BOUQUET To the staff at Planet Fitness gym. These wonderful people have always been helpful and professional and maintain a spotless facility. Now, with COVID happening, they have increased and expanded their efforts to keep us all safe.
BEEF I am the guy who pumps out the pit toilet at Neck Point, as well as others around Nanaimo. Yes, I agree it is not the cleanest or the nicest smelling, none of them are. I do my best. But when people throw down diapers, garbage, pop cans, bottles, wipes, sticks, rocks, cellphones and condoms, most of these items get stuck on or in the end of my hose. I have to remove these with my hands, now that is disgusting. You don’t throw this stuff in your own flushable toilet that you clean, so don’t throw it in a toilet that someone else has to clean. The sad thing is 90 per cent of these pit toilets have a garbage can either in them or within 15 feet.
BOUQUET To Linda and Brian at VIU. They had the patience to walk a very timid first-year through her courses and all information possible while remaining kind and caring. Incredibly grateful to have met these two wonderful people. Thank you for helping.
BEEF To those in the north-end neighbourhood who are slashing tires overnight. You may not be caught but one day when life comes down on you I want you to think of me because I will be smiling.
BOUQUET To all the people who tip the delivery drivers for their food. Commercial insurance is extra, plus gas, repairs, masks and sanitizer. We are front-line. too. Thank you and good karma to you.
BEEF To the lady at Rathtrevor Park. Your loud voice continued for three days. We could hear every single conversation, as far away as the bathrooms. We never heard noise from any other campsites, yet you tell us to chill? At least your kids were quiet.
BOUQUET To the staff/doctors at NRGH who took care of me for my day surgery. Dr. Jane Yeoh was very attentive to pre-existing conditions, a perfect procedure and amazing sutures to limit scarring. The anesthesiologist Dr. Hirst also took every precaution based on my history and was genuinely caring and highly skilled. Terry was very kind, calming my PTSD, Brittany, Michelle, Bonnie and others were positive. Janine found my new vest that went to laundry. Thank you all.
BEEF To the inconsiderate Pipers Lagoon-area resident who thinks it acceptable to dispose of their garden waste in the ocean. Seven piles of floating debris in the lagoon recently is not acceptable.
BOUQUET Thank you for publishing an excellent report about Green Party leadership candidate Dimitri Lascaris’s visit to Nanaimo. The air waves were full of reports about the election of the Conservative Party leader; in contrast, most of the mainstream media have been silent about the upcoming elections of a leader for the federal Green Party and a leader for the B.C. Greens. Thank you for bucking that trend.
BEEF I am witnessing more and more people being unnecessarily rude and even cruel to checkout girls, store clerks, and others working in the service industry. Though they may be there to serve the public, they are not your servants. And their jobs are made even more difficult in these times where they have to be social distance police, take extra cleaning precautions, and even put their own health at risk. For humanity’s sake, have some respect, compassion and patience the next time you’re out in public.
BOUQUET How lovely it has been, these past few months, to not have fire trucks chasing ambulances all over town. The noise pollution has been greatly decreased and I would imagine that the cost to the city has been reduced as well. I hope it can continue.
BEEF Why has the city moved forward with putting parking restrictions in and around Nanaimo Regional General Hospital? The site does not have nearly enough parking stalls to accommodate the amount of employees who work at this hospital daily.
BOUQUET To considerate neighbours who refrain from using power tools and lawn maintenance equipment during meal times and on Sunday mornings. We are just on the other side of the fence, enjoying a quiet conversation and the wonderful birdsong. Many of us are stuck at home, so it’s good to see people heeding Dr. Henry’s advice.
BEEF Island Health could have hired people or put out a call for people to apply knowing they’d be doing so many COVID-19 tests. It’s a serious imposition to wait for test results when you had to wait to get a phone call with your doctor and wait to get an appointment for an in-person visit.
