The 2025 Bop City Records Community Music Fund has been granted to two winners, local punk rock band Mean Bikini and local musician and guitar teacher Sebastian Robles.

The funds for Mean Bikini will help cover costs of mastering their new album that was released on April 3rd, This Ain’t Gonna End Well, which the band previously was paying for out of pocket. 

For Sebastian Robles the funds will go to shred guitar lessons to further his skills.

Both winners shared their stories of how music drives them, and the community their music fuels.

Milli Lyman is the lead singer for Mean Bikini, and spoke to that special something that happens when the band plays together.

“ I feel like we've been exceptionally lucky that right from the get go, something about what we're playing has had people really fired up,” Lyman said. “Every time we go and play a show, it's always been met with such a special energy that we feel like we have something special. I don't know if it's the music, or the way in which we perform, or just the energy that we all have creating together, but it's something that people really love and that really fills us up in such a profound way.”

Lyman said that after three years of growing, shifting and changing, the band feels they’ve finally locked in the perfect line-up for what they’re trying to do.

“It feels like, you know, for all the goals that we've set, the ceiling for what seems possible just keeps getting higher and higher, and we just really wanna see how high it can go,” Lyman said.

As far as coming across the Bop City Records Community Music Fund, it was a serendipitous moment in the record shop that made it happen. The band is signed to an independent label, Outhouse Records, run by Mean Bikini’s bassist Laurie Storrie. They became connected with Kip and Karen, spouses and co-owners of Bop City Records, initially as a place to sell their music.

“We were all just really charmed by the way they ran their business and how willingly supportive they were of buying and selling records from our independent label. And I just happened to be in there one day and was having a chat with Kip, and saw a form for their community fund sitting on the table. And after looking it over, this was right after we just dished out a ton of money out of our own pockets to record this album, I was like ‘wow. What an amazing initiative,’” they said.

“It was really cool too to hear how the funds came about, in terms of people coming and dropping off records for free, and Kip and Karen just being like, ‘you know what? The money that we get from these records we're gonna set aside to help local musicians.’ And the Comox Valley is such a rich place for music and it's getting increasingly harder to get your music out there in the world,” Lyman said, “so it was really cool to be able to apply for. They're covering all of the costs for mastering on the record, which takes a huge financial burden off of us, a big chunk of that. And just to be met with that support from a local business is such a wonderful thing, especially as a band that has been doing it ourselves the whole time. And it's really heart warming and just feels like it's creating a huge piece of that community connection.”

Lyman explained that mastering is applying the finishing touches on an album that has already been recorded, polishing the quality of the sound to the level you would expect on the radio, or from major artists.

When talking about the drive to create this music, Lyman said it is bigger than performing or releasing work; it’s about creating a space.

“There hasn't been a punk scene in the Comox Valley for a long time, and another big goal of ours was to create that space for people. And you know, we did that out of our own passion for the music, and sense of wanting community,” they said.

Lyman said the group has brought bands from all over the world to the Comox Valley in the last couple years, including one band from Brighton, UK, called Moody Goods.

“And it's been putting the Comox Valley on the map as a place for punk rock, which is so, so cool. And beyond that, in creating space, it's turned into something that we never even knew was gonna happen, which is this safe haven and this space for queer and neurodiverse youth, which has been so amazing,” they said.

Lyman said that in a small town like this, there can be a lack of counterculture, something they personally were drawn to as a kid and still are as a queer and neurodiverse adult. Lyman said that is an important space to provide for other queer and neurodiverse folks in the community.

“Honestly, I would say the biggest success we have had as a band is creating a space for sort of marginalized groups of young people to come and feel safe and feel like they can be themselves and express themselves and feel safe to do so. And we see it at every show that we do out here, and it never loses its shine for how special it is,” Lyman said.

Mean Bikini's new album This Ain’t Gonna End Well is available for streaming on Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music. The band can be found on Instagram at @MeanBikiniOfficial.

The other winner of the Bop City Records Community Music Fund is Sebastian Robles, shred guitarist and music teacher. 

“I felt really nice when I found out that I got the prize. I was pretty excited, 'cause I was like, ‘oh, okay!’ Of course I put my energy into it and I was like, ‘I really wanna do this. I wanna go back to lessons and maybe this is one chance that I can take lessons again.’ So I was like, ‘okay, I'll apply for it.’ And then when I received the notification that I got it, I was like, ‘oh, great! I feel good.’ And I really appreciate their support and all that. I love going there and buying CDs too, so that was pretty nice,” Robles shared.

Robles has been connected to music since he was a baby, listening to his father who is also a musician. His motivation to try for himself came later...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month.

Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day in all forms of weather.

The drop-in hub will be located at 55 Victoria Road with the entrance to the space being off Nicol Street. It is expected to open on January 2, 2025, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The year-round hub will also allow all people to access essential services and connections to community resources.

