The fire was called in on Thursday, May 14, at 1:25 a.m. in the bush off the end of Rosstown Rd., just east of the Nanaimo Parkway. 

Nanaimo Fire Rescue (NFR) assistant chief John MacKenzie said their crews managed to quickly get a handle on the 40 by 50-foot fire. 

“It was a quick knockdown, they did request a second engine and the wildland unit, just for additional water supply.” 

Numerous personal effects were destroyed in this once extensive homeless encampment. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Local residents informed NanaimoNewsNOW that the encampment had been established and occupied since last summer by a lone male, who knocked on a nearby neighbour’s door for help.

An ambulance was called for the man, who was believed to be suffering from breathing issues. 

MacKenzie said their members searched in and around the encampment. 

“They had to go in and do a search to make sure nobody was in the encampment after the fire, but no one was found.” 

A follow-up site visit revealed a decimated encampment, which had been elaborately outfitted with numerous fuel and cooking sources, including stoves and a microwave. 

At least one generator was visible in the encampment, as were several propane tanks. 

A neighbour reported hearing a loud explosion at the time of the fire. 

The unhoused man’s fire-singed socks off Rosstown Rd. following an encampment fire several hours earlier. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Long Lake fire 

On Tuesday evening at around 6:50 p.m., a bush fire on a bluff near the shores of Long Lake was reported. 

Estimated at 60 by 30-feet in size, flames and smoke were seen rising from Lakeview Park, off the end of Cedar Ridge Pl. 

Assistant chief Neil MacKenzie said they had a quick response.

“It was quite visible from the Island Highway across Long Lake, lots of people would have seen it and called it in very quickly.” 

A highly visible Tuesday evening fire sprung on near the shores of Long Lake off Rutherford Rd., near several apartment buildings and a long-term care homes. (Image Credit: Kaida Evans)

A grassy area on a bluff and several surrounding trees were damaged by the fire, which is believed to be human-caused.

MacKenzie said their crews remained on scene for precautionary reasons. 

“In an area like that the fire can get into some deeper areas of the soil and can smoulder, so we like to take time and make sure there’s no flare-ups.” 

MacKenzie said urban interface fires can present widespread safety threats, particularly as the wildfire threat inevitably worsens in the weeks and months ahead. 

He recommended people consult FireSmart BC for helpful tips to protect personal property from risks posed by wildfires.

Fire-damaged bluff on Long Lake following a Tuesday evening brush fire. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Reported late Wednesday, May 13, the fire burning just north of Nanaimo Lakes Rd., near the intersection with South Forks Rd., is now classified as being held at around 1.5 hectares just before midday on Thursday, May 14.

Initial attack crews, heavy equipment, and a Fire Centre officer worked through the night and into Thursday morning on the scene.

Additional crews and a helicopter attended Thursday morning to aid in the response.

It’s believed to be human-caused and is less than a kilometre north of an under-control wildfire discovered a week ago.

A “being held” classification means crews were able to contain the situation and no further growth is expected.

Staff will remain on-site monitoring for any hot spots until it can be fully doused and considered either extinguished or “under control.”

The fire is the latest in a string of small starts on Vancouver Island already this season.

A campfire ban issued earlier this month is being lifted beginning Friday at Noon for most areas of the Coastal Fire Centre, owing to cooler temperatures and more humidity.

While most fire jurisdictions have also lifted their seasonal bans, in accordance with the Coastal Fire Centre, some remain in effect.

The North Oyster Volunteer Fire Department confirmed Wednesday all open burning will remain prohibited in their zone.

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The company provided a wide-ranging pre-summer operational update on Wednesday, May 13 prior to what’s expected to be a record peak season for its fleet.

In light of pending FIFA World Cup 2026 games at BC Place Stadium, Brian Anderson, vice president of strategy and planning for BC Ferries, said their fleet will be operating full throttle.

“All of our ships will be in service every day, and in the event there’s an injury that puts us down a player, or a ship in this case, we can’t bring a replacement in from the bench.”

Seven FIFA World Cup 2026 matchups in Vancouver between June 13 and July 7 will add to an already historically busy stretch for BC Ferries, Anderson said.

The company is accelerating its summer schedule on some routes on June 11, two weeks earlier than usual.

BC Ferries expects its customer totals to surpass the 10.3 million passengers and 4.1 million vehicles transported during last year’s peak summer period.

