-ing at a point where we hope such a market can succeed where people want such a market, and be assured that they will come year round, including when there is less produce available in the winter months,” said Becker.

In the meantime, seasonal mar-kets like the Cedar Farmers’ Market (at the Crow and Gate Pub), Lantz-ville market (7113 Lantzville Rd.), Nanaimo Bowen Road Market (at Beban Park), and the Downtown Nanaimo Farmers’ Market (Pioneer Waterfront Plaza) will have all of the local goods people are looking for to promote health, culture, the economy and environmental sustainability.

[email protected]


Cedar Farmers’ market (at the Crow and Gate Pub) – sunday, beginning at 10 a.m.

LantzviLLe market (7113 lantzville Rd.) – sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

nanaimo Bowen road market (at Beban Park) – wednesday, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

downtown nanaimo Farmers’ market (Pioneer waterfront Plaza) – Friday, beginning at 10 a.m.

Farm freshJellies, jams, arts and crafts complement high-quality produce found at markets


amy Falkenberg uses her hand as a palette for the black acrylic paint she applies to canvas at the downtown nanaimo Farmers’ market at Pioneer waterfront Plaza. arts, crafts, baking, preserves and produce are just some of the items up for offer every Friday through the summer months.


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Often referred to as the jewel of Nanaimo’s harbour, Newcastle Island offers wooded hiking trails, beaches swept by tides,

spectacular views of the harbour and ocean, and a rich history.

Tara Atleo, economic development strategic planning assistant with the Snuneymuxw First Nation, describes the island, a marine provincial park managed by the Snuneymuxw, as a nice escape from the city – even though it is only a short ride to the island by boat, urban sounds fade quickly.

“When you get into the middle, you forget that you’re in Nanaimo Harbour,” she said, adding that with a 22-kilome-tre trail system, a lake in the middle and lots of wildlife, including raccoons, deer, birds and seals, there is lots to see.

Newcastle is accessible by ferry from April to early October or private boat.

From the May long weekend to Labour Day weekend, people can catch a ferry every half hour from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cost is $9 return for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for children.

Atleo said people also like to travel to the island in their own boats and moor-ing buoys and dock space are available.

A third popular method to get to the island is by kayak.

“There’s lots of places to land kay-aks,” she said.

The island is a popular place to hike or ride a bike, beachcomb in one of many little bays and camp – Atleo rec-ommends reserving online because spots in the campground fill up quickly in the summer. There is also plenty to see related to the history of the island.

Near the ferry dock is a dance pavil-ion built in the 1930s by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Atleo said the company used the island as a summer resort – an old ship was tied to the dock and used as a floating hotel – and the pavilion has a sprung dance floor that is used nowa-days by ballroom dance clubs and for weddings.

The island was used by the Snuney-muxw First Nation for thousands of years for fishing, hunting, gathering

and spiritual training.Young athletes were brought to the

island to train for foot racing and canoe pulling. In Hul’q’umi’num, the tradi-tional language of the Snuneymuxw people, the island is called Saysutshun, meaning ‘training for running.’

Atleo said visitors can also see evi-dence of a pulp stone mill and sand-stone quarry. She said the Snuneymuxw

plan to do more to showcase the his-tory of the island and are considering establishing a cultural centre and a couple of traditional longhouses on the island.

“We want to mainly focus on the his-tories and education for the commu-nity and then tourism as a secondary aspect,” said Atleo.

She said other options being explored

include making bike rentals available on the island and improving accessibil-ity, given that the ferry is seasonal.

“Access is definitely an issue,” said Atleo. “It’s something we have to look at so that more people can enjoy the island.”

For more information, please go to www.newcastleisland.ca.

[email protected]

NEWCASTLE iSLANd: Get away from the hustle and bustle with a day trip to the jewel of the harbour


ABOVE: Newcastle Island lies to the left, nestled between Nanaimo and Protection Island, to the right. LEFT: The island’s his-tory included a sandstone quarry, coal mine and Snuneymuxw village site – remnants of which can still be found in the provincial park.

News BulletiN file


A good photographer will have a knack for ferreting out the right light and location for a photo shoot.

Nanaimo has its share of land and cityscapes primed for the taking, so to speak, by this city’s pool of talented photographers.

Mike Thompson, president of Impact Visual Communications, rediscovered his love for photography in recent years. Thompson, a technical disciple of Ansel Adams, has been photograph-ing for about 40 years, but running his company consumed most of his time until recently.

His return to his roots has resulted in nothing short of a vibrant splash of saturated colour.

“I love downtown Nanaimo, for one, as you’ve probably noticed from my [Facebook] page,” Thompson said. “Queen Elizabeth Park, the whole plaza, the whole seawall walk, it’s as nice as any seawall walk anywhere. I don’t care where you’re talking. It’s beautiful. It’s full of friendly people. The light is good morning, noon and night. I love it there.”