The daytime hub is being funded by the City of Nanaimo with funds from the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy program.

Along with the new drop-in daytime hub that will be opened year-round, the Nanaimo Family Life Association is working on opening an overnight shelter for those unhoused at the same location.

CHLY spoke with NFLA Executive Director Deborah Hollins, about the overnight shelter they are working on opening.

With funding from BC Housing to open a temporary overnight shelter, Hollins said they are in the final budgetary discussions with BC Housing to receive the funding to open the shelter from January 6 until March 31.

The overnight shelter will be at the location of the daytime drop-in hub.

“​​So the hub will have two components; there'll be ICCS, which is the drop-in center for folks experiencing homelessness where they can go get warm or, in the summertime, cool off and access services,” Hollins said. “Then at seven o'clock, NFLA will open up the shelter portion, where people can come and find a bed for the night. They will be given a meal in the evening and then a meal when they leave in the morning. We will also provide them with services so they can have a warm place to sleep in the evening. But that portion of the project closes on March 31.”

Hollins said this new hub is great news for Nanaimo as the city needs more shelter space for those experiencing homelessness in the city.

“When you have shelter beds that are accessible to folks, you can also connect them to services, you can ensure that they are safe in the evening time, you can address their hygiene needs,” she said. “So it is just so important that there are ample beds in our community for people who need those beds. While we are waiting for housing to be built and established in our community, people need somewhere to sleep, and currently in Nanaimo, there just are not enough shelter beds. So this is just a little bit of a boost to our numbers.”

But as this news comes out, a group of concerned citizens said this new hub opening next month is still not enough.

For the last two weeks, a group of concerned citizens have been rallying outside Nanaimo City Hall trying to get the City of Nanaimo to open a daytime warming centre.

CHLY met with some members of this group following the announcement of the daytime drop-in hub.

Gretchen Brown said she does not understand why the hub isn’t opening until January as this space has been needed for the community for a while now.

“I met a young man yesterday, whose feet were wet from the day before, people are actually getting sick and dying,” Brown said.

With the date set for the hub to open on January 2, Brown said she thinks it is unbelievable that people will still have to brace for the weather and be outside for the next two weeks.

“Two weeks where people are going to be outside, they could die in those two weeks. That's reality if you're wet and cold,” Brown said.

Judith Guy said they worry that the proposed 20-30 spots the hub can house will not be enough to help the whole population of those experiencing homelessness in the community. 

According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count over 500 people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo were accounted for.

“But I think what's happening is the real focus on building permanent housing is kind of eroding some of what would be needed right now on the front line, and it's like everything else,” Guy said. “The minute you invest in prevention you have to double load it–you have to pay for the results, for lack of prevention, and then you have to pay for the cost of prevention, and you're doubling for a while. But in the end, you have better results.” 

Another concern for the group is that they said the hub will not be low-barrier enough.

Christy Wood, manager of social planning for the City of Nanaimo, spoke at a City of Nanaimo public safety committee meeting on December 18, saying one requirement for the hub to open for daytime drop-in use is that the RCMP and community safety officers must be allowed to enter the space. As well there will be security hired at night to monitor the area.

The group explained that having a low-barrier space means allowing anyone to access the space no matter how the person is feeling that day or if they have used substances or not. They said having security and police in the area increases barriers.

Qui Sepulveda said low-barrier spaces are about cultivating an environment that is either curated or informed by people with lived or living experiences.

“We know what works and what makes these spaces accessible, and yet, there is still so much bureaucratic tape in front of accessing the funding, opening them, to accessing a proper location, to getting someone willing to rent to you the space to open them,” Sepulveda said. “The people in positions of authority that we're supposed to look to for help to guide...

The 45th federal general election is in full swing across Canada, leading up to election day on Monday April 28th. This week CHLY and CVOX reached out to candidates from the Courtenay–Alberni riding for their thoughts going into the election.

Incumbent NDP MP Gord Johns said the first week of campaigning is already off to a good start for his team.

“Well first, we had a really successful first week, we reached hundreds of voters on the doorstep and over the phone, we've had a record amount of sign requests. So it's been really exciting. Obviously the most frequently raised issue that we've heard from voters that have shared with us is without question affordability, concerns around Donald Trump of course, and the threat to our country's autonomy. But really we're hearing about families and seniors and people that are already feeling squeezed by the rising cost of housing, the rising cost of food, fuel, and everyday essentials. People are working hard, but they're falling behind and they're looking for help from their government.”

Johns has served three terms so far, and is the only returning candidate in Courtenay–Alberni this election. This is something he suggests is significant in the current political climate.