“What that means in practice is more demand concentrated into the same peak travel period, particularly on the routes connecting Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland over weekends and holiday travel windows,” Anderson said.

While BC Ferries doesn’t have a clear idea how significantly FIFA’s presence in Vancouver will impact ridership levels, congestion during peak periods, as well as an influx of travellers unfamiliar with the BC Ferries’ system are anticipated.

Melanie Lucia, BC Ferries’ vice president of customer experience, told the media briefing that extra seasonal workers than usual are being hired.

“We’re hiring over 630 seasonal staff, which includes 124 returning employees, the majority of those are already trained and onboarded,” Lucia said.

The extra staff are hoped to reduce crew-related sailing cancellations.

This upcoming May long weekend is expected to be the fifth busiest travel period of the year for BC Ferries.

BC Ferries is actively reviewing the need for a temporary fuel surcharge due to volatile energy prices.

The company operates 37 vessels at 25 terminals along 1,600 kilometres of coastline.

Coastal Inspiration, built in 2008, serves the Duke Point to Tsawwassen route. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Seven people also died in February in Nanaimo, bringing the total number of deaths due to toxic street drugs to 23 so far this year, according to the latest report from the BC Coroners Service.

Across Vancouver Island, 31 more people died in March, for a total of 91 deaths in 2026.

The report said of the 401 people who have died so far this year, 68 per cent were between the ages of 30 and 59, and the vast majority (78 per cent) were male.

Island Health had some of the highest deaths per health authority (41 per 100,000), with the highest rates in Vancouver Coastal (107 per) and Fraser Health (101 per).

Of those deaths, 82 percent occurred indoors, with about a third of them happening inside a residence which is not a private home, including social and supportive housing, shelters, and hotels.

Fentanyl and its analogue fluorofentanyl were detected in 59 per cent and 66 per cent, respectively, as well as cocaine (56 per cent) and methamphetamine (54 per cent), in deaths which have undergone expedited toxicology testing.

Smoking continued to be the most common method of consumption at 72 per cent, followed by nasal inhalation (8 per cent), injection (7 per cent), and orally (4 per cent).

Since 2015, the rate of people 60 years of age and older has increased from 6 per cent to 21 per cent this year, while deaths from people 19 to 59 years of age have declined, from 94 per cent to 79 per cent over the same period.

Two people under the age of 18 have died this year from toxic street drugs.

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The incident, which police are calling “an unprovoked attack,” occurred Monday, May 11, at around 3 p.m. on Seventh St., near Douglas Ave. and saw an adult man hit from behind as he was walking.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said it doesn’t appear the victim did anything to provoke or initiate any sort of altercation with the attacker.

“An individual came up behind him and hit him with an unknown object. It appeared to be a blunt object, and it caused him to fall to the ground. At one point, the suspect allegedly produced a knife as well, although there’s no indication that the knife was used in the assault.”

The suspect then fled the scene, while the victim was later treated for injuries consistent with being hit in the back of the head with a blunt object.

Due to the nature of the injuries, they have yet been able to provide a complete description of their attacker.

The victim was able to provide a partial description, but it’s not enough for police to release to the public yet.

“It’s got to be accurate information, because if we put the wrong information out, people will be looking for that person,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW. “We’re going to wait for a bit, let the individual recover, and then go back and get a more detailed description of the possible suspect.”

O’Brien added their investigation continues.

“We’ve hit the nearby homes and the businesses, we haven’t been able to get any viable CCTV footage yet. We’re asking the public to please check their dash cams if they saw anybody walking in that area between 2:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., please give us a call. It may mean nothing to you, but it may be related to the incident.”

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250 754 2345.

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Beginning Friday, May 15 at 12 p.m., campfires measuring no more than half a metre by half a metre will be allowed across the entire region, including all of Vancouver Island, unless otherwise banned by local government regulations.

“Current and forecast conditions have since shifted, bringing cooler temperatures, improved humidity values, and an overall reduction in wildfire hazard throughout the Coastal Fire Centre,” an advisory from the Centre read.

Larger open fires remain prohibited, including the use of fireworks, binary exploding targets, burn barrels, and air curtain burners.

Those lighting up in the weeks ahead should do so responsibly.

The Centre said fires should not be lit in windy conditions, should have a fuel break around them, and should be monitored at all times.

Once done, the fire should be extinguished fully until it is cool to the touch.