One of Thompson’s favourite quali-ties about Nanaimo’s waterfront is the

abundance of wildlife. Birds, marine life and sea mammals, such as otters that live in and around the downtown boat basin he sees on his almost daily visits to the area, unlike many urban water-fronts which he describes as sterile because their lack of wildlife.

Dave Nuñez-Delgado, who opened his photography business in Nanaimo this year, is a relative newcomer to the local photography scene. Nuñez-Delgado is a member of a group of Vancouver Island models and photographers who meet weekly in different locations for photo shoots through the summer months.

Neck Point, Pipers and Colliery Dam parks are favourite shooting locations, but the group is continually on the hunt for new spots.

“Jack Point was awesome,” Nuñez-Delgado said. “It’s great for sunsets there because it’s kind of west-facing and there’s these cool sandstone caves at low tide. Nanaimo River Estuary was really nice and Sebastian Beach in Lantzville. It’s a little crowded, but it’s good.”

The best times for shooting land-scapes are during the “golden hour” – the hour just before sunrise and just after sunset. But when the light’s right you have to work fast.

“Light changes constantly during those times,” he said. “You have to fight

with the camera to keep up, but it’s worth it.”

Dirk Heydemann, owner of Hey-demann Art of Photography, opened his business in 1998 and in that time he has employed most of Nanaimo’s favourite photography locations, such as Pipers Lagoon that offers a wide array of landscape backgrounds such as seascapes, rock cliffs, driftwood and pebble beaches, Garry oak forests and Shack Island to choose from.

“Nanaimo has so many incredible gems for landscape and scenic photog-raphy, but one of my favourite places recently has been Benson Creek Falls,

or the Benson Creek Trail,” Heydemann said.

But photographing subjects in the contrast dappled light of a coniferous forest on a sunny day can be a photog-rapher’s nightmare where exposure is concerned. Heydemann’s solution? Wait for cloudy or misty days when dif-fused light evens out contrast between highlights and shadows – and on the West Coast there are plenty of opportu-nities for shooting on cloudy days.

“We get a little cloud cover and it makes our job as photographers so much easier,” Heydemann said.

[email protected]


No photoshop requiredHarbour City is photogenic as local shooters can attest

MIKE THOMPSON/IMPacT VISual PHOTO

Photographer Mike Thompson, from Impact Visual, catches the beauty of Nanaimo’s downtown and waterfront areas.


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thedressshopMore dresses than you can closetWhether it’s for work, date night or a special occasion, our Dress Shop has the perfect collection of dresses that you’re looking for! Make sure you drop by our footwear, handbags and jewellery sections to add some sparkle into your outfi t.

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thekidsroomIt’s big, but they’ll grow into itOur expanded kids and infants department has it all – the latest boys’, girls’ and infants’ fashions plus a wide selection of furniture, car seats, strollers, baby gear and more.

Calvin McDonald, President and CEO, Sears Canada Inc.

Spring has arrived in your Sears, Nanaimo, and I am pleased to announce the grand re-opening of the store. On Saturday, April 13th I invite you to be one of the first to enjoy a totally new shopping experience, designed with you in mind. Our brighter, easier-to-shop store features an expanded selection of major appliances and mattresses, along with eye-catching displays and exceptional customer service to help you find just what you’re looking for! We’ve reorganized our Kids Room to provide an impressive assortment of fashion, furniture and gear for infants and children, all backed by our KidVantage® program. Don’t forget to visit our renewed men’s, women’s and footwear departments for fabulous spring fashions!We welcome you to come into Sears Nanaimo and see these exciting changes for yourself. Our staff is eagerly awaiting your arrival to ensure your next shopping experience is a great one. We look forward to serving you for years to come in your newly refreshed store. Same location. Great new everything else.

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Best of the City 2013 – Event calendar


ENTERTAINMENT CANADA DAY CELEBRATION at the

Royal Canadian Legion branch 10, July 1. Features Lazy Mike and the Rockin’ Recliners from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Babecue starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance from the legion or $15 at the door. For more information please call 250-740-1690.

CANADA DAY AT MAFFEO SUTTON PARK July 1, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dress up in red and white. A day of free fun for the whole family.

THE LAUGH LOUNGE featuring Richard Harlow and Peter Hudson, plus special Guests July 6 at Acme Food Co. Event features two shows: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 per show and are aval-able at the restaurant or from the comedians.

NANAIMO MUSEUM hosts Cem-etery Tours July 9 and Aug. 20 from 1-2:30 p.m. and again from 6-7:30 p.m. Discover the stories of people who helped shape Nanaimo over the past 20 years. $15 per person. For details visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca or

phone 250-753-1821.

