Saving Loudon Park: A Balanced Approach for a Vibrant Future
Post authored by Zack Simon, NCAH Board Director
I. A Beloved Natural Space Is at Risk
Nanaimo Climate Action Hub is troubled by Nanaimo City Council’s recent 5–4 vote approving the removal of 29 mature (~80 year old) Douglas fir trees to make way for a proposed 10,000 sq ft boathouse in Loudon Park. This plan threatens not only trees, but a cherished and widely-used green space in the city — a shaded, peaceful area where community members of all ages swim, picnic, play, rest, and find respite from the urban ecosystem around them.
The current proposal would essentially replace the park’s central waterfront, reducing accessible green space and all but eliminating living canopy. When you take into account rising temperatures and the increasing urban heat-island effect, rising development pressures, a growing awareness of the mental and physical health benefits of natural public spaces, and the ecological importance of mature trees and canopy, this decision is out of step with best planning practices — including those the City has already committed to.
II. A Costly Plan With Disproportionate Impact
The new boathouse is designed to serve the paddling community — a valuable part of our city’s recreational life — but its scale and placement come at a steep cost. The building footprint will replace the only forested part of the park, destroying trees that are more than 80 years old and that cannot be regrown in any meaningful timeframe.
Architectural renderings have also been misleading, showing the facility surrounded by existing trees that will, in fact, be cut down. Many residents remain unaware of how much will be lost until they visit the site themselves. The plan's $11 million price tag — nearly triple its original estimate of $4 million, and coming at a time when financial uncertainty is growing every day — only deepens concerns about whether the benefits of this proposal justify the trade-offs.
To be clear, this isn't a rejection of the paddling community’s needs. Rather, it’s a recognition that those needs must be met without compromising a space that serves hundreds if not thousands of nearby residents, many of whom see this park as a refuge in a rapidly densifying area. This paired with the recent report by Sierra Club BC (“Climate-ready Communities”) — in particular the section on the importance of urban tree canopy and the “3-30-300” rule — as well as the City’s own adoption of Donut Economics as a guiding design principle, leaves this direction feeling even more out of sync with the needs of residents moving into the next 20 to 40 years and beyond.
III. The Climate and Equity — Context in 2025
In a time of overlapping crises — climate change, affordability, and biodiversity loss — cities like Nanaimo must lead by example in preserving and enhancing the natural assets we already have. Mature urban trees are among the most effective local tools for reducing heat, capturing carbon, filtering water, and supporting biodiversity. Their removal should be an absolute last resort, with as many new trees being planted as possible today to give them time to mature before the effects of climate change make it harder for them to do so.
Access to shaded, healthy green spaces can’t be seen as a luxury, but rather as necessary for public health and equity. People from all walks of life including low-income families, seniors, those with different levels of physical ability, and those without private transportation all depend on Loudon Park for free, nearby access to nature. Looking beyond strictly human uses for the park, mature fir trees offer food and shelter for a variety of native species, and older, larger trees offer much more to the surrounding ecosystem than newer plantings. Lastly, cutting down mature trees and shrinking public space to build private infrastructure risks alienating many residents and undermines the legacy of a wonderful community gift.
IV. A Better Way Forward
This is not an all-or-nothing debate. A more balanced path has already been suggested — one that supports the paddling community while still protecting trees and shared parkland. The alternative design approach being considered includes:
Reusing the existing building footprint for upgrades and reconfiguration, even if it requires phasing or smarter spatial design.
Expanding into existing paved parking areas rather than removing tree canopy, or the possible purchase of nearby land to expand the park footprint.
Scaling down non-essential features in favour of modular, low-impact additions.
Seeking community partnership models that enable resource sharing, innovation in sustainability, and multi-use functionality.
By supporting this second, more balanced option, we can preserve what makes Loudon Park special while still meeting the needs of a growing and vibrant recreational community.
V. A Call for Public Re-engagement and Environmental Leadership
This process has been marked by a lack of adequate public consultation. Since the last formal engagement in 2021, before the current council was elected, no meaningful outreach has taken place. Many park users — including local residents, families, and seniors who frequent the site — were unaware of the full implications of the April 2025 decision.
Council must pause and reopen this conversation with the public, or opt for the approach that better serves the entire community. The choice before us isn’t between boats and trees. It’s between a short-sighted, high-cost solution and a smarter, more inclusive one that reflects the values of climate action, equity, and community integrity.