Municipal fire regulations remain in effect and supersede Coastal Fire Centre regulations.

Cooking fires are not permitted inside the City of Nanaimo or the City of Parksville.

“If you are in a municipality, be sure to check if local prohibitions are in place,” the Centre added in its statement. “If you are within a regional district or improvement district, this prohibition applies as well as any local prohibition issued by the local authority.”

Anyone who sees a wildfire, unattended campfire, or other open burning violation should contact the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a mobile device.

Reports can also be made through the BC Wildfire mobile app.

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Sea Wolves Vancouver Island Men’s Cancer Support celebrated it’s centennial coffee gathering on Tuesday, May 11 at White Rabbit Coffee Co.

Regularly scheduled casual meet-ups in downtown Nanaimo provides a comfortable climate for men in various phases of their cancer battles to support one another.

Prostate cancer survivor Duane Seibel moved to Nanaimo during the pandemic from Kamloops with a limited support network.

Duane Seibel (L) and Don Helgeson address a captive audience on Tuesday, May 12 at White Rabbit Coffee Co. in downtown Nanaimo. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

“What we’ve created is not a counselling group, it’s not a self-help group, it’s a community where it’s safe to share things and it is powerful,” Seibel told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Coffee gatherings are augmented by other regular indoor and outdoor social outings, but it seems a jolt of caffeine is striking the right balance for most Sea Wolves dealing with cancer, especially those struggling physically.

For many men, a cup of coffee and connecting with others in similar situations is highlight of the week, Seibel said.

He added their group helps in other ways beyond social and emotional support.

“We’ve helped guys move, we’ve helped guys clean up their yards, especially when they’re in treatment.”

Don Helgeson is a retired RCMP officer who has continually fought prostate cancer.

The Sea Wolves co-founder said their coffee gatherings started with roughly five men, since rising to 20 to 25 men now showing up.

“Men are starting to see what we’re doing and seeing how much it helps, especially when it comes to the social and mental side of things. Let’s face it, guys are notoriously known for shutting down when they get diagnosed with something.”

Helgeson said a regional cancer centre under construction in Nanaimo will make a big difference in many people’s lives when the facility opens.

He said out of town treatments take a toll.

“To have the opportunity to do your treatments, whether it’s the initial surgeries or the follow-up radiation, and be able to sleep in your own bed that night is a game-changer — I was gone for six weeks two years ago.”

While several men travel to Nanaimo for coffee and other planned gatherings, the Sea Wolves movement has left a mark elsewhere.

Inspired by the local Sea Wolves, Barry Ward of Port Alberni co-founded regularly scheduled coffee gatherings in his hometown in February.

With limited support for men like him impacted by cancer in the Alberni Valley area, Ward’s wife supported his advocacy to help himself and others.

“She didn’t give me a gentle nudge; she gave me a shove to start one up.”

Monday coffee gatherings of around five men have grown to in the range of eight to a dozen on hand regularly in Port Alberni, Ward said proudly.

“It’s hard for men to open up to talk about dealing with cancer. Everyone is opening up in different ways.”

The Sea Wolves non-profit movement still provides comfort cancer packs filled with various hygiene items to assist Vancouver Island area men during cancer treatments.

More information on Sea Wolves is available on the group’s Facebook page and website.

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• When and how did you get involved with Special Olympics?
  • When Ashley moved to Campbell River as a teenager, she decided to give Special Olympics swimming a try. “Once I got comfortable putting my face in the water, I took right off!” she says.
  • Over more than 20 years as a dedicated Special Olympics athlete, Ashley has participated in a wide range of sports, and earned the opportunity to compete in three different Special Olympics Canada Games, where she medalled in snowshoeing and track and field.

• What sports do you participate in?
  • Ashley currently participates in track and field, softball, bowling, basketball, floorball, swimming, and snowshoeing in the winter.

• What is your favourite Special Olympics experience to date? / What are some of your biggest achievements in Special Olympics so far?
  • Ashley says her favourite Special Olympics experience to date “would have to be the National Games in 2020. My 30th birthday happened to fall during the Games and they actually celebrated it with me! I then proceeded to shatter all of my old times!”
  • Ashley is a veteran athlete who is dedicated to demonstrating integrity and achieving personal bests.