“But again, Donald Trump's tariffs will cost jobs, it'll drive up prices even further. And this has everybody, including myself, very worried. And I think most voters, they really want to see experience in terms of representation in Parliament. This isn't an entry level job, it's not a training on the job option for people. In our riding it's really a two party race between the NDP and Conservatives, and people realize that the only way to stop Pierre Poilievre in our riding at Courtenay–Alberni is to vote for the NDP. And regardless, I really intend to earn everybody's vote.”

Running for the Green party this election is Chris Markevich, who after working and volunteering for the NDP for nearly ten years is hoping to be the first Green MP elected in Courtenay–Alberni. He spoke to how the start of the election has been so far, and his hope for the rest of his campaign.

“Yeah, so it has been a slow start to the campaign so far. I've had a bit of struggle with getting things going, but now that I'm officially on the ballot and I've got my materials in place, I'm really excited about hitting the ground running. I've already gone out with a couple volunteers to do some postering, we're getting some signs put out this week, and I'm engaging with more volunteers who are getting into the campaign as well. So, with the sun coming out this week as well, I am optimistic about the road ahead and I'm looking forward to engaging with more voters and with more people in the riding.”

Another new candidate this year is Teresa Knight, running for the Animal Protection Party. She said running in this election is outside her comfort zone, but something she feels she owes to the animals.

“It's personally scary for me to put myself out there. I think it's a critical time to run though, because with tariffs and restrictions on trade, a lot is at stake with this election. People will be watching the election. I'm not the type to run for a party at all, it’s against my grain. I'm kind of a shy person, but in this instance I feel I have to, and so I am, but I do find it scary and overwhelming.”

Knight said her motivation for campaigning, despite her shy nature, is a desire to help animals after her own near-death experience.

“When I was 58, I had this autoimmune pneumonia, which I had never heard of up until then, and I thought for a few days there that my end was near. And then I didn't care 'cause I was so tired, I really didn't. And then I thought, no wait, I have to help animals. 'Cause all my life I've loved animals and wanted to help them. So I have to, it was like making a bargain. I have to help animals while I'm still alive.”

The remaining three candidates in the Courtenay–Alberni riding did not respond to the request for comment before the publication deadline.

Running as the Conservative candidate is Kris McNichol, a business owner and women’s softball coach. PPC candidate Thomas Gamble’s profile notes his background in military and current work as an entrepreneur. Last to announce entry in the race on Friday March 28th was the Liberal candidate Brian Cameron, whose background is in film and aviation maintenance. 

The deadline for candidate nominations is April 7th, and at time of recording three of the six announced candidates are officially registered to the Courtenay–Alberni riding. According to Elections Canada, the complete list of confirmed candidates will be available on Wednesday April 9th.

Further election coverage will continue throughout the month.

Related Stories: Candidates excited to start campaigning in North Island—Powell River

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Reporting done in the Comox Valley is done in partnership with CVOX.

The writ dropped on Sunday, March 23rd, launching Canada into its next federal election period, ending the anticipation for local party candidates in North Island—Powell River.

This is the first election following the redistribution of federal electoral districts that took place in 2022, and one notable difference for the North Island—Powell River Riding is the addition of East Courtenay, shifting the boundary line to include all neighbourhoods east of the Courtenay River.

Another change this election period for North Island—Powell River is that current NDP MP Rachel Blaney will not seek election again, after serving the riding for nearly 10 years. She said in a press release March 27th that she looks back on this time with “immense gratitude and pride,” and that “it has been an honour to serve as the representative of this region.”

CHLY and CVOX spoke to candidates in the North Island—Powell River riding, to hear how they are feeling going into the election.

First to respond was the NDP’s new candidate Tanille Johnston, who said she has been eager to start campaigning.

“I'm excited. I am feeling great. I am a planner at heart, so the waiting period for the writ drop was something else. So I was super excited when it was finally official-official. So that we could all just get started and get moving with it. I think a lot of people have been kind of anxiously awaiting the election and that same decision as to when it was going to happen, so it was almost like a sigh of relief and then 'let's get going,’” Johnston said.

Also quick to reply was the Green Party candidate Jessica Wegg, another first-time candidate who also said she is excited.

“I am feeling excited. I'm excited for Canadians to have this opportunity to vote at such a crucial time, especially when we can see just how important it is for citizens to participate in the Democratic process,” Wegg said.

Liberal Party candidate Jennifer Lash is also running for the first time, and is excited about the conversations she has been having with community members so far.

“I'm feeling so energized and excited 'cause of all this momentum towards the Liberals and it is just a really exciting time to be out there talking to people about the future of the communities in North Island—Powell River. We have communities from big to tiny, and a wide-wide range of them, and they all have certain issues that they wanna address,” Lash said. “They're concerned about the tariffs, they're concerned about economic development, they've got concerns around healthcare. But they're coming with ideas. They're coming with a willingness to try and find solutions and work together on things, and I'm finding that just exhilarating and exciting. So it's been an amazing first couple days of the campaign.”

