Go Nanaimo Blog

Matt James is showing off his Photoshop and printing talents with a free exhibit at the Nanaimo Museum. The restoration of old torn and faded images of scenes in and around Nanaimo is a specialty of Matt’s. The choice of quality of antique photographs and real photo postcards has become very slim and expensive as the collecting craze has been promoted by some TV shows. Matt shares his collection openly by restoring and reprinting the images on quality papers and inks. He also does some restoration work on antique frames and refreshes them with new prints. Many of the surfaces are hand embellished with fonts and scrolls that match the period of each image. The exhibitors are hoping that they can see many faces show up for the exhibit which is displayed at the back of the museum’s store. Many of the framed items are from Matt’s private gallery collection. James has decided that the exhibit items along with many others will be liquidated with a portion of the funds going to salmon enhancement projects on Vancouver Island. There will be a silent auction of many valuable works at the museum on Thursday, June 6, 2013, for 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Some great door crasher items will be offered.

Ian Gartshore, the Green Party candidate in the British Columbia riding of Nanaimo, sent me this message:

People ask me if I am running against the incumbent MLA. Actually, I am running against apathy, hopelessness, and fear. I am running in order to offer hope for local, decent paying jobs and a healthy future. To offer a different way of doing politics – one that is responsive to people’s needs, that is positive, and that holds politicians accountable. I believe many are tired of the usual left to right and back again two-party way of doing politics and want a real change. We are that change.

Jobs: so far the other parties seem to be relying on exporting natural gas and oil for jobs and government income. Given that other countries are going in the same direction we will not get much revenue for these fossil fuels. As for generating jobs? Sure, although many will be short-lived and most will take workers far away from home. Instead, we see employment in local jobs, building sustainable energy sources (think wind, solar, wave, and tidal, plus geo-thermal). The old Madhill plant in Nanaimo is ideal. Then we are not relying on fickle foreign markets. We will foster jobs building sustainable transportation infrastructure such as inter-linked (and frequent) ferry to bus to train to sea planes, and dedicated cycling and walking paths, thus lowering transportation costs for individuals, families and governments. We will create good paying jobs retrofitting buildings so that they use less energy.

Health: our current system is bankrupting us. With an aging population and declining health in younger people (obesity, for example) we need to invest in maintaining health in our populations, not waiting until they need a hospital bed. There is no other credible solution. Other countries are driving down their health care costs and improving people’s health, ability to function, work, and study. We can, too. We have the know-how right here in British Columbia.

How are we going to raise the kind of revenues needed to create a healthy population and environment? Remove the obscene subsidies to the oil and gas industry, apply the carbon tax to all polluters, use the revenues to lower transportation and health costs, and save green spaces such as the Linley Valley and Colliery Dam Park. Ramp up assistance to students who will then generate more wealth. And licence marijuana, significantly increasing revenues while lowering crime.

Being sustainable leads to hope, greater health, autonomy and empowerment. I’m Ian Gartshore and you’ll find me on Facebook.

Maintaining good health doesn’t mean you have to make dramatic changes to your lifestyle. Making healthy food choices, being physically active, and taking the right prescriptions regularly and consistently can go a long way in maintaining good health and keeping you away from problems and long-term diseases. Most Canadians can follow these simple tips to maintain their general well-being:

1. Eat a healthy diet
Eating a healthy diet is important. Foods that contain empty calories should be cut down or eliminated from daily meal plans. Empty calorie foods don’t have any nutritional value. Examples include soda, chips etc. Foods that are rich in nutrition and provide valuable calories should be incorporated in the diet. You can try to go as organic as possible because organic is the best way to maintain good health. Foods such as whole grain cereal or bread, free-range eggs, lentils, and wild salmon should be included. It’s also recommended to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day as they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals.

2. Be physically active
Being physically active is also plays a vital role in being healthy. From work-at-home Canadian moms to the individuals working nine to five at software companies, being physically active is possible, despite the excuses that you can’t take out time for the purpose. Keep in mind that being physically active doesn’t mean sweating and spending long hours at the gym lifting weights, as physical activity can come in any form. Fun outdoor activities with family and friends are a good option to carry out physical activity. Summers are coming up, and it’s one of the seasons cherished by Canadians. The outdoor activities in this season are a great way to get the heart pumping and have fun. There’s a whole list to choose from: surfing, mountain biking, horse riding, cycling, fishing, deep-bay-marine-field-station ballooning, scuba diving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, sky diving, and much more.

