South Nanaimo
- Ocean views
- Steps (or blocks) from Downtown
- Up-and-coming
- Loads of "character" homes
- 5 min from university
- Photo of South Nanaimo
Our most recent explosion in real estate development has been happening in and around South Nanaimo.
Despite accounting for more than half of the residential waterfront real estate around Downtown Nanaimo, this neighbourhood used to be too rough to appeal to families and investors. But now, perhaps because of Nanaimo's appeal for an aging Canadian population, and certainly because of the building-out in North Nanaimo, there's a major push to develop "the South End". We're already seeing people with better plans for these lush old properties and the vintage homes, many of which have stunning ocean views.
If downtown Nanaimo continues its decades-long revitalization, South Nanaimo will only increase in appeal and standard of living.
The northernmost part of South Nanaimo (where it becomes Downtown) was the "South Ward" in Victorian Nanaimo. The South Ward had a lot of miners' cabins and rich Victorian homes overlooking the harbour and the estuary. Many of the original homes are still in place, but unfortunately a lot of them haven't been well maintained.
The name South Nanaimo usually applies to everything south of downtown, including the District of Chase River, to the Nanaimo River Estuary.
Along bus routes? Yes.
"Bad" part of town? Some parts are very quiet and safe, while others are Nanaimo's worst for visible poverty.
Back to Nanaimo Neighbourhoods page
Historic map of South Nanaimo, 1955 (before subdivision)
