Volunteers are needed to help finish the work to make the Holland Road Field ready for outdoor learning and play in the coming months.
Exciting things are happening this month across the street on Nanaimo Christian School’s 4-acre Holland Road field.
Right now the priority is to make the Holland Road field a safe, usable space for students to access for outdoor learning and play. That includes removing hazardous trees, clearing brush, creating safe access points, and levelling some of the land to eliminate any potential pitfalls.
We are grateful to several local companies who offered reduced rates for their recent work on the field property:
Williamson & Associates -- site survey
Hazelwood Construction -- main contractor, hazardous tree removal, brush clearing
Xtend Rentals -- use of wood chipper
Newcastle Engineering -- site plan (pro bono)
Donna Hais/R.W. Wall Contracting -- project management
Strategic Natural Resources Consulting -- tree assessment
Above the Cut Contracting -- tree falling
Walter Ernst/City of Nanaimo -- arborist services
In the next couple of months we’ll create a pathway and safe access to the field, and with a volunteer crew, we’ll finish the work needed to make the field safe for student use.
*** Join us for a volunteer work party -- April 6, 2024 ***
We need adult helpers (18+) to limb trees, remove/chip brush, fill holes, mow grass, collect/organize firewood for sale, etc 9am - 4pm. Join for a half or full day, pizza lunch provided.
It’s an exciting opportunity to be part of opening a new chapter in our school’s history. If you or your company can help, please contact 250-754-4512 or jon.roper@ncsnanaimo.com or sign up via Track It Forward.
We are very excited about the educational opportunities that this new field affords our students, and are eager to make it a safe space for our students and the greater community.
FAQs
You may be wondering about long-term plans for the field. Here are answers to a few frequently asked questions.
Will there be a crosswalk?
We are currently working with the city to improve safety and traffic flow along Jingle Pot and Holland Rd. We are exploring a variety of solutions that will increase student safety as they access the field. This could include safe crossing training for teachers and EAs, field access closer to safe crossing areas, and crosswalks.
Are there future plans for additional parking?
Our future hope for the property is to eventually use a bit of the perimeter to increase parking availability along Holland, and we may explore the potential of developing a parking area on the north end of the property. This is not a part of our current stages of development.
What are the long-term plans for the field?
We hope to eventually develop a multi-sports field for our school and the larger community to access. The school board’s Campus Plan Task Force is researching this and additional options.
Will any structures be built on the field?
This land is zoned AR2 Agriculture Rural Residential / Urban Reserve – for agricultural and residential uses. At this point, we do not currently have plans or proposals to build any structures on the field. It is our hope with any development to retain as many trees as possible.
Why is this taking so long?
The process for the development of our school property is complex and requires extensive planning and collaboration between our Campus Planning Task Force, the Board of Directors, our Project Manager, contractors, as well as representatives from the City. We are also committed to being financially responsible, so we are sure that our first steps align with a greater vision for the property and are seeking out the best, most affordable trades.
What if I have questions?
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me anytime at 250-754-4512 or jon.roper@ncsnanaimo.com.
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