NANAIMO MUSEUM hosts its Old City Walkling Tour July 9 and 17 from 1-2:30 p.m. Learn more about the Old City neighbour-hoods heritage homes and who lived in them. $15 per person. Visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca or phone 250-753-1821.

SUNSET CINEMA SERIES in Nanaimo July 12 features The Croods. Movie starts at dusk. Free admission – donations toward Success by Six gratefully accepted.

STAND-UP COMEDY NIGHT with Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme of Super Troopers and Beerfest, July 22 at the Queen’s, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance from the bar, Lucid, Har-bour City Music, The Dog’s Ear, www.ticketzone.com or $25 at the door.

OPEN MIKE COMEDY at the Courts Pub first Friday of the month 9-11 p.m.

WORDSTORM OPEN MIKE night at Demeter’s Coffee Vault the last Tuesday of the month, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Admission $5.

MUSIC ON THE DOCK with The Lion The Bear The Fox at the Dinghy Dock Pub July 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets $20, which includes return trip

on the ferry, available from the artists and www.ticketzone.com.

THE TREBLE performs with special guests Ah, Venice and Alexandria Maillot July 9 at the Queen’s, 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 and availalbe at the bar, door or www.ticketzone.com.

NAZARETH with The Headpins at the Port Theatre, 125 Front St., July 5. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets $54.50. Call 250-754-8550.

ON THE DOCK with Manglewood, Teri Puckett and David Bitonti at Dinghy Dock Pub July 15 at 7 p.m. Tickets $20, includes ferry ride. E-mail [email protected].

ALOHA UKULELE FESTIVAL July 26-27. Friday event is 6-7:30 p.m. Saturday there are workshops at Beban Park 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., ranging in price from $25-$30. Saturday evening concert at Departure Bay Centre 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets $15. For info please go to www.ukecircle.com.

THE BEACH BOYS at the Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. Tickets $106 to $126.50. Call 250-754-8550.

ELLIOTT BROOD, plays at the Queen’s September 28, 8 p.m. Tickets are $13 in advance from the bar, Lucid, Harbour City Music, The Dog’s Ear, www.ticketzone.com or $17 at the door.

OPEN JAM at the Queen’s Mondays.

FEMME FATALES play Tuesday nights at the Queen’s.

OPEN MIKE at Fibber Magees Tuesdays 7:30-10 p.m.

OPEN MIKE every Wednesday at the Cambie with Anatol Sessions. Free cover. 9 p.m. Bring your instruments.

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIKE blues friendly at Tabu Lounge Thursday 7-10 p.m. All-ages.

FOLK CONNECTION Coffee House every third Friday of the month, 7-10:30 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church Hall. Admission $5.

ERIC HARPER performs at Fibber Magees Fridays and Saturdays starting at 8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY JAM at Patricia Hotel with Nightwatch from 3:30-7:30 p.m. All styles welcome.

SUNDAY JAM with Blue Gambit at the Harewood Arms pub 5-9 p.m. Brushes only jam and participants must bring their own.

INDUSTRY NIGHT Mondays at the Cambie with Deep Space Burnout. Free cover. 10 p.m.

VANISLE FIDDLERS is a weekly gathering that welcomes fiddlers and all acoustic musicians. Learn traditional music in a fun multi-age group. Every Thursday at Scout Hut. Groups run at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Call 250-591-3913 for more information.

ART ART DECO FASHIONS exhibit at

the Nanaimo Museum runs until Aug. 6.

IAN GARRIOCH: Universe in a Jar exhibit at the Nanaimo Art Gallery campus runs until Aug. 31.

DANCE

INFRINGING DANCE FESTIVAL Dancing in the Belly of the Dragon, July 4-7. Four days of outdoor cultural dance performances, workshops, and dialogue held in conjunction with the 2013 Dragon Boat Festival. www.crimsoncoastdance.org

THURSDAY NIGHT dance club hosts dances for people 60 and over at Bowen Park Complex Thursdays from 7:30-10 p.m. Professional musicians. Singles and couples welcome.

SPORTS & RECREATION BATTLE OF THE KNUCKLE

DUSTERS roller derby meet July 13, 8 p.m., at Nanaimo Ice Centre. Suggested donation of $10 to watch. Call 250-751-0096.

TIMBERMEN SENIOR A LACROSSEat Frank Crane Arena (Beban Park) or Junior A Lacross at Frank Crane or Nanaimo Ice Centre. Call 250-740-1377. www.tmen.ca

NANAIMO PIRATES baseball at Serauxmen Stadium at 355 Wakesiah Ave. (near Nanaimo Aquatic Centre). www.ballcharts.com/pirates.

HARBOUR CITY SENIORS Writers

meet the first and third Wednes-day of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Bowen Park Com-plex, games room 2. A forum for all aspiring or published writers. To register phone 250-755-7501.