Paul Macknight, returning candidate for the PPC, thanked the newsroom for reaching out but said he will not be giving interviews at this time and suggested listeners read his bio online.

Aaron Gunn, first-time representative of the Conservative Party, did not respond to the request for comment before the publication deadline.

Electors have until April 22nd to register to vote, or apply to vote by mail, either online or in person at a local Elections Canada office.

Elections Canada has offices throughout the North Island—Powell River riding in Campbell River, Port McNeill, Comox, and Powell River. Electors may also visit these offices to vote early by special ballot, before the April 22nd deadline.

Advanced voting will take place April 18th - 21st, and election day will be on Monday April 28th.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Reporting done in the Comox Valley is done in partnership with CVOX.

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month.

Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day in all forms of weather.

The drop-in hub will be located at 55 Victoria Road with the entrance to the space being off Nicol Street. It is expected to open on January 2, 2025, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The year-round hub will also allow all people to access essential services and connections to community resources.

The daytime hub is being funded by the City of Nanaimo with funds from the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy program.

Along with the new drop-in daytime hub that will be opened year-round, the Nanaimo Family Life Association is working on opening an overnight shelter for those unhoused at the same location.

CHLY spoke with NFLA Executive Director Deborah Hollins, about the overnight shelter they are working on opening.

With funding from BC Housing to open a temporary overnight shelter, Hollins said they are in the final budgetary discussions with BC Housing to receive the funding to open the shelter from January 6 until March 31.

The overnight shelter will be at the location of the daytime drop-in hub.

“​​So the hub will have two components; there'll be ICCS, which is the drop-in center for folks experiencing homelessness where they can go get warm or, in the summertime, cool off and access services,” Hollins said. “Then at seven o'clock, NFLA will open up the shelter portion, where people can come and find a bed for the night. They will be given a meal in the evening and then a meal when they leave in the morning. We will also provide them with services so they can have a warm place to sleep in the evening. But that portion of the project closes on March 31.”

Hollins said this new hub is great news for Nanaimo as the city needs more shelter space for those experiencing homelessness in the city.

“When you have shelter beds that are accessible to folks, you can also connect them to services, you can ensure that they are safe in the evening time, you can address their hygiene needs,” she said. “So it is just so important that there are ample beds in our community for people who need those beds. While we are waiting for housing to be built and established in our community, people need somewhere to sleep, and currently in Nanaimo, there just are not enough shelter beds. So this is just a little bit of a boost to our numbers.”

But as this news comes out, a group of concerned citizens said this new hub opening next month is still not enough.

For the last two weeks, a group of concerned citizens have been rallying outside Nanaimo City Hall trying to get the City of Nanaimo to open a daytime warming centre.

CHLY met with some members of this group following the announcement of the daytime drop-in hub.

Gretchen Brown said she does not understand why the hub isn’t opening until January as this space has been needed for the community for a while now.

“I met a young man yesterday, whose feet were wet from the day before, people are actually getting sick and dying,” Brown said.

With the date set for the hub to open on January 2, Brown said she thinks it is unbelievable that people will still have to brace for the weather and be outside for the next two weeks.

“Two weeks where people are going to be outside, they could die in those two weeks. That's reality if you're wet and cold,” Brown said.

Judith Guy said they worry that the proposed 20-30 spots the hub can house will not be enough to help the whole population of those experiencing homelessness in the community. 

According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count over 500 people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo were accounted for.

“But I think what's happening is the real focus on building permanent housing is kind of eroding some of what would be needed right now on the front line, and it's like everything else,” Guy said. “The minute you invest in prevention you have to double load it–you have to pay for the results, for lack of prevention, and then you have to pay for the cost of prevention, and you're doubling for a while. But in the end, you have better results.” 

Another concern for the group is that they said the hub will not be low-barrier enough.

Christy Wood, manager of social planning for the City of Nanaimo, spoke at a City of Nanaimo public safety committee meeting on December 18, saying one requirement for the hub to open for daytime drop-in use is that the RCMP and community safety officers must be allowed to enter the space. As well there will be security hired at night to monitor the area.

The group explained that having a low-barrier space means allowing anyone to access the space no matter how the person is feeling that day or if they have used substances or not. They said having security and police in the area increases barriers.

Qui Sepulveda said low-barrier spaces are about cultivating an environment that is either curated or informed by people with lived or living experiences.

“We know what works and what makes these spaces accessible, and yet, there is still so much bureaucratic tape in front of accessing the funding, opening them, to accessing a proper location, to getting someone willing to rent to you the space to open them,” Sepulveda said. “The people in positions of authority that we're supposed to look to for help to guide...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month.

Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day in all forms of weather.

The drop-in hub will be located at 55 Victoria Road with the entrance to the space being off Nicol Street. It is expected to open on January 2, 2025, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The year-round hub will also allow all people to access essential services and connections to community resources.

