Nanaimo BC Old City Square Visit

Liked: Interesting buildings, wall art, free-roaming rabbits.

Of Note: The area is full of socially disadvantaged people, with some being rather unfriendly.

Other BC Cities, Towns and Locations We Have Visited: Agassiz, Bella Coola, Bralorne, Chilliwack, Fort Nelson, Gibsons, Gold Bridge, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Horseshoe Bay, Merritt, Mission,  Port Alberni, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Smithers, Squamish, Telkwa, Tofino, Tumbler Ridge, Vancouver (Seawall), Vancouver (Stanley Park), West Vancouver (Ambleside Park).

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The City of Nanaimo is home to over 90 thousand people, and is one of the largest towns in British Columbia. Nanaimo's Old City Square is comprised of several blocks near Nanaimo's Arts District, and features interesting-looking buildings and wall art. There are also several shops and eateries, an impressive church, and a hotel. Nanaimo City Hall is located right next door. Unfortunately, Old City Square area also has numerous homeless and/or drug addicted people, and one of them even confronted us in a fairly polite manner after thinking we took a photograph of another drug addict.

1. Here is a directory of Nanaimo's Old City Square, posted on one of the buildings.

Nanaimo Old City Square Directory

2. A map close-up.

Nanaimo Old City Square Map

3. We parked on Selby Street (Coordinates: N 49⁰09.958' W 123⁰56.591'. Elevation: 28 meters), in a 2-hour free parking zone, and walked to the first intersection - Fitzwilliam Street. A small paid parking lot is located to the right of where we are standing.

4. Selby Street past Fitzwilliam has some interesting sights, and we will visit them shortly. For the time being, we turned left onto Fitzwilliam Street, where Occidental Hotel is located on the corner.

Occidental Hotel Nanaimo

5. A neat frog.

Frog Wall Art Occidental Hotel Nanaimo British Columbia

6. Fitzwilliam Street past Selby Street. Going towards Nanaimo's Arts District / waterfront.

Fitzwilliam Street Nanaimo Old City Square

7. In about 100 meters, Wesley Street starts on the right side. A very impressive St. Andrews United Church is located on the corner of Wesley and Fitzwilliam.

St. Andrews United Church Nanaimo BC Canada

8. Now we have turned right and are walking down Wesley Street.

Wesley Street Nanaimo Old City Square

9. A classical-looking Wesley Square.

Wesley Square Nanaimo BC

10. And the award for the best business street sign goes to...

Wesley Street Clinic Sign Nanaimo British Columbia

11. The above three photos were taken within one block. We are now back on Fitzwilliam Street, having turned right from Wesley Street. At the far end of this photograph we see the next interesting intersection - Fitzwilliam Street at Wallace Street.

Fitzwilliam Street Nanaimo BC

12-13. Here is that interesting intersection.

Fitzwilliam Street at Wallace Street Nanaimo BC

Nanaimo Old City Square Gateway

14. A very neat ivy-covered building on one side of Wallace Street.

Wallace Street Nanaimo BC

15-16. And a cool building with a lion right across.

Wallace St Nanaimo British Columbia

Lion Figure on a Building in Nanaimo Old City Square

17. Walked one more block down Wallace Street...

Nanaimo BC Wallace Street

18...turned left onto Wentworth Street, and there was this fine otter wall art at the next intersection on the corner of Wentworth and Richards.

Island Radiators Nanaimo Autobody Building Wall Art

19. Behind the building with otters, after Selby Street, the next intersection is Prideaux Street. Right before Prideaux and running parallel to it is this rail track. We walked down the track, past graffiti-covered wall seen far ahead on the right side, and exited onto Fitzwilliam Street again, very close to the intersection with Selby Street seen in photo #3. Shortly before exiting from the rail track onto Selby Street, there was a group of 3-4 campers under the graffiti-covered wall. One of them saw us taking photographs and said "hello!". We also said "hello" and kept going.

Rail Track Nanaimo BC Canada

20. Back on Fitzwilliam Street, with Selby Street running left to right in the photo below.

Fitzwilliam Street at Selby Street Nanaimo BC Canada

21. Now we have turned right onto Selby Street, with love being just ahead.

Selby Street Nanaimo BC

22-24. Could not find love, but found a neat-looking Coach & Horses restaurant building. Right to left.

Coach & Horses Restaurant Nanaimo Old City Square

Coach & Horses Restaurant Nanaimo BC Canada

Nanaimo Coach & Horses Restaurant

Just before we reached this restaurant, the same man who shouted "hello!" near the rail track, caught up to us (about 200 meters later),  and, in a rather friendly but still confrontational manner demanded to know if we took a photo of his friend. His words were: "just because we are drug addicts...". We assured the man that we did not take a picture of his friend. During the conversation, the man asked us "not to be alarmed", and even said "welcome to Nanaimo" at some point. At the end of the encounter, he slightly bowed and went away.

25-26. Several rabbits were hanging out by the restaurant.

Nanaimo Old City Square Rabbit

Rabbit in Nanaimo Old City Square

Here is our video of the rabbits.

Nanaimo Conservatory of Music

Conservatory of Music Nanaimo BC Canada

29. Alas, all is not well in Nanaimo's Old City Square. In addition to the drug addict encounter we have mentioned above, we had a man staring at us from across the street in an unfriendly manner, and, in just over an hour, observed five or six clearly homeless people hanging out on the streets.

Street Person Nanaimo Old City Square

30-31. After that, we went down Wallace Street again, and, just past Franklyn Street, discovered Nanaimo City Hall.

Nanaimo City Hall

City Hall Nanaimo British Columbia Canada

32. Looking back, we see a neat residential building on the corner of Wallace and Franklyn.

Wallace Street by Franklyn Street Nanaimo BC

33. Now walking up Franklyn Street past the building seen in the photo above.

Franklyn Street Nanaimo BC

34-35. Finally, this cool wall art on Franklyn Street between Robson and Wesley.

Wall Art Nanaimo BC Franklyn Street

Nanaimo's Old City Square is an interesting place to visit. Just watch out for the usual social issues.