PARADISE ISLE Seniors’ Drop-in Centre hosts pool and cribbage tournaments with soup and sand-wich, noon Tuesdays and Thurs-days at 201 Albert St. For details call 250-754-9566 or e-mail [email protected].

ADULT MIXED recreational, non-com-petitive volleyball at John Barsby Community School. Sunday nights 6:30-9 p.m. All are welcome. Call 250-754-8325 for more info.

THURSDAY HIKERS depart Bowen Park upper parking lot, 8 a.m. All day hike. Bring hiking boots, raingear and lunch. 250-755-3066.

KARMA YOGA at Maffeo Sutton Park Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m., rain or shine. By donation. Hosted by Moksha Yoga. Call 250-741-1905.

FESTIVALS & MARKETS NANAIMO DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

July 5-7 at Swy-a-lana Lagoon. www.nanaimodragonboat.com

SILLY BOAT REGATTA July 21, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Annual fundraiser for Nanaimo Child Development Centre, teams build boats from reycled materials and then race at Swy-a-lana Lagoon. Free for spectators. Call 250-753-0251, ext. 227.

NANAIMO MARINE FESTIVALand Great International World Championship Bathtub Race July 26-July 28 at downtown Nanaimo, Maffeo Sutton Park and Departure Bay beach. Sail past parade July 27 at 10 a.m.; QF Festival of Lights fireworks July 27 at 10 p.m.; Bathtub Race July 28. www.bathtubbing.com.

VIEX 2013 Proud of the Past, Poised for the Future Aug. 16-18 at Beban Park fair grounds. Agricultural displays, Midway and entertainment.

SUMMERTIME BLUES music festival Aug. 23-25 at Maffeo Sutton Park and indoor venues in Nanaimo. www.nanaimobluesfestival.com/festival.htm

CEDAR FARMERS’ MARKET (at the Crow and Gate Pub), Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m.

LANTZVILLE MARKET (7113 Lantzville Rd.), Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

NANAIMO BOWEN ROAD MARKET (at Beban Park), Wednesday, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

DOWNTOWN NANAIMO FARMERS’ MARKET (Pioneer Waterfront Plaza), Friday, beginning at 10 a.m.

MUSIC ON THE DOCK with The Lion The Bear The Fox at the Dinghy Dock Pub July 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets $20, which includes return trip

ELLIOTT BROOD, plays at the Queen’s September 28, 8 p.m. Tickets are $13 in advance from the bar, Lucid, Harbour City Music, The Dog’s Ear, www.ticketzone.com or $17 at the door.

OPEN JAM at the Queen’s Mondays.

FEMME FATALES play Tuesday nights at the Queen’s.

OPEN MIKE at Fibber Magees Tuesdays 7:30-10 p.m.

ART ART DECO FASHIONS

the Nanaimo Museum runs until Aug. 6.

IAN GARRIOCH: exhibit at the Nanaimo Art Gallery campus runs until Aug. 31.

DANCE

INFRINGING DANCE FESTIVAL Dancing in the Belly of the Dragon, July 4-7. Four days of outdoor cultural dance performances, workshops, and dialogue held in conjunction with the 2013 Dragon Boat Festival. www.crimsoncoastdance.org

THURSDAY NIGHTdances for people 60 and over at Bowen Park Complex Thursdays from 7:30-10 p.m. Professional musicians. Singles and couples welcome.

SPORTS & RECREATION BATTLE OF THE KNUCKLE

DUSTERS July 13, 8 p.m., at Nanaimo Ice Centre. Suggested donation of $10 to watch. Call 250-751-0096.

TIMBERMEN SENIOR A LACROSSEat Frank Crane Arena (Beban Park) or Junior A Lacross at Frank Crane or Nanaimo Ice Centre. Call 250-740-1377. www.tmen.ca

NANAIMO PIRATESSerauxmen Stadium at 355 Wakesiah Ave. (near Nanaimo Aquatic Centre). www.ballcharts.com/pirates.

HARBOUR CITY SENIORS

CHRIS RANDLE PHOTO

Anusha Fernando performs a South Asian cultural dance with Shakti Dance Company, which will be part of Infringing Dance Festival in July.

Thank You Nanaimo for choosing us the

“Best Fish and Chips”

250-741-1609(Pickup and take-out available)

Open 7 days a week from 9:30 am – April 1 thru October 15104 Front Street, Dock “F”

www.trollersfishandchips.com

Join us on the water of Nanaimo Harbour at Dock “F” and try our traditional Fish & Chips,

made with halibut, salmon or cod“FRESH” off the fish boats.

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615 Townsite Rd., Nanaimo

250-591-1177Vancouver Island’s Drum & Live Sound Specialists

HOURS:Mon. to Thurs.