BOUQUET Huge thanks to whoever found my son Mack’s wallet. He just had his birthday, all gift cards were intact. Coast Capital Savings even added a Tim Hortons gift card which was beyond nice. Such a great day and such a good feeling knowing there are honest good people in our city. We will pay it forward.
BEEF To those stealing bicycles in Nanaimo. Bikes are favourite gifts, purchases saved up for and treasured. You have no idea how hurtful your thefts are.
BOUQUET To our ambulance attendants Jordy and Alex. I appreciated your calm, professional care from attention at home to hospital emergency unit. My bump on the forehead turned into black eyes.
BEEF To the province’s proposed LED lamps. Go take a drive on Highway 1 in Horseshoe Bay. Highway LED lights are blinding.
BOUQUET Big thanks to the young woman and her father for trying to catch my two terriers which found the hole in the fence and went exploring. They are pretty fast; I appreciate you trying to wrangle them.
BEEF I think the opiate epidemic is something that should have been focused on rather than a virus that would have run its course had it been handled the same way as Sweden. Our health authorities have caused far more deaths and economic ruin than the virus.
BOUQUET To Pryde Vista Golf Course for the wonderful work all the staff are doing during the city’s work process. The course is in excellent condition. Thank you.
BEEF To the doctors in most of the medical clinics. Please go back to work at your clinics. Some of us need to see you in person for appointments and examinations. We know you make lots of money and can afford to stay home. I called the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons to plead with them. I was told that guidelines were sent out in May for offices to reopen.
BOUQUET To the amazing Dr. Culp at NRGH who understood without question that not all children are the same, took our concerns seriously and acted accordingly. He treated a non-verbal child as an actual person and that means everything in scary situations.
BOUQUET To Zougla restaurant which makes sure all health and safety protocols are in place. Comfortable and enjoyable evening out there.
BOUQUET To the wonderful lady who picked up our neighbourhood bunny who had been injured on Rutherford Road and transported him to the vet. Such a kind and compassionate thing to do.
BOUQUET Thank you HandyDart. The dispatchers are always courteous. The drivers always so friendly and helpful. The buses are spotless. On time 95 per cent of the time and if there is a wait it’s no more than 10 minutes. So helpful when you have to quit driving.
BOUQUET to the IWC road crews laying sewer pipe in upper Lantzville: efficient, hard-working, friendly, cheerful and helpful despite the heat, noise and dust. Thank you for your good work.
BOUQUET Thanks to the staff on the third floor at NRGH. The care is always amazing, it is like I am going back amongst friends. The recent 45 days in your care was the hardest for me yet, physically and emotionally, but you were there to help me through. With no visitors due to COVID I witnessed the staff being extra kind to so many even though they are understaffed. Also a huge thanks to Dr. Rudston Brown who has been with me the entire journey.
BOUQUET To the ladies who run a consignment store. You all are amazing and the loveliest people I know. I hope things get easier for you soon. You all have been so kind and generous and I cannot thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to work with you.
BOUQUET To the person whose son had his cancer check delayed by the hospital. I think you need a big hug as well as the bouquet of flowers. On Vancouver Island we haven’t had many people in hospital at any one time due to COVID. Anyone with health conditions, don’t let medical staff use COVID as a reason to delay or cancel your treatments; make complaints about it if needed.
BOUQUET To the lady and her son who presented me with a beautiful sunflower in the car park at McDonald’s on Bowen Road. It was so kind. Nothing like a random act of kindness to make someone’s day.
BOUQUET To the person beefing about the family with a trampoline and pool. You obviously need something bright in your life if this is your outlook on kids having fun. With all that is going on in our world right now and families being in lockdown, their yard is the only safe place for them to be. Maybe you should take the advice and move yourself if you find it so annoying.
BOUQUET To the food truck in Departure Bay for serving up the most delicious shakes and always with a smile. It’s nice to see our small businesses thriving.
BOUQUET To the ladies who took the time to leave notes with the licence plate number of the truck that hit our Nissan Rogue in the north-end parking lot. Cheers to you both.
To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.
