It's not always about the type of house you want but where it's located! Location is arguably the most important thing to consider when relocating to a new city which I'm sure is why you've landed on this particular post about North Nanaimo.
North Nanaimo is highly sought after for people moving to the area for a few reasons. It's one of the newer areas of town, so homes you purchase here were usually built in the 90’s or 2000’s and are move-in ready in well-established communities. North Nanaimo is comprised of the Dover Bay, Uplands and Hammond Bay neighbourhoods.
Shopping
I know I've said shopping isn't a top priority for me but it's so incredible to have things nearby when you need it, even within walking distance! The Dover Bay neighbourhood is at the most northern peak of Nanaimo, bordering Lantzville, and is home to Woodgrove Center, which is Nanaimo's largest shopping mall. Surrounding the mall are restaurants and other family-run businesses. And of course, it never hurts to live close to Costco! The Uplands neighbourhood isn't far from shopping either with both North Town Center (which has the largest movie theatre in Nanaimo) and Country Club Mall nearby. The Hammond Bay neighbourhood is unfortunately a “hop in your car and drive to shopping” sort of situation but you'll never have too far to go. Public transit also runs all along Hammond Bay Road, with Woodgrove Center being a large bus interchange.
The Views!
It's hard to imagine moving to Nanaimo and not trying to get yourself a view while looking for your future home! While in Dover Bay you have shopping in close proximity to you on one side, you have the ocean almost as close on the other side with many access points to some of the best beaches in the city! If you're further away from the water, don't be surprised by some of the hilly streets leading down to the water. The beaches will make the hike back up worth your while!
Likewise, some Hammond Bay Area homes are built on a cliff, giving you sweeping views of the Strait of Georgia. The Uplands neighbourhood has the benefit of some ocean views but also some amazing views of Long Lake, particularly in the Long Lake Heights Community.
Off-leash Parks!
Two of my very favourite off-leash dog parks are located right here in North Nanaimo! I love May Richards Bennett Pioneer Park because it's a safely enclosed Trail in a small wooded area but you would never know you're right in the city! The terrain is an easy walk for any age but isn't boring, so you can easily lose track of how many Loops you've done and your dog is tuckered by the end! It's located near Woodgrove center right off Dover Road.
My second favourite is Invermere Park, which is a designated off-leash area right on the water directly next to Blue Back Beach. It's very easy to find the access point, as the trailhead leading to the stairs that take you down to the water is at the base of Invermere Road. Be prepared for the hike back up as it's a lot of stairs- but it's a great workout for you and your pup! When the tide is low here it is Doggy Heaven… there's simply no better way to describe it!
Schools
The public school system so far in North Nanaimo has been great for our family. While ideally, we would have liked to continue in French immersion, the school our son ended up in is a wonderful community and made the transition to a new school so much easier for him.
While it might be pushing it to say this is still in North Nanaimo- I've heard that Hammond Bay Elementary has one of the best French immersion programs in the city.
Of course, do your research if being in the right catchment for a certain school is important to you. With an influx of families moving to Nanaimo, it's important to make sure there's room for your child in the school that you want.
It's Safe
North Nanaimo is known as one of the safest neighbourhoods in Nanaimo. Without getting into the socioeconomic factors at play, it becomes more apparent when you're in this area that you aren't putting yourself in as much risk when you're walking alone at night, for example. My son often makes the trip to the corner store by himself during the day without me being concerned for his safety.
I'm sure this isn't too different from other communities in Nanaimo in general but people really do look out for each other in North Nanaimo It's not unusual to see “found” signs in local parks from good samaritans wanting to return lost objects. Or, seeing neighbours trying to help each other out when someone else's dog is on the loose!
There are my family's top five reasons for choosing North Nanaimo for our relocation to the city! I'll be covering other neighbourhoods in future blog posts, so you can decide for yourself which is best for you!