3. Be careful with prescriptions
The rise of internet marketing has made it easy for pharmaceutical companies to get their products out there to the masses, but the products that are floating on the online market also include those that have unproven claims, are not made by a recognized brand, and do more harm than good. However, individuals suffering from certain conditions are still tempted to make a purchase, and even brands backed by unknown companies are sold, perhaps due to marketing hype and some known figures that make them look credible and real. The good news for Canadians is they have resources like Canada Drug Center available so they can fill prescriptions at affordable prices from Canadian pharmacies that are licensed and fulfillment centers that are internationally approved.

4. Sleep properly and cut down on alcohol and smoke
Alcohol and smoke are two things that affect both the mind and the body. Smoking can result in chronic diseases in the long, while alcohol can negatively affect the liver. The consumption of either by females also gives rise to the risk of breast cancer. It’s recommended to cut down on consumption of both or eliminate them if possible. Sleeping properly is also necessary as the body recovers from stress. Energy is replenished during the rest period to prepare the body for the next day.

The Save Our Harbour coalition is engaged in a struggle with the Nanaimo Port Authority / Pacific Northwest Marine Group over the pending arrangement to privatize Nanaimo’s most valuable asset, its working harbour. They feel this harbour take-over deal — to be signed soon — is an important story, in the way that issues of recurring interest to all Canadians are converging here.

Briefly, the Pacific Northwest Marine Group, owned by American entrepreneur Craig McCaw,  has made a very private deal with the Nanaimo Harbour Authority, a federal agency, to convert Nanaimo’s historic, working harbour into what will essentially become a secure parking lot and point of departure for the super yachts of faraway owners. There was no consultation with local stakeholders. This deal will disrupt the local economy by displacing Nanaimo’s fishing fleets, island commuters, visiting vessels, etc.

Visit Save Our Harbour for details of the proposed marina, economic impact analysis, arguments against, and new ideas by all stakeholders.

On my recent visit to Eritrea in northeast Africa I took this photos of an artist preparing a patriotic mural by the road between Asmara and Keren. Memories of the long war of independence against Ethiopia are still fresh in Eritrea. For more photos of mine from Eritrea and around the world, visit my Flickr.com photostream.

The winter holiday season brings scores of people to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, for seasonal fun. Nanaimo, the holiday hub of Vancouver, is centrally located on the island and has a rich and colourful history, which is one of the main reasons it attracts so many tourists from around the globe. In the United Kingdom, Thomson’s offers a wide selection of options for winter holidays in Canada.

Nanaimo’s greatest assets are its public outdoor spaces which are especially enjoyable during the winter season. With over 22 sport fields, 65 playgrounds, 100 kilometres of trails, and 588 hectares of city parks, Nanaimo has something to offer everyone. One of the favourite tourist destinations in the area is the skiing resort of Mt. Washington in the Comox Valley, not far from the seaside communities of Parksville and Qualicum Beach. Your holiday in Canada will be unfinished if you leave without seeing the countryside. For example, the little town of Coombs is famous for its local country market and rooftop goats.

As the winters begin in September, Woodstream Park behind Departure Bay Beach attracts a lot of visitors to celebrate the return of the pink salmon to streams. You can enjoy stream walks around the park or participate in activities arranged for visitors throughout the pink-salmon week.

In mid November, over 80 vendors offer unique treasures at Nanaimo Christmas Market in Beban Social Centre. Products include local homemade licorice, jams and jellies, jewellery, photography, woodcarvings, soaps, and lotions. If you stick around long enough in Nanaimo, you can also celebrate New Years Eve in Beban Social Centre. New Years Eve in Nanaimo is a great family event, which involves live entertainment, skating, and swimming competitions.

If you are more of a city person, you will love the theatre shows in January, many of which are presented by the Nanaimo Theatre Group. After enjoying the Christmas festivities, join the locals in celebrating Annual Winter Wonderland at Frank Crane Arena, which starts at the end of December and lasts till the 1st January. Winter Wonderland is designed specifically for families to skate around the holiday decorations or sit back and enjoy the Winter Skate Carnival Ice Show.

After the holiday season is over, Nanaimo continues to offer exceptional activities for tourists as well as locals including family fun days, especially in February. View Thomson’s selection of options for winter holidays  in Nanaimo if you want the best packages for accommodations, activities, and transportation. Nanaimo winter holidays are certainly going to be one of the most memorable trips of your life so make the best of it.

The futuristic Fiat Tagliero Building (1938) in Asmara, Eritrea, was built to resemble an aircraft. This is just one example of the fabulous Art Deco architecture to be seen in the capital of this northeast African state. I was recently there and have posted a selection of my photos on Flicker.com.