The daytime hub is being funded by the City of Nanaimo with funds from the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy program.

Along with the new drop-in daytime hub that will be opened year-round, the Nanaimo Family Life Association is working on opening an overnight shelter for those unhoused at the same location.

CHLY spoke with NFLA Executive Director Deborah Hollins, about the overnight shelter they are working on opening.

With funding from BC Housing to open a temporary overnight shelter, Hollins said they are in the final budgetary discussions with BC Housing to receive the funding to open the shelter from January 6 until March 31.

The overnight shelter will be at the location of the daytime drop-in hub.

“​​So the hub will have two components; there'll be ICCS, which is the drop-in center for folks experiencing homelessness where they can go get warm or, in the summertime, cool off and access services,” Hollins said. “Then at seven o'clock, NFLA will open up the shelter portion, where people can come and find a bed for the night. They will be given a meal in the evening and then a meal when they leave in the morning. We will also provide them with services so they can have a warm place to sleep in the evening. But that portion of the project closes on March 31.”

Hollins said this new hub is great news for Nanaimo as the city needs more shelter space for those experiencing homelessness in the city.

“When you have shelter beds that are accessible to folks, you can also connect them to services, you can ensure that they are safe in the evening time, you can address their hygiene needs,” she said. “So it is just so important that there are ample beds in our community for people who need those beds. While we are waiting for housing to be built and established in our community, people need somewhere to sleep, and currently in Nanaimo, there just are not enough shelter beds. So this is just a little bit of a boost to our numbers.”

But as this news comes out, a group of concerned citizens said this new hub opening next month is still not enough.

For the last two weeks, a group of concerned citizens have been rallying outside Nanaimo City Hall trying to get the City of Nanaimo to open a daytime warming centre.

CHLY met with some members of this group following the announcement of the daytime drop-in hub.

Gretchen Brown said she does not understand why the hub isn’t opening until January as this space has been needed for the community for a while now.

“I met a young man yesterday, whose feet were wet from the day before, people are actually getting sick and dying,” Brown said.

With the date set for the hub to open on January 2, Brown said she thinks it is unbelievable that people will still have to brace for the weather and be outside for the next two weeks.

“Two weeks where people are going to be outside, they could die in those two weeks. That's reality if you're wet and cold,” Brown said.

Judith Guy said they worry that the proposed 20-30 spots the hub can house will not be enough to help the whole population of those experiencing homelessness in the community. 

According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count over 500 people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo were accounted for.

“But I think what's happening is the real focus on building permanent housing is kind of eroding some of what would be needed right now on the front line, and it's like everything else,” Guy said. “The minute you invest in prevention you have to double load it–you have to pay for the results, for lack of prevention, and then you have to pay for the cost of prevention, and you're doubling for a while. But in the end, you have better results.” 

Another concern for the group is that they said the hub will not be low-barrier enough.

Christy Wood, manager of social planning for the City of Nanaimo, spoke at a City of Nanaimo public safety committee meeting on December 18, saying one requirement for the hub to open for daytime drop-in use is that the RCMP and community safety officers must be allowed to enter the space. As well there will be security hired at night to monitor the area.

The group explained that having a low-barrier space means allowing anyone to access the space no matter how the person is feeling that day or if they have used substances or not. They said having security and police in the area increases barriers.

Qui Sepulveda said low-barrier spaces are about cultivating an environment that is either curated or informed by people with lived or living experiences.

“We know what works and what makes these spaces accessible, and yet, there is still so much bureaucratic tape in front of accessing the funding, opening them, to accessing a proper location, to getting someone willing to rent to you the space to open them,” Sepulveda said. “The people in positions of authority that we're supposed to look to for help to guide...

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month.

Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day in all forms of weather.

The drop-in hub will be located at 55 Victoria Road with the entrance to the space being off Nicol Street. It is expected to open on January 2, 2025, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The year-round hub will also allow all people to access essential services and connections to community resources.

The daytime hub is being funded by the City of Nanaimo with funds from the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy program.

Along with the new drop-in daytime hub that will be opened year-round, the Nanaimo Family Life Association is working on opening an overnight shelter for those unhoused at the same location.

CHLY spoke with NFLA Executive Director Deborah Hollins, about the overnight shelter they are working on opening.

With funding from BC Housing to open a temporary overnight shelter, Hollins said they are in the final budgetary discussions with BC Housing to receive the funding to open the shelter from January 6 until March 31.

The overnight shelter will be at the location of the daytime drop-in hub.

“​​So the hub will have two components; there'll be ICCS, which is the drop-in center for folks experiencing homelessness where they can go get warm or, in the summertime, cool off and access services,” Hollins said. “Then at seven o'clock, NFLA will open up the shelter portion, where people can come and find a bed for the night. They will be given a meal in the evening and then a meal when they leave in the morning. We will also provide them with services so they can have a warm place to sleep in the evening. But that portion of the project closes on March 31.”

