Living in Chase River

Chase River sits on the southern slope of Nanaimo, built around the river that gives it its name and the Colliery Dam park system at the heart of it. It is established residential ground at prices below the city's northern half, with a substantial park on the doorstep.

The Park at the Centre

Colliery Dam Park is the reason this neighbourhood is worth more than its price suggests. Two lakes, forest, trails and swimming, all inside the residential area rather than at the edge of the city.

For a household with children or a dog, having that on the doorstep changes the shape of an ordinary week. It is used year round and it is the local gathering point in the way a village green would be elsewhere.

The neighbourhood around it is established residential, quieter than the corridor areas and less polished than the north end. It is a working neighbourhood rather than a showcase one.

The highway runs along one edge, which puts the run south toward Ladysmith and the Cowichan Valley directly at hand.

Established Housing and Where the Value Is

Housing here is largely postwar detached stock on regular lots, with newer infill and some more recent development around the edges. Prices generally sit below the city's northern half.

That gap is the practical opportunity. A family sized house with a park in walking distance is achievable here at numbers that would not buy the same thing further north, and the neighbourhood has been steadily improving.

Standard checks for a house of this age, with one addition. Parts of this neighbourhood sit on a slope, so look for anything that suggests the ground has moved.

Set against the other neighbourhoods:

• LantzvilleA separate district municipality north of the city that stayed rural on purpose.
• Brechin HillThe rising ground above the Departure Bay terminal, close to downtown.
• CedarRural acreage and farm ground south of the city, toward Yellow Point.
• Central NanaimoThe middle of the city, with older housing and the best transit coverage.
• Departure BayThe ferry terminal, the beach and the established streets above them.
• Diver LakeA small lake and park with residential streets wrapped around it.

The Coal Legacy

Nanaimo grew as a coal city and the southern neighbourhoods carry a good deal of that history. The Colliery Dam name is a direct reference, and the dams themselves were built to serve the mining operation.

That legacy shows up in the street pattern, in some of the older housing stock and in the ground itself in places. Historic workings exist across parts of south Nanaimo and are a recognised consideration in some areas.

It is worth asking about for a specific property rather than assuming either way. Most of the neighbourhood is entirely ordinary residential ground and the question is easy to answer at purchase.

What Living Here Costs

Municipal water and sewer serve the area, so the rural cost items do not apply. Lots are regular sized and the maintenance load is modest.

Older housing costs more to heat unless upgraded, which is the main variable between two similarly priced properties here. Beyond that, the running costs sit with the rest of the city.

Who Chase River Suits, and Who It May Not

Chase River suits families who want space, a park and a reasonable price in the same purchase. It suits anyone commuting south, and it suits buyers who would rather have a lake in walking distance than a view from the window.

It suits less well anyone who wants an ocean outlook, newer construction or a prestige address. It suits less well anyone unwilling to ask the historic workings question on a specific property.

If the price appeals but the park does not matter, the central neighbourhoods are similar and closer to the hospital. If the view is what you are after, the north end and Hammond Bay are the places to look.