The City of Nanaimo has announced a pending purchase that will add a 2.85-acre parcel bordering Westwood Lake Park to public land. The property at 2367 Arbot Rd., currently the site of the Westwood Lake Tennis Club, will be acquired by the municipality for $2.88 million, the city said in a statement Sept. 16.
Immediate access work and longer-term planning
City staff say they will take possession of the property on Dec. 18, 2026, and carry out immediate improvements intended to make the site more accessible to park users. Those short-term measures include signage, upgraded entrance features and other access upgrades, while a broader planning process will determine how the land is integrated into the surrounding park.
“In the near term, the City plans to make several immediate improvements, including new signage, enhanced entrance features, and access upgrades. Longer term, a comprehensive planning process will be undertaken to determine how the site can best be integrated into Westwood Lake Park and serve the needs of the community.”
The land had previously been considered for townhouse development and was brought before council in late 2025 for potential housing use. The decision to purchase flips that trajectory, keeping the parcel in public ownership and preserving it as park space adjacent to one of Nanaimo’s most heavily used lakefront recreation areas.
What the purchase means for Westwood Lake
Westwood Lake Park is a central recreational hub for Nanaimo residents, offering walking trails, swimming areas and natural habitat close to the city. Folding the tennis-club parcel into the park will increase contiguous public greenspace and create opportunities to improve access and amenities along the lake’s northwestern shore.
- Location: 2367 Arbot Rd., northwestern corner of Westwood Lake
- Size: 2.85 acres
- Purchase price: $2.88 million
- Possession date: Dec. 18, 2026
- Former proposed use: considered for townhouses in late 2025
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 2367 Arbot Rd. |
| Area | 2.85 acres |
| Price | $2.88 million |
| Possession | Dec. 18, 2026 |
The city’s statement did not provide a detailed timeline for the comprehensive planning phase or specify what longer-term uses might be considered. Those questions — including whether existing tennis facilities will be retained, repurposed or removed — will be resolved through the planning process, city officials said.
Local context: balancing greenspace and housing needs
The purchase sits at the crossroads of two pressing municipal priorities. Nanaimo, like many Vancouver Island communities, continues to navigate pressures for housing supply while trying to preserve and enhance parkland and natural areas that define the city’s quality of life. The property’s prior consideration as a site for townhouses underlined those competing demands.
Keeping the parcel in public ownership expands Westwood Lake Park’s footprint and provides the city with direct control over how that shoreline is managed. For residents who use the lake for daily recreation, the move signals an investment in conserving access to the waterfront, while the promised planning process offers an opportunity for public input on how the space will serve local needs.
Staff will return to council and the public with details as planning work unfolds. In the short term, the city’s immediate improvements aim to make the property safer and more welcoming for park users when the municipality takes possession in December.
This acquisition follows council discussions in late 2025 and reflects a municipal decision to prioritise public greenspace at this site rather than permit redevelopment.