Hollins said this new hub is great news for Nanaimo as the city needs more shelter space for those experiencing homelessness in the city.

“When you have shelter beds that are accessible to folks, you can also connect them to services, you can ensure that they are safe in the evening time, you can address their hygiene needs,” she said. “So it is just so important that there are ample beds in our community for people who need those beds. While we are waiting for housing to be built and established in our community, people need somewhere to sleep, and currently in Nanaimo, there just are not enough shelter beds. So this is just a little bit of a boost to our numbers.”

But as this news comes out, a group of concerned citizens said this new hub opening next month is still not enough.

For the last two weeks, a group of concerned citizens have been rallying outside Nanaimo City Hall trying to get the City of Nanaimo to open a daytime warming centre.

CHLY met with some members of this group following the announcement of the daytime drop-in hub.

Gretchen Brown said she does not understand why the hub isn’t opening until January as this space has been needed for the community for a while now.

“I met a young man yesterday, whose feet were wet from the day before, people are actually getting sick and dying,” Brown said.

With the date set for the hub to open on January 2, Brown said she thinks it is unbelievable that people will still have to brace for the weather and be outside for the next two weeks.

“Two weeks where people are going to be outside, they could die in those two weeks. That's reality if you're wet and cold,” Brown said.

Judith Guy said they worry that the proposed 20-30 spots the hub can house will not be enough to help the whole population of those experiencing homelessness in the community. 

According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count over 500 people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo were accounted for.

“But I think what's happening is the real focus on building permanent housing is kind of eroding some of what would be needed right now on the front line, and it's like everything else,” Guy said. “The minute you invest in prevention you have to double load it–you have to pay for the results, for lack of prevention, and then you have to pay for the cost of prevention, and you're doubling for a while. But in the end, you have better results.” 

Another concern for the group is that they said the hub will not be low-barrier enough.

Christy Wood, manager of social planning for the City of Nanaimo, spoke at a City of Nanaimo public safety committee meeting on December 18, saying one requirement for the hub to open for daytime drop-in use is that the RCMP and community safety officers must be allowed to enter the space. As well there will be security hired at night to monitor the area.

The group explained that having a low-barrier space means allowing anyone to access the space no matter how the person is feeling that day or if they have used substances or not. They said having security and police in the area increases barriers.

Qui Sepulveda said low-barrier spaces are about cultivating an environment that is either curated or informed by people with lived or living experiences.

“We know what works and what makes these spaces accessible, and yet, there is still so much bureaucratic tape in front of accessing the funding, opening them, to accessing a proper location, to getting someone willing to rent to you the space to open them,” Sepulveda said. “The people in positions of authority that we're supposed to look to for help to guide...

“It was sort of a surreal moment when I was walking out, because I've been a Whitecaps fan since I was really young. So, being able to be in the shoes of the players I once looked up to was just, it was a surreal moment. And then just playing in the game–  yeah, it was a really cool experience. I'm lost for words really,” said Liam Mackenzie.

Local Comox Valley athlete Liam Mackenzie made his Whitecaps debut with his first start for the Vancouver Major League Soccer team on Saturday, March 22nd. 

Mackenzie is 18 years old, and has been playing soccer since he was five.

“I started when I was five years old, in the Comox Valley. I played house, grew up playing with the Comox Valley United Soccer Club for pretty much all my youth years, and then I ended up traveling down to Victoria to play for the Wave, before I got scouted to move over with the Whitecaps. That's sort of my journey,” he explained.

Mackenzie said that he played other sports growing up, but soccer was the one that stuck.

“I just always loved the game, since I had a ball at my feet I loved it,” he said. “Obviously I played a bunch of different sports when I was younger, but soccer was always the one that sort of stood out to me. I was always the best at it, I guess.”

Mackenzie said that being scouted by the Whitecaps Academy in 2020 is something he had been working toward his whole youth.

“Being able to move away from my family, you know, at 13 to go to the Whitecaps Academy was a huge step up in my career. And then from there, I just was able to keep working and get to where I am now with the second team.”

Being signed to the Whitecaps’ second team last year was a major moment, not only for Mackenzie but for his family too.

“It was a great feeling for me and my family. It was right around my birthday, I believe, last year. It was a huge moment. I worked really hard for it, and obviously my family was really, really proud of me. So yeah, it felt great, but I knew that there's more to do and so I just tried to continue working towards my next goals. Higher achievements, always,” he said.

It’s not just family showing up to support him on this journey, but the Comox community as well. Mackenzie said how special it was being able to look up at the stands this weekend, and see them watching him play.

“It was really cool 'cause there [were] a bunch of people from the Comox Valley, and people have probably seen when you search up my name, a lot of stuff comes up about Comox and whatever, but it really is, I am proud coming from Comox,” he said. “So it was really cool to see a bunch of people come out from the Valley and support me in my first game. And I only got to see a couple of 'em, a few of the people after the game. I know there were a lot more people from Comox there watching, but I appreciate so much everyone in Comox supporting me.”