11 to 7Fri. 11 to 6Sat. 11 to 5 100% Locally Owned and Operated

We are the only lesson facility in the mid island offering lessons on “real” pro acoustic drums! Harbour City Music also offers lessons in other instruments but drums are our passion. Drum lessons take place 5 days a week in our spacious studios. We also offer group lessons, host world class drum clinics and most recently offering skype lessons with some world class professionals. Check out our annual Day Of Drum festival and stay up to date with what’s happening on our Facebook and twitter pages. Harbour City Music also offers live sound rentals, sales and consultation for any situation.

WE DO IT ALL!

DRUM CAMPThe only drum camps of it’s kind on Vancouver Island

BEGINNER & INTERMEDIATE CLASSES JULY 8 - 12, JULY 29 - AUGUST 2ADVANCED DRUM CAMP JULY 15 - 19

2 to 4 hours over 5 days!KEEP POSTED FOR WINTER DRUM CAMPS

www.harbourcitymusic.com

Cityof the

BestSome familiar faces of

Klynnt RogersBavarian Imports

Auto RepairsBest Auto Servicing

Chef Tammy DelineChef Daniel Caron

Two ChefsBest Catering

Robbie Jadresko - OwnerOxy Pub

Best Chicken Wings

Jerry Hong - OwnerThe Queens Hotel

Best Place for Live Bands & Best Place

to Dance

Steven ShannonGalaxy Motors

Best Place To Buy A Used Vehicle

Marianne Turley - Owner

Turley’s FloristBest Flower Shop

Ryan CallighanFlight Centre

Best Travel Agency

Steve DemptsterManager-Lumber/Building

The Home DepotBest in Floor Covering,

Tools & Paint

Leah Babb -Asst. Manager

LaSenzaBest Lingerie Shop

Lynn & Kevin BarclayWine Kitz-TerminalBest Wine Making

Store

Spencer DeeringOld Navy

Best Kids Clothing Store

Mke Campbell &John McPhail

Longwood Brew PubBest Pub & Best Sunday Brunch

Heather FiskVI Fitness

Best Fitness Centre

Corey PiketOak Bay Bikes

Best Bike Shop

Patty McCallumWine Kitz-Metral

Best Wine Making Store

Blake Erickson-Owner

Erickson Roo� ngBest Roofing Company

George MavrikosMilano’s Ristoranté

Best Pasta

Doug RiedererThrifty FoodsBest Customer

Service

Angela NegrinPirate ChipsBest Chips

Best French Fries

Mary Ann MolcanIris Optical

Best Optical Store

Dominic & Rose StanisciaCity Tile

Best Tile Store

Joyce & Patrick FamA Step Ahead

Best Shoe Store

Lisa SalewskiSportchek

Best Sporting Goods Store

Carla Samson - OwnerQuintessential

Best Store for Ladies Wear

Chrissy Forsythe & Natalie Germann

DelicadosBest Lunches

Sharon Vanderputten - Manager

Peoples JewellersBest Jewellery Store

Bruce Halliday -General ManagerThe Port Theatre

Best Live Theatre

Zeni Maartman - Sales Centre Asst. Mgr.

BCAABest Insurance Agency

Russell Crowe -Manager

HMVBest Music Store

Janet Edwards -General Manager

ChaptersBest Book Store

Mark FenwickWoodgrove Centre

Best Place to Shop

Rob NoseworthyBlack and Blue

Best Place to Have A Tattoo

Biff BartlettOwner

RawmbasBest Vegetarian

Food

Jamie Leckenby - ManagerToys R Us

Best Toy Store

Heather CossarWhite Spot - Terminal

Best Family RestaurantBest Kids Restaurant

Graham HigginsThe Brick

Best Furniture Store

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Thank youNanaimo!

We appreciate your support!

Locally owned,proudly servingNanaimo for 19 years.

#102-2517 Bowen Rd., Nanaimo250.585.1778 www.koolandchild.com

best toy store

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THE BEST VALUE FOR EYEWEAR!

The Latest Fashionsin Eyewear at aprice you can afford!

(OFFER EXPIRES SEP. 1/13)

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR BEST DEAL OF THE YEAR!!

WITH THIS COUPON

OFFALL FRAMES

50%

LInda Walter - Owner

Divine GlowBest Place to Tan

Hollis Connelly - ManagerWendy’s

Best Fast Food

Julie Shannon - OwnerBreze

Best Massages

Chris Mossauer - ManagerKal Tire

Best Place to Get Tires

Ilan Goldenblatt - Owner

Thirsty CamelBest Vegetarian Food

Ralph QuetschkeSeadrift Seafood

Best Place To Buy Sea Food

Michelle Guillemaud - Manager

IRIS The Visual GroupBest Optical Store

Logan White -Manager

Charlie Brown’sBest Health Food

Store

Paige Foster - OwnerJumping Jiminy’sBest Place for

Birthday Parties

Calvin WallinACME Food Co.Best Martini

Patriarch Bob LittlejohnLiving Forest

Best Local Campsite

Mike Atherton & Dean Andrichuk

Firehouse GrillBest Restaurant Overall

Rob ShevchenkoCactus Club Cafe

Best Patio Restaurant

Richard TchamourianRich 1 Beauty SalonBest Estheticins

Best Beauty Salon

Penny Palen, Bruce Laird & Amber

Troller’s Fish & ChipsBest Fish & Chips

Chris Turnbull &Rick Bayko

DenMar ElectricBest Electrical

Contractor

Al DregerRBC Dominion

SecuritiesBest Financial Planner

Thomas Jaeger - OwnerNanaimo Bakery & Confectionary Ltd.

