Vancouver Island Symphony’s Holmes Recognized By City Of Nanaimo
MARK MACDONALD
NANAIMO – The Canadian Franchise Association announced the winners of its 2023 Recognition Awards March 23, and one of its winners was Mary Brown’s Chicken, which has two location in Nanaimo, at 105-50 Tenth Street, in Chase River, and in north Nanaimo on Metral Drive, beside Meat Craft and Cobb’s Bread.
Mary Brown’s Chicken, which started in 1972 in Newfoundland and is 100 per cent Canadian owned, won the Outstanding Corporate Citizen Award in recognition of its impact on communities it serves, which includes being an official corporate partner with BCG Canada (formerly Boys and Girls club). They also helped fundraise to help flood victims in Newfoundland and Labrador after Hurricane Fiona.
The awards will be presented April 2 at the CFA National Convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Mary Brown’s Chicken was also named one of the 2023 CFA Franchisees’ Choice Designees, along with other companies that do business in the Nanaimo area: A&W, Cobbs Bread, Days Inn, Edo Japan, McDonald’s Restaurants, Molly Maid, New Creations, Property Guys.com, Ricky’s Restaurants, Triple O’s, Wendy’s and White Spot.
A bigger question is: has Mary Brown’s surpassed KFC as the tastiest fried chicken in the fast food wars? Let the diner be the judge.
Josh and Melissa Bannister are the new owners of Drain Doctors, Vancouver Island. The company offers drainage and septic solutions to Central Vancouver Island homeowners, including septic installation and inspections. www.draindoctors.ca
Mortgage Architects has moved its team to Axiom Mortgage Solutions under the name of the Nowik Mortgage Team, after 15 years.
Greg Nowik is the Lead Mortgage Partner.
Grace Easthom
Congratulations to Grace Easthom, now with RE/MAX of Nanaimo, as she recently learned that she was named Royal LePage British Columbia’s Rookie of the Year for 2022.
Famous artist Roy Henry Vickers is the special guest speaker for the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation’s April 12 evening event at the Nanaimo Golf and Country Club. It is in support of the NRGH Roots To Read Program, and tickets are expected to sell out quickly.
IWCD has completed construction of the Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens campus in Port Alberni, a new 48 unit affordable rental housing facility for seniors and Indigenous elders.
The five storey-project was built for the West Coast Native Health Care Society.
Jonah Ferguson is now the Coordinator, Employer & Student Engagement at Vancouver Island University.
Margot Holmes
A tip of the hat to Margot Holmes, the long-time Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Island Symphony, and lead-creator of Festival Nanaimo, upon being announced the winner of the City of Nanaimo’s Honour in Culture award for promoting Canadian culture and championing the performing arts community. The award will be presented April 25 at the Port Theatre.
Nanaimo Airport is now the sixth largest airport in British Columbia.
A 55 unit apartment building at 591 Bradley Street has been granted a development permit by Nanaimo City council. Raymond de Beeld Architect Inc. submitted the application on behalf of applicant 591 Bradley Homes Ltd. It is a downsized building on a site that had been originally approved in 2019.
It’s back to the drawing board for plans to turn the former Howard Johnson Harbourside Hotel property at Terminal Avenue and Comox Road into six residential buildings, two high-rises, a conference centre and a hotel. The City of Nanaimo recently rescinded third readings of two rezoning bylaws for the downtown development.
Canada Post’s Nanaimo depot is the country’s first to feature a corporate delivery fleet of all-electric vehicles. A press conference was held March 9 at their East Wellington Road location, and provided details about its fleet of 14 electric Ford cargo vans.
Sealand Market on Stewart Avenue will soon get a facelift for its 1840 Stewart Avenue commercial property, as the proposal was granted approval by the City of Nanaimo.
Windley Contracting has been awarded a $1,010,000 contract by the District of Lantzville for the second phase of its commercial core revitalization project, which will include walkways amongst other improvements.
The redevelopment of the downtown Ladysmith Island Hotel is moving towards a public hearing.
AYPQ Architecture submitted the application for the plans that include 20-22 housing units in the five-storey structure that will also include two commercial spaces on the ground floor at 440 1st Avenue.
Pharmacist and owner Shabnam Rana says that Ladysmith Wholehealth will be opening soon in Ladysmith.
In a very touching tribute, the community of Ladysmith held a free community “thank you” event March 12 for the Richmond family for all of the contributions they have made to the town and numerous groups during almost 50 years of business owning and operating 49th Parallel Grocery. The Richmonds recently sold their four stores to Country Grocer.
Mark MacDonald is President of Communication Ink Media & Public Relations Ltd. and Author of the book “It Worked For Them, It Will Work For Me: The 8 Secrets of Small Business I Learned From Successful Friends”, which can be obtained by reaching him through: mark@communicationink.ca