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Why You Would Want To Live in Departure Bay

Located to the south of Hammond Bay, Departure Bay is the location of choice for families and individuals alike.  If you are looking for a waterfront or water view property closer to the central Nanaimo area, Departure Bay could meet your needs.

Area Overview

Not unlike its Hammond Bay neighbour, the area’s homes tend to be a little older and the lots a little larger with a range of affordable and higher-end properties enjoying views over Departure Bay, the city, and the Coastal Mountains while the beach and waterpark are a huge draw for many neighbourhood residents and visitors.

Schools

There are three elementary schools in Departure Bay for students from K to Grade 7: Cilaire, Departure Bay, and Rock City.  Students in Grade 8 -12 will attend Wellington Secondary, located in Departure Bay.

Shopping 

The Brooks Landing shopping centre is located in Departure Bay, between the Island Hwy North and Departure Bay Road.  Here you will find a full range of merchandise and service providers:  groceries & pet supplies; office and hardware supplies; clothing; health, wellness, dental & beauty; banking & employment services; restaurants, a coffee shop, and a gas station.  On the border with Uplands, the Rock City Centre is also in Departure Bay and features several retail businesses and restaurants.

Recreational Opportunities

With its location around the bay, many of the recreational opportunities in the Departure Bay area focus on the beach and the water for a variety of on and offshore activities from strolling and exploring to swimming and boating.  There are also neighbourhood parks in the area as well as City of Nanaimo Sports Fields for the sporting enthusiasts and for those looking for some green space, while an Activity Centre located in the area is the perfect venue for many registered activity programs.  Departure Bay is also home to the semi-private 18-hole Nanaimo Golf Club, located on a ridge above the Bay it offers spectacular ocean and coastal mountain views in addition to full practice facilities.

Entertainment

The Departure Bay area provides many outdoor, recreational pastimes however located just a short distance from many other communities, residents can access entertainment options offered throughout the entire Nanaimo area from sporting events to concerts, and movies to art galleries, however, area residents do also have the family-friendly Jumping Jiminy's Playground & Cafe to keep the kids amused regardless of the weather.

Restaurants

With two strip malls in the area, Brooks Landing and the Rock City Centre, residents and visitors to the Departure Bay area will find several convenient fast-food, light snack, juice, and coffee shop options.  Smitty’s in the Rock City Centre will appeal to the area’s family diners as Canada’s largest family restaurant chain, while those seeking a more ethnic experience will appreciate Shanghai City in Brooks Landing boasting the area’s largest Chinese buffet. Meanwhile, for a more picturesque setting, the Nanaimo Golf Club restaurant is open to club members, guests, and the public and offers a weekend breakfast buffet, daily lunches, and dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Parks

There are numerous park and recreation areas throughout the Departure Bay neighbourhood:  The Departure Bay beach with its newly upgraded walkway and benches, is a huge draw to this area, offering views of the ferries and seaplanes, an expansive beach at low tide, a designated swimming area in the summer months, and a great beach launch site for kayakers to explore the nearby islands. The Kinsman Park is at the south end of the beach offering a grass area with picnic benches and a fenced playground, while just off Departure Bay road is the Departure Bay Centennial Park one of the City of Nanaimo’s official Sports fields offering tennis courts, a multi-use court, a playfield and 2 ball diamonds.  On-site, you will also find the Departure Bay Activity Centre for registered programs and a great water park for the better weather months. Further along the coastline, the Beach Estates Park offers a park trail with stairs that follow the Northfield Creek down to the beach near the Departure Bay ferry terminal.  The Linley Valley (Cottle Lake) Park can be accessed from the Departure Bay area and offers hundreds of acres of trails while Sugarloaf Mountain is the perfect viewpoint overlooking the Bay.