Mackenzie said that playing professionally means everything to him; it’s been his goal since he was young. 

“So, you know, living it and just being in the moment, playing professionally, playing for the Whitecaps, it's a great feeling. And I know that I have a lot more work to do, so really it's just about trying to keep working and [to] try and earn more opportunities,” he said.

According to Mackenzie the higher level of play brings higher stakes and a faster pace, with everything on the field needing to be quicker and better, with sharp thinking and always doing his best for the team. Mackenzie’s motivation is earning more opportunities to play with the first team.

He said the biggest challenge through all this has been showing up to the facility on days when he’s not feeling his best, or things aren’t quite going his way, and still having to put in a good shift. His greatest pride, however, is his work ethic.

“Really the main thing is just, when things are getting hard and things are tough, that you stick with it and just try and push through the tough moments. So I think that's what I try and live by,” Mackenzie said. 

The Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club game schedule, as well as Liam Mackenzie’s player profile, can be found online at whitecapsfc.com.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Reporting done in the Comox Valley is done in partnership with CVOX.

“With music, your curiosity is never over because there's always something else to check out. So it's a way of traveling the world in a way, through different cultures, through their music,” said Kip Luce.

Kip and Karen, spouses and co-owners of Bop City Records in Courtenay, are launching a brand new community music fund to support the local music scene.

Bop City Records sells new and used CDs, records and cassettes, and sometimes when patrons bring in collections to sell, they opt not to take the cash or store credit offered in exchange. Co-owner Kip Luce explained how as a for-profit business, it felt important to find a way to give that back to the community.

“I always feel a bit weird about taking tips or freebies and I explain, ‘well, we're a business so we want to pay you out.’ And then we realized, well, maybe we can just turn that money that people don't want into something good,” he said. “And we wanted to do something charitable, but also something music related and something community-based. And so basically the idea of the fund was born, that we can try to support one or two projects a year. And it could be anything.”

Luce said the fund is open-ended, and Bop City’s co-owners will consider applications for anything to do with local music.

“So it could be for education, it could be for recordings, it could be for anything related to releasing physical media, it could be for live events. So anything music related. I mean, I've met people that have taken instrument building classes. Well, if you want to take an instrument building class and it's out of your budget, that could be something that we could help with,” he enthused.

Luce anticipates that with the current scale of the fund, they will be able to support one or two projects, once or twice a year. He says that they have already received a few “really good” applications since announcing the fund.

“There's been all kinds of really cool ideas out there. There's gonna be a lot more great ideas than there are dollars to support it, which is a nice problem to have,” he joked.

Luce said the motivation for this community music fund comes from a desire to support local, rather than donate to a music charity somewhere else in the world. He credits local musicians and music fans for the support that has kept Bop City Records open for 31 years. 

“There's lots of ups and downs. You know, the world's been a topsy-turvy place with COVID and now with the Orange One,” he said. “And so it's been a trying time, for various reasons, to be a small business person. But we just keep trucking along and we learn as we go and we make it up as we go along and we're just having a great time.”

Luce said one of his favourite things is watching customers who come in, and guessing what they will buy.

“And I love it when I'm totally wrong. Or if they've got some Hawaiian guitar music, they've got some metal, and they've got some bluegrass. I just love the diversity of people's tastes and I love trying to figure out what they want, but I also love surprising them with new sounds too,” he said. “Often somebody walks in and they kind of have this stunned look on their face, and they're looking at my speakers and they're standing there and they say, ‘what is this? I need it.’ And so that's part of the fun too, is just introducing people to new stuff.”

Luce said that since buying the business eight years ago, he and his co-owner have noticed a real shift in the diversity of patrons, and their tastes in music.

“I think that partly is [because] the valley is diversifying. People are coming from other cities and other countries and other provinces, and the next generation, the younger kids are getting into physical media as well. And so we've really found our customer base has diversified. So we're happy about that,” he said.

When asked about the importance of community, Luce said “everyone wants to be a member– feel like they're a member of a community. And the more you have that the richer your society is, and so that was one of the important things that we wanted this fund to sort of be about, is being able to say, ‘hey, okay, we value whatever you're doing, give it a shot. It's worth trying. Somebody's gonna love it, you're gonna make yourself and other people happy.’ And if we could throw a little bit of money at that, um, that's great.”

Those interested in applying for the Bop City Community Music Fund have until Monday, March 31st to submit. Applications are available to pick up at Bop City Records, or can be requested by email at [email protected].

“Music is just sound that hits your brain,” Luce said, “but it's also some magical thing that transforms your body and your mind, and it conveys a message sometimes. But it also, I don't know, it's some kind of little bit of magic in life that I can't really put my finger on, but I can't get enough of, I can't live without. I mean, I suppose if I went deaf I would learn. But it's just inexplicable really.”