Best Pies, Best Bakery

Susan UrbanMid Island Co-opBest Gas Bar

Tim & Pat Van HestArt Knapp PlantlandBest Outdoor Garden

Centre

Brian Adam - OwnerRicky’s All Day Grill

Best Breakfasts

Kiran ParharBranch ManagerTD Canada TrustBest Banking

Inistitution

Brooke TurnerWhite Spot - WoodgroveBest Family RestaurantBest Kids Restaurant

John Ferguson - Manager

Home SenseBest Housewares & Linen

Craig Finnigan -Owner, ManagerMcLaren Lighting

Best Lighting Store

Thank you Nanaimo for voting us

“Best Place to get a Tattoo”Bring in your ideas and our artists will make

it happen!

250.753.1646 | 575 Terminal Avenue

www.BlackandBlueTattoo.ca

In House Artists:• Rob Noseworthy - Owner• Joel Martin• Candice Churchill• Jesse Heglin - Piercing• Shannon Price - Permanent Makeup

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Insurance is sold through BCAA Insurance Agency and underwritten by various underwriters. Visit bcaa.com/underwriters for more information.

Thank you.

Thank you for voting us the Best Insurance Agency

for the 12th Annual Best of the City Awards.

It’s because of your support that we’re able to serve this community, and it’s an honour to be recognized for doing exactly that. We look forward to being part of this thriving neighbourhood for years to come.

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Call 250-390-7700

Visit BCAA Nanaimo, #400-6581 Aulds Road

Click bcaa.com

2 for 1 Pizza & Pasta(on take out or delivery orders)

Hot & Fast Deliverywithin 7 kms

10% Off On Take Out Orders!

� Mondays & Tuesdays enjoy Pizza or Pasta all day for just $10.48!

� Milano’s & Avalon Cinema proudly present ‘Dinner & A Movie’. Ask us for details!

� Daily Specials� Great Patio

6551 Aulds Rd., North Nanaimo 250-390-5060

Serving Nanaimo since 1998, we prepare everything from scratch in our kitchen and use only the fi nest ingredients. You will love our delicious food, generous portions, and reasonable prices.The Mavrikos family thanks you for your support over the past 15 years, and hope to continue serving you for generations to come!

‘Italian Soul In The Heart Of Nanaimo’

Thank you for voting us...

NOW FEATURING Gluten-Free Pizzas, Pastas, Stirfrys and

Desserts – even a Gluten-Free Beer!

View our entire menu at www.milanos.ca

“By the way, we think we also have the best pizza in the city!”

For The 9th Year In A Row!

BESTPASTA

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“Best Beef Noodle Soup on Vancouver Island”“Voted #1 Asian Restaurant in Nanaimo for 2013”

- Nanaimo News Bulletin

Huong Lan Vietnamese Restaurant19-1925 Bowen Rd.,

NanaimoOPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

11am to 9 pm

250.756.7943Dine in - Take Out

Large Group Delivery

HLrestaurant.com

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BEST ASIANRESTAURANT




The City of Nanaimo is on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

The First Nation has occu-pied this territory for thou-sands of years and the city’s name is an anglicized form of Snuneymuxw, a collective name for the five villages that were located in the area.

From the teachings and stories passed down through the generations to the sacred ceremonies, dances and cel-ebrations that honour the Snuneymuxw way of life and connection to the land, to the art, designs and symbols that reflect a higher meaning and purpose for its people, the Snuneymuxw has a rich his-tory and heritage that contin-ues to unfold.

And there are several ways people can learn more about it.

The Nanaimo Museum in the Vancouver Island Con-ference Centre downtown has a permanent exhibit that includes artifacts from various archaeological sites such as Departure Bay, the principal village site, and the old foundry site, now Maffeo Sutton Park.

Artifacts include hunting and fishing tools, a Coast Sal-ish dugout canoe, a spindle whorl used to make wool, and cedar and cherry bark baskets.

David Hill-Turner, museum curator, said the exhibit, cre-ated in partnership with the Snuneymuxw, is about four years old and staff plan to update it in the near future.

