City of Nanaimo Presents: The Sweet Layered Podcast
The official City of Nanaimo podcast unravels the intricate layers of a growing city on Vancouver Island and the opportunities and challenges to running a municipality. Drawing parallels to the iconic multi-layered Nanaimo bar, the podcast boasts a delightful blend of flavours, with conversations that dive deep into Nanaimo’s rich history, diverse culture, and vibrant community.
Episodes
Nanaimo is getting ready to welcome 2,700 athletes for the 2025 55+ BC Games, a province-wide celebration of active living and community spirit. In this episode we chat with Games President Diana Johnstone and Vice President Mary Smith about what it takes to organize an event of this size and scale. They talk about the 21 sports being featured, the call for volunteers and how local residents and businesses can get involved. Wheth...
Aquatics is one of the most popular programs offered by the City. On this episode we dive into a topic that makes a big splash in our community.
Recreation Coordinators Ashley Rowe and Amanda Watkins share information on the many programs offered from swim lessons, Aquafit, water safety and so much more. How many people use the facility each day and how many litres of water is needed to fill a pool? Listen to find out!
Public works, the essential service that keeps our community running smoothly.
On this episode we're exploring why public works matter, how they affect our daily lives and what residents might not realize about the planning and people behind the scenes. Most importantly, we discuss Public Works Day! What is it? Listen to find out.
Joining us are Sweet Layered Podcast alum Bill Sims, General Manager for Engineering & Public Work...
April is Water to Earth Month and today we discuss and celebrate the critical connections between our environment and everyday lives.
In honour of Earth Day, we’re spotlighting a unique partnership that brings together multiple levels of government and private industry to care for something we all rely on, our watershed. From the forests that filter our water, to the rivers that carry salmon home, to the taps in our kitchens, it’s ...
Ever wonder how the city keeps everything running smoothly? Some of it comes down to data—over 400 layers of it. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) support everything from managing water and wastewater to dispatching emergency services and tracking city assets. GIS helps City staff make informed decisions, improve public safety and even meet legislative requirements.
On this episode, we’re joined by Mark Willoughby, the City’s Su...
Ever wonder how buildings in Nanaimo stay safe and up to code? Today, we're taking a look at the Building Inspections and Permits process with Darcy Fox the Manager of Building Inspections. We chat about the folks who review permits, enforce regulations and help turn ideas into reality. Stick around as we break down how their work keeps our community growing strong!
On this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast, we’re talking trash—literally! In the booth we welcome City Councillor and Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Director Ben Geselbracht and City Zero Waste Coordinator Travis Barrington.
As one of four municipalities in the RDN, the City of Nanaimo plays an important role in supporting the RDN’s Solid Waste Management Plan. While the RDN sets the big-picture goals and targets for solid w...
This special year-in-review episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast peeled back the many layers of what makes Nanaimo such a vibrant community. This year, we released 15 episodes, exploring everything from property taxes and water conservation to cultural celebrations and major city projects. With an average of over 100 downloads per episode, we’re proud to be in the top 25th percentile of podcasts worldwide, thanks to you—our amazing...
In this episode, we’re diving into Nanaimo’s 2025-2029 Draft Financial Plan—a blueprint for managing $4.8 billion in City assets and supporting a growing population of over 100,000. With investments in public safety, housing and infrastructure, the plan reflects the City’s commitment to sustainability, livability and long-term resilience.
We chat with Chief Administrative Officer Dale Lindsay and General Manager of Corporate Servic...
Adverse weather can be challenging, but with the right services and clear communication it makes all the difference. Clear roads, sidewalks and areas around facilities to safety alerts and critical updates, timely info keeps our community safe, informed and prepared. Up next we chat with Charlotte Davis, Deputy Director of Parks and Natural Areas and David Thompson, Manager of Roads and Traffic Services about what the City does whe...
Arenas are more than buildings; they're vibrant hubs that bring people together, hosting everything from hockey games to weekend skating sessions all while creating lasting memories. In this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast, we chat with arenas staff Grace Bell (Arenas Manager), Allison Schneider (Recreation Coordinator) and Aaron Denninger (Arena Maintenance Worker) to explore how sheets of ice are made, why arenas matter and ...
In this episode, we sit down with Superintendent Andrew Burton, Nanaimo’s new top cop and officer in charge of the RCMP detachment. Andrew shares his vision for the future, reflections on his roots in Port Alberni and stories from his career across Canada. Tune in as we discuss recruitment, employee wellness and much more!
It’s Mayor time! On this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast we welcome City of Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog. We dig into the Mayor’s youth, influences growing up and his time as a BC Member of Legislative Assembly and Mayor of one of Canada’s fastest growing cities. His fun fact was a good one!
Next up on The Sweet Layered Podcast is Sadie Robinson, the City’s Transportation Planning Specialist to give us the low-down on Active Transportation. We chat about sustainability plans to encourage walking, rolling, cycling and transit goals.
How do we get to be a multi-modal city? What is micro-mobility? What are rules of the road for cyclists and other one or two-wheeled devices? Why are bike lanes a contentious subject and who...
What is an AAP? Find out on this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast where we welcome Sheila Gurrie, the City’s Director of Legislative Services. In a previous podcast we discussed the Public Works Yard Updates project and the reasons for the upgrade. This time around we discuss the process municipalities in BC utilize to seek funding for projects such as this.
Beginning Sept 18, 2024, the City is conducting an alternative approva...
On this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast, Bill Sims, the City’s General Manager of Engineering and Public Works, discusses the Public Works Yard Updates project. The original Public Works buildings were constructed in the 1960’s and evolved as Nanaimo’s population grew from less than 45,000 in 1980 to over 107,000 in 2023. We learn more about buildings past its useful life too small to accommodate current staffing levels, not s...
On this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast, we welcome James Knight, the City's Capital Project Management Specialist, to discuss the exciting Commercial Street upgrade in downtown Nanaimo. The project, also named Design Commercial, aims to refresh the downtown core by improving accessibility, replacing aging infrastructure and enhancing spaces for community events. The revitalization will create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly de...
Join us as we chat with Kamal Parmar, the City’s Poet Laureate whose work spans Haiku poetry and creative non-fiction. Kamal's writing reflects her journey from India to Canada, exploring themes like childhood memories, the Canadian prairies and her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. With publications across the UK, Canada and India and several books to her name, Kamal is a vibrant part of the literary community. She is active in va...
On this episode of The Sweet Layered Podcast, Paige Pierce, Nanaimo's Youth Poet Laureate for 2024-2026 shares stories of her youth, how her love of reading lead to publishing numerous books and her early start to writing poetry. What is her goal as Youth Poet Laureate? Listen to find out.
The City of Nanaimo's Youth Poet Laureate serves as a “young people’s poet”, raising awareness of poetry, the literary arts and the positive imp...
In December 1874, the City of Nanaimo became the sixth municipality to be incorporated in British Columbia. Fast forward to 2024 and Nanaimo is known to be one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. 150 years of incorporation provides a chance to highlight the City's success and recognize its citizens and community partners who have contributed to Nanaimo’s vibrancy over the last 150 years.
Nanaimo has a rich history dating back...
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