Chase River Poised For Building Boom
For years south-end residents had to trek to the north end of the city to visit popular shopping outlets, but that is about to change. As the building boom moves from north to south, Chase River is poised to be Nanaimo’s next big shopping zone.
With north Nanaimo now almost entirely built out, development is moving south, and more housing is feeding demand for business. The easy to develop properties in the north are no longer there and developers have turned their attention to the south. As the residential development grows the services will follow.
Rona just opened a 35,000 square foot store and a Country Grocer outlet, a pub and liquor store, gyms, a Serious Coffee outlet and a Buckerfield’s have all appeared along with two new gas bars and a retirement home.
Residents not only welcome the convenience but rising property values that have come with shopping nearby.
Two planned communities with a combined total of more than 5,000 new residential units, Sandstone and Oceanview Golf Resort & Spa (formerly Cable Bay), are in the works. The developers behind Sandstone and Oceanview are currently putting together master plans for their respective subdivisions.
The challenge, according to city planning manager, Dale Lindsey, is creating “sustainable communities” where people can live, play, work, and shop.
This is just another example of the long term success that this area holds.