The music playing in the background during this interview is a local trio Air Above Mountains, who perform improvised music.

“If you see them live, it's a bit of a feast for the eyes because they play about 18,000 different instruments and the guitarist sort of puts his guitar on his lap and beats it with mallets and does all kinds of fun things with pedals and effects and you're not too sure what you're hearing and it's just a trip,” Luce described. “They've got a number of albums out on CD and vinyl, and it's kind of one of the valley's best kept secrets actually.” 

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Reporting done in the Comox Valley is done in partnership with CVOX.

After an outcry from concerned citizens wondering where daytime warming shelters are for the unhoused, the City of Nanaimo has announced a year-round daytime drop-in hub set to open next month.

Operated by Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) in partnership with Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) the drop-in hub will offer a space for those unhoused in the community to find shelter during the day in all forms of weather.

The drop-in hub will be located at 55 Victoria Road with the entrance to the space being off Nicol Street. It is expected to open on January 2, 2025, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The year-round hub will also allow all people to access essential services and connections to community resources.

The daytime hub is being funded by the City of Nanaimo with funds from the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy program.

Along with the new drop-in daytime hub that will be opened year-round, the Nanaimo Family Life Association is working on opening an overnight shelter for those unhoused at the same location.

CHLY spoke with NFLA Executive Director Deborah Hollins, about the overnight shelter they are working on opening.

With funding from BC Housing to open a temporary overnight shelter, Hollins said they are in the final budgetary discussions with BC Housing to receive the funding to open the shelter from January 6 until March 31.

The overnight shelter will be at the location of the daytime drop-in hub.

“​​So the hub will have two components; there'll be ICCS, which is the drop-in center for folks experiencing homelessness where they can go get warm or, in the summertime, cool off and access services,” Hollins said. “Then at seven o'clock, NFLA will open up the shelter portion, where people can come and find a bed for the night. They will be given a meal in the evening and then a meal when they leave in the morning. We will also provide them with services so they can have a warm place to sleep in the evening. But that portion of the project closes on March 31.”

Hollins said this new hub is great news for Nanaimo as the city needs more shelter space for those experiencing homelessness in the city.

“When you have shelter beds that are accessible to folks, you can also connect them to services, you can ensure that they are safe in the evening time, you can address their hygiene needs,” she said. “So it is just so important that there are ample beds in our community for people who need those beds. While we are waiting for housing to be built and established in our community, people need somewhere to sleep, and currently in Nanaimo, there just are not enough shelter beds. So this is just a little bit of a boost to our numbers.”

But as this news comes out, a group of concerned citizens said this new hub opening next month is still not enough.

For the last two weeks, a group of concerned citizens have been rallying outside Nanaimo City Hall trying to get the City of Nanaimo to open a daytime warming centre.

CHLY met with some members of this group following the announcement of the daytime drop-in hub.

Gretchen Brown said she does not understand why the hub isn’t opening until January as this space has been needed for the community for a while now.

“I met a young man yesterday, whose feet were wet from the day before, people are actually getting sick and dying,” Brown said.

With the date set for the hub to open on January 2, Brown said she thinks it is unbelievable that people will still have to brace for the weather and be outside for the next two weeks.

“Two weeks where people are going to be outside, they could die in those two weeks. That's reality if you're wet and cold,” Brown said.

Judith Guy said they worry that the proposed 20-30 spots the hub can house will not be enough to help the whole population of those experiencing homelessness in the community. 

According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count over 500 people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo were accounted for.

“But I think what's happening is the real focus on building permanent housing is kind of eroding some of what would be needed right now on the front line, and it's like everything else,” Guy said. “The minute you invest in prevention you have to double load it–you have to pay for the results, for lack of prevention, and then you have to pay for the cost of prevention, and you're doubling for a while. But in the end, you have better results.” 

Another concern for the group is that they said the hub will not be low-barrier enough.

Christy Wood, manager of social planning for the City of Nanaimo, spoke at a City of Nanaimo public safety committee meeting on December 18, saying one requirement for the hub to open for daytime drop-in use is that the RCMP and community safety officers must be allowed to enter the space. As well there will be security hired at night to monitor the area.

The group explained that having a low-barrier space means allowing anyone to access the space no matter how the person is feeling that day or if they have used substances or not. They said having security and police in the area increases barriers.

Qui Sepulveda said low-barrier spaces are about cultivating an environment that is either curated or informed by people with lived or living experiences.

“We know what works and what makes these spaces accessible, and yet, there is still so much bureaucratic tape in front of accessing the funding, opening them, to accessing a proper location, to getting someone willing to rent to you the space to open them,” Sepulveda said. “The people in positions of authority that we're supposed to look to for help to guide...