• What competitions have you been part of recently and/or upcoming?
  • Last summer, Ashley competed in track and field in the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games. She overcame health challenges to compete with pride and determination in Prince George, and earned three gold medals and a fifth-place personal-best time.
  • Her achievements earned the opportunity to compete in her fourth National Games, as she is currently a member of the Special Olympics Team BC Training Squad working toward competing in the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat.
  • “Being part of Special Olympics Team BC means triumph, victory, and standing tall despite adversity,” Ashley says.
  • Her goal for the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games: “Can I see if I can get myself another best time or best throw? That would be nice!”

• What would you say about Special Olympics to encourage someone to get involved?
  • “Just try one sport, and try several actually until you find your niche,” Ashley says. “The best part about Special Olympics is you’re accepted for who you are.”

• A bit more about Ashley
  • Ashley has been a valued Thrifty Foods employee for almost eight years.
  • She volunteers on the Special Olympics BC – Campbell River organizing committee to help make local programs and events possible.
  • Outside of Special Olympics, Ashley enjoys reading, exercise, games, and “being bossed around by my two cats!”

Special Olympics BC is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and building inclusion through the power and joy of sport.

In 55 communities around the province, including 10 right here on Vancouver Island, Special Olympics provides year-round sport, youth, and health programs and empowering competitions to more than 3,400 athletes with intellectual disabilities of all ages and a wide range of ability levels.

Athletes access Special Olympics BC’s life-changing programs and competitions at low or no cost, thanks to the dedicated efforts of our 2,200 coaching and organizing volunteers, and the generous support of our sponsors and donors.

They are always in need of volunteers! To get involved, click HERE

]]> https://www.1023thewave.com/2026/05/13/special-olympics-bc-athlete-spotlight-ashley-adie/feed/ 0 https://www.1023thewave.com/2026/05/12/quite-unsightly-rdn-cleaning-up-problematic-nanaimo-river-rd-property/ https://www.1023thewave.com/2026/05/12/quite-unsightly-rdn-cleaning-up-problematic-nanaimo-river-rd-property/#respond Tue, 12 May 2026 23:26:39 +0000 Syndicated Content 2026-05-12T23:26:39+00:00 http://nanaimonewsnow.com/2026/05/12/quite-unsightly-rdn-cleaning-up-problematic-nanaimo-river-rd-property/ NANAIMO — The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) will once again clean up a well-known problematic property south of the city, after multiple delays and refusals from the owner to do it himself.

The property in question, 790/796 Nanaimo River Rd., has been the subject of community complaints for over 20 years, with issues including criminal trespassers, fires, and unsightly amounts of garbage.

Two dilapidated buildings are the main targets of this latest clean-up effort.

Manager of RDN Bylaw Services Tina Mercier said they’ve attended the property weekly as a private contractor is sought for demolition work.

“As of right now, it is quite unsightly, and that’s a result of items coming out from the buildings before the demo takes place, so that’s kind of to be expected right now, but staff plan to keep monitoring the property ahead of the demolition and obviously well after the demolition to monitor the state of the property.”

Discard items like derelict vehicles, boats, and RV’s are strewn around the site in this photo from 2025, with reports of numerous people living in some of the RVs and “ramshackle” buildings, but the owner has said no one is currently living on the property.

The property owner was given 30 days at the end of March 2025 to clean up, or the RDN would step in with a remedial cleanup response.

Mercier said it’s been a “very fluid and dynamic” situation to get to this point, with the owner making progress on improving the two remaining buildings in hopes of saving them, but she doesn’t think they’ll be up to code before the RDN moves in with demolition.

“There’s been ample opportunity to comply, and our staff have really exhausted all of our voluntary compliance efforts, so this is…what’s needed to take place, and we did have to proceed through a court process, unfortunately, and it really delayed things for the RDN to move forward.”

History

Court records show the property remains under the name of Brian Ferstel’s father, who passed away over a decade ago, and is believed to have escheated to the Crown in February 2025 prior to this current round of remedial action.

Ferstel said he has yet to put the property in his name due to significant taxes owed on the property, and the majority of the mess was caused by his brother and his friends, who suffered from addiction issues and passed away before the March RDN meeting.

After seeking reconsideration of the March order, Ferstel again spoke in front of the RDN board in June, asking them to reconsider their decision.

During the meeting, an emotional Ferstel pleaded with the board to give him time for a “fresh start”, noting now his brother has passed, work to improve the property would not be continually undone.

