The City of Nanaimo has named its event directors for the B.C. 55+ Games, which it’s hosting Sept. 9 to 13 next year.
The B.C. 55+ Games is the largest annual multi-sport event in the province, with 32 sports competitions plus cultural opportunities, and is expected to bring up to 4,000 participants plus coaches to the city.
Headquarters for the event will be at 2450 Northfield Rd. Volunteer Diana Johnstone was named president of the Nanaimo games and Mary Smith vice-president.
Event directors are Adrien Stewart (administration), Leon Potter (culture and events), Corry Gervais (friends of the games), Dr. Abe Avender (medical services ), Jenn Houtby Ferguson (promotions), Sophia Maher (protocol), Liz Williams (sport), Gord Robinson (tech services), Jim Turley (transportation), April Gale-Seixeiro (venue operations) and Karen Hunte (volunteer and participant services).
CHEK earns newscast award
CHEK News was honoured with the Edward R. Murrow Award for best TV newscast in a small market outside the U.S. for its coverage of the Cameron Bluffs wildfire, which closed Highway 4 to Vancouver Island’s west coast during the summer of 2023. The newscast ran on June 8, 2023, two days after the wildfire led to the highway closure.
CHEK News reporter Kendall Hanson was at the fire, Skye Ryan travelled a logging-road detour and Mary Griffin reported from Tofino and Ucluelet. Former Times Colonist reporter Rob Shaw covered the political ramifications of the natural disaster and road closure while Andy Neal spoke with Coulson Aviation.
New chair for Community Living
Former B.C. minister of social development and poverty reduction Shane Simpson has been appointed chair of the Community Living B.C. board of directors. Simpson succeeds Michael J. Prince, who completes his second full term at the end of this month. Simpson was appointed to a three-year term on the board of the Crown corporation.
While in government, Simpson worked with community-inclusion groups and across government to create a partnership table that initiated a 10-year Re-Imagining Community Inclusion plan focused on creating better lives for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. .
Duncan updating zoning bylaw
The City of Duncan has issued a request for proposals for a consulting firm to help update its zoning bylaw. The opportunity closes June 28. The successful firm will be involved in community engagement, urban design and mapping components of the new zoning bylaw, and writing the updated development permit area guidelines.
Tiny names Taub new CEO
Victoria-based holding company Tiny has appointed former WeCommerce CEO Jordan Taub as chief executive.
Tiny Ltd., which amalgamated with the TSX-listed WeCommerce last year, owns controlling stakes in a number of software companies such as WeCommerce, Letterboxd and Dribbble.
Former Tiny co-CEO and co-founder Andrew Wilkinson said that Taub’s appointment will allow him and fellow co-founder Chris Sparling to focus on business acquisitions and long-term planning.
The company will continue to be chaired by Wilkinson, with Sparling as vice-chair.
Wilkinson and Sparling are also co-founders of Four Top Hospitality Group, which owns or holds majority ownership of six restaurants in the capital region.
North Island College adds to board
John Jack of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Roger Kishi of Cumberland will join North Island College’s board of governors this summer.
Jack, who has been involved in governance in the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District since 2012, is chief councillor of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation.
Kishi is a former two-term Cumberland councillor and current co-ordinator of homeless and housing programs for the Wachiay Friendship Centre in Courtenay.