A virtual museum, a part-nership between Virtual Museum Canada, the Snuney-muxw First Nation and Nanaimo Museum, can be accessed by going to www.snuneymuxwvoices.ca.

The site includes informa-

tion on various objects, elders’ knowledge, commu-nity stories, the environment and language – the traditional language of the Snuneymuxw is Island Hul’q’umin’um. The language section includes a visual dictionary, where people can drag the mouse over a picture and hear and see spelled out the Hul’q’umin’um words for dif-ferent things in the picture.

A third place to find infor-mation is at Departure Bay Beach near the Kin Hut, where people can see a por-tal, carved out of a 40-foot section of a western red cedar, representing the signif-icance of this traditional site to the Snuneymuxw people, and plaques with historical information.

The pavilion on Newcastle Island also has some pam-phlets with information, including Snuneymuxw sto-ries regarding the island.

[email protected]

Traditional territorySnuneymuxw people leave lasting impact on city’s cultural fabric

Aboriginal culture can be found all over the area, including Departure Bay.


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BEST FAST FOOD

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Thank you Nanaimofor voting us

Best of the City!BEST

fast food

BEST HAMBURGER

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Best of the City!Best of the City!IRIS, Woodgrove Centre IRIS, Conference Centre

®TM Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and IRIS The Visual Group.

Thank you Nanaimo!Thank you for choosing IRIS as your favourite for eye health and vision care!Call us today to schedule an eye examination with an IRIS Doctor of Optometry.

GOTHAM LIGHT HorizontalVERSION 2 HORIZONTAL NANAIMO

NEWS B

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Conference Centre #312 - 60 Commercial Street

250.754.2212Dr. Winnie Ng, Optometrist

Woodgrove Centre 6631 Island Hwy

250.390.2160Dr. James Holmes, Optometrist

By Rachel SteRnThe News BulleTiN

If you thought Nanaimo was beautiful by foot you should see it by air.

Flight lifts people into a whole new world of wonders and beauty on

Vancouver Island and offers magnifi-

cent views of Nanaimo’s harbour and natural attractions.

“It’s a completely different world up there. You can see everything and how vast and beautiful our Island actually is – and how rugged it is, because you can’t get a sense of that on the ground,” said Kristie Eccleston, dispatch and

safety operator for West Coast Helicop-ters. “It’s just an outstanding way to see the Island.”

Popular sights to see include Mount Benson, the Island’s shoreline and the harbour. Eccleston said another request the company receives a lot is to fly over the passenger’s house.

One of the most unusual helicopter flights the company gave was a mar-riage over Departure Bay. Eccleston said many people charter a helicopter to fly to a location to propose, but dur-ing this flight the couple had the min-ister and two witnesses on the flight and took their vows over the radio headsets.

A 30-minute flight is about $900, including taxes, which includes seats for five people; a 15-minute flight is about $550. Eccleston said people can

choose what locations they wish to visit as long as it will fit in the time frame.

For more information please go to www.westcoasthelicopters.com or call the Nanaimo office at 250-754-5448.

B.C. Mountain Helicopters also offers tours in Nanaimo. The company flies out of the Nanaimo Airport area.

The company charges per seat cost. A tour from the airport to Nanaimo is $70 per seat, with a minimum of three people.

The trip is about 20 minutes. A flight to view the Nanaimo Lakes

is $200 per seat, with a two-seat mini-mum, and takes about 30 minutes.

For more tour packages and prices please go to www.bcmh.ca or call 250-924-4354.

[email protected]



Aerial view

you can see everything and how vast and beautiful our Island actually is.“

Soar above the mountains and see the city from a new angle

• Couple $9000 Entrance Fee, $50 Per Month/Person• Single $6000 Entrance Fee, $50 Per Month/Person• Annual Playing Dues $183.77 Per Month/Person (Plus Tax)• Unlimited Year Round Play, Advance Tee Time Booking Online• $200 House Minimum Requirements Per year/Person• Reduced Green Fee Rate For Member Guests• Member Discounts at Halfway and Pro Shop• Member Discounts on Driving Range & Golf Cart Packages

• 19yrs - 25 yrs Old - No Entrance Fee Commitment• Annual Playing Dues - $70.96 Month/Person (Plus Tax)• Don’t need a sponsor! Join on your own• No Restaurant house Minimum Requirement• Full tee Access, No Restrictions on Playing Times• Member Discounts at halfway and Pro Shop• Member Discount on Driving Range & Golf Cart Packages

• Annual Paying Due Fee - $52.33 Month/Person (Plus Tax)• $600 Entrance Fee, Opportunity to Upgrade to Full Play

Membership• Full Restaurant House Minimum Applied ($300 for 2013)• Unlimited Golf, Non Prime Time at Guest of Member Rate• Member Discounts on Driving Range & Golf Cart Packages• Full Charging Privileges (Pro Shop, Food & Beverages)