“Considering my cooperation, the time I’ve owned it for, 40 years, and the fact my brother has passed away, please let me have a chance to prove the new management that I will bring to the property. Don’t let the past negative reputation of the land crush the plans and dreams of the man whose been working for years on your side.”

Photos of the property were taken by Bylaw Officers in November of 2024. (Image Credit: RDN)

Following that decision, Ferstel removed garbage and debris from the property, including one of three dilapidated buildings, albeit without a permit, according to the RDN.

Ferstel also promised engineering reports stating the two remaining buildings were structurally sound, which he did not provide.

He was given until October to remove the two remaining buildings himself and obtain demolition permits, giving him another 30 days to comply.

Ferstel then filed for a judicial review in B.C. Supreme Court, citing “undue hardship and unreasonableness” against him by the RDN throughout the remedial action process.

He stated the primary reason for the hardship was due to the “considerable work on the buildings at issue and in securing the property. This includes replacing windows and doors, replacing sheathing, applying new tar paper and roofing materials.”

The demolition ordered was halted by a judge until the review could take place.

Judicial Review

During a Feb. 3 Supreme Court ruling, Justice Francesca Marzari dismissed the petition, stating, “I find that Mr. Ferstel has neither plead, nor established, on the evidence before me, a lack of procedural fairness by the Regional District. RDN provided him with plenty of advance notice.”

Justice Marzari said Ferstel had submitted “unsworn” photos and a copy of a recent engineering report on the two remaining buildings.

However, she said the “engineering report does not suggest that building #3 is safe, and falls far short of stating that building #2 is safe, even now.”

Ferstel was given 30 more days of reprieve following the Supreme Court decision, with Justice Marzari suggesting he use the time to remove any new additions to the two remaining buildings, or they would be demolished, with the RDN allowed to proceed with the remedial action requirements.

Justice Marzari said it appeared whenever Festel was given more time to comply, he would take steps to improve the buildings rather than comply with the removal order.

The anticipated cost of this cleanup, based on 2025 estimations, is between $60,000 and $100,000, but it won’t be confirmed until a contractor is selected and the demolition occurs.

It’s not the first time the RDN has had to step in to clean up the property.

A large-scale clean-up was completed in May 2023, costing over $160,000, which was recovered from the province and placed on the property tax roll as taxes in arrears.

Mercier said if future issues occur, they could seek a civil injunction on the property, but prefer to continue monitoring it to ensure it doesn’t become unsightly again, with direct enforcement actions planned if it becomes an issue again.

A moai statue, a copy of the ones found on Easter Island in Chile, is a recognizable and well-known local feature outside the property gate of 790/796 Nanaimo River Rd., built by Ferstel. (Image Credit: (Google Maps, 2014))

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The Island Roots Market, which runs year-round on Wednesdays at Beban Park from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., is moving outdoors for the summer season, beginning Wednesday, May 13, until the fall.

Market manager Michele Greene said they’ll have 54 vendors arranged on the lawn area next to the Centennial Building at the complex’s south end, a record for the first outdoor market of the year.

“It’s amazing the difference [of inside to outside], although this year we had really good attendance and a good sense of community inside. But when we go outside, and it’s sunny, the music is playing, and the grass is green, there’s just nothing better. People hang out longer and then wander around.”

For the first time in a long time, the market will feature a cheese maker, as well as vegan and organic bakers, a jeweller and various other artisans, farmers and makers.

Greene said every year, more people become aware of the Wednesday market, with vendors helping spread the word through their other engagements throughout the week.

“The vendors are happy at our market, they’re happy to be there and want to be there. They keep coming back, and they keep inviting others. When I started, I don’t remember how many vendors we had, but we were in a much smaller location, but now we’re bursting at the seams, at least at the perimeter.”

A big crowd is expected on Wednesday and in the weeks ahead, as more people become more connected to their food supply and a growing push to buy local.

The Cedar Farmers Market opened for the season on Sunday, May 10, with organizers saying over 5,000 people attended, comfortably beating last year’s record of 3,500.

Greene said similar increases in attendance were noted midweek as well.

“When the tariffs first hit, we saw a huge influx of customers, then it sort of levelled off. There are a lot of people who only come to the summer market. A lot of people don’t seem to realize that we’re year-round. Somehow the summer just grabs them, and they want to be there more often.”

More details on the market are available on their website.

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