I visited Nanaimo yesterday and it's heartening to see the changes that are taking place on the waterfront in The Harbour City.

Meanwhile, the revitalized Harbour Lynx Ferry is getting closer to becoming a reality once again. Once operational the Lynx will offer high-speed catamaran foot passenger service to downtown Vancouver from downtown Nanaimo. It will make the trip in approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, making it an ideal commute for folks who work in Vancouver and are seeking more housing that is more affordable than on the Lower Mainland. Think of it, drink a latte, do some work on the old laptop and arrive at work relaxed and ready to go, no more traffic jams to contend with.

Nanaimo's harbour area is growing in other ways too, with the advent of a boom in cruise ship visitations planned over the coming months and years. The deep water harbour and magnificent vistas make Nanaimo an ideal stopping place for cruise ships as they ply the waters to and from Alaska.

It's pleasing to see that a city, that was once known as a "boom and bust" community is now on a steady growth curve towards prosperity and stability. Growth forecasts indicate that Nanaimo could surpass Victoria as the largest city on Vancouver Island in the not-to-distant future.

The waterfront around Nanaimo offers a diversity of other tourism opportunities, including the ferry to historic Newcastle Island, BC Ferry service to Horseshoe Bay on the Lower Mainland, a variety of float plane facilities, kayaking, fishing, the annual Bath Tub race and a whole lot more. It's really living up to it's name of The Harbour City, and we're pleased to see the city doing so well.