• 26 yrs - 32 yrs Old - No Entrance Fee Commitment• Annual Playing Dues - $120.58 per Month/Person (Plus Tax)• Don’t need a sponsor ! Join on your own• Full Restaurant House Minimum Applied ($200 for 2013)• Member Discounts at Halfway and Pro Shop• Member Discounts on Driving Range & Golf Cart Packages• Full Charging Privileges (Pro Shop, Food & Beverages)

2013 FULL PLAY MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS INTERMEDIATE - I MEMBERSHIP

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP INTERMEDIATE - II MEMBERSHIP

2800 Highland Boulevard, Nanaimo, BCOf� ce 250-758-2451Pro Shop 250-758-6332Fax [email protected]

play golf have funmake new friends

Cheers Nanaimofor voting us your

250.716.0030150 Skinner Street(behind the Royal Bank)

www.oldcitystationpub.com

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BEST SPORTS BAR

6469 Metral DriveNanaimo, BC

Across from Home Depot, Real CanadianSuperstore, next Leon’s Furniture

CALL FOR FREEGARDENING ADVICE

TOLL FREE: 1-866-845-3919250-390-1151

55+ SENIORSDAY

IS EVERY WEDNESDAY

15% OFFRegular Priced Items

(Except Bulk Soil, Bark,Fish Compost)

Over 2 Acres - 100,000 sq. ft. of all your needs for gardening, landscaping and lawns!

•Better than box stores, grocery stores, big chain stores•Better service, selection, quality, quantity & most of all the horticulture

knowledge these stores cannot provide!Across from Home Depot, next to United Furniture, by the Best Western Hotel.

PLANTLAND

PLANTLAND

100% Canadian Owned!Nanaimo’s Retail Garden Centre Superstore

HOURS7 DAYSA WEEK

9:00 am to 8:00 pm

BULK FISH COMPOST, BARK MULCH, PREMIUM GARDEN MIX SOIL

SUMMER SPECIALS!Last few years our Springs have been unseasonably cool and wet. This year is no different. Trees, shrubs, flowers

and vegetables are best planted in warmer soil conditions thus making June through October the best time to plant your gardens and landscapes as long as you are home to water! So here are some great deals to get you going.

ALL CERAMICPOTS

LARGE SELECTION TO CHOOSE FR0M!

“ALL” GARDEN ORNAMENTS AND

CEMENT STATUARY

WEEKS BRAND/PAN AM BRAND

POTTED ROSES

ALL 1 GALLON POT SIZETREE AND SHRUBS

HUGE SELECTION TO CHOOSE FROM!Regular price $13.99 each

ALL 2, 3, 5, 7 GALLON POT SIZE AND LARGER

TREE AND SHRUBS

STILL A LARGE SELECTION OF:

BEDDING PLANTS STILL IN STOCK:

YET ‘GROWERS’ INVENTORIES ARE GETTING LOW SO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A COLOURFUL

GARDEN THIS SUMMER.BUY NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!

Regular price $29.99 each

OFFREGULARPRICES

NOW

REGULARPRICES30% OFF

REGULARPRICES

NOW

REGULARPRICES20%

OFFREGULARPRICES ONLY!

NOW

REGULARPRICES ONLY!30%

NOWNOW$1997EACH

NOW $697EACH

TREE AND SHRUBS

NOWPLUS!

ALL REGULAR PRICES END WITH A .99 PRICE POINT.DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY SPECIALS PRICED BETTER THAN 30% OFF.

NANA

IMO

NEWS

BULLE

TIN

TH


E BEST OF THE CITY

#

2013

1

BEST OUTDOOR GARDEN CENTRE

11 YEARS IN A ROW


Erin of Nanaimo

lost 38 pounds and 40 inches!

“Stick with it, Herbal Magic has done the formula. Be patient, and soon you’ll realize you just lost your � rst 5 pounds!!”

~ Janet

Janet of Nanaimo

lost 40 pounds and 40 inches!

“The ladies at HM made the experience extra special for me. Their encouragement really helped me succeed where I failed in the past. I love how I feel and look!” ~Erin

Best Staff in Nanaimo!Best Clients!

Best VIBE!Best Success!

A common sense system for weight loss that lasts:REAL FOOD | PERSONAL COACHING | NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS

1 - 6332 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, B.C.250-390-0677

herbalmagic.ca

Thank you NANAIMOfor choosing Canada’s

#1 Weight Loss Company!

Tabi, Aileen, Shelley, Katie and Laura.

Andrew of Parksville

lost 34pounds and 35 inches

“I have more energy and know how to eat properly. No fancy gimics. Just a simple sustainable healthy lifestyle that you are able to maintain. Herbal Magic gets you out of old habits and you clearly see what drives your cravings.”

~ Andrew


june 29, 2013

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