Click below for online version
Take a Peek Inside this Week...
McNeill council supports skatepark grant application
By Kathy O'Reilly, North Island Eagle, May 8 2026
Efforts to build a Port McNeill skatepark are rolling along.
At their regular meeting April 28, council agreed to a request from the Port McNeill Skatepark Committee for municipal funding support toward a 2026 BC Gaming Grant (Capital).
The Port McNeill Skatepark Committee has completed initial design development with Radius Skatepark Designs, the same company that built Port Hardy’s new park.
Council agreed to commit up to $200,000 toward the project, conditional upon a successful application to the 2026 BC Gaming Grant for the purpose of securing matching capital funding
“The Port McNeill Skatepark Committee is beyond excited about the Town’s commitment of $200,000 to support our Gaming Grant application that will be submitted later this year. BC Gaming grants are highly competitive, and this commitment will make our application very strong,” said member Miranda Keys.
“We decided on the Cenotaph Park after extensive community polling and feedback. Our community wanted a park that was visible, centrally located and accessible,” Keys said.
“This location will also tie into recreation trails in the forested section donated to the Town by Western Forest Products below the Regional District (of Mount Wadddington) offices,” she said. “It will be the recreational ‘hub’ that links all of our community recreation spaces together with the arena, pool and track nearby and easy access from school for our core user-base: the children of Port McNeill.”
Going forward, the committee is working hard on organizing more community fundraisers and will be approaching businesses to contribute to what will be a beautiful addition to Port McNeill parks and recreation infrastructure.
“We encourage businesses and community members to attend our monthly meetings that happen on the first Thursday of every month and to follow our Facebook group for updates and communication.”
Photo — Submitted
At their regular meeting April 28, council agreed to a request from the Port McNeill Skatepark Committee for $200,000 funding support toward a 2026 BC Gaming Grant (Capital) application.
Residential Live Roof a People’s Choice Finalist
By Kathy O'Reilly, North Island Eagle, May 8 2026
A local living rooftop has been named a People’s Choice Finalist.
The project was created in Port Hardy by NATS Nursery on the roof of Dr. Alex Nataros’ home. Nataros was looking for something unique that provided a place to unwind and meditate.
“I wanted to build a home that blends in with the environment as well as provide a peaceful space to enjoy views over Port Hardy and the sunset,” Nataros said.
NATS Nursery was given freedom to create the garden design from layout, products chosen, plant assemblage and inspiration. Inspiration was drawn from Nataros’ passion for the outdoors, nature and sailing.
The design is broken into four sections, each roughly representing one of the four elements - earth, wind, fire and water. The earth was represented with predominantly green/evergreen sedum with Fragaria (chiloensis and vesca) the main accent. The sky was represented with yellow sedum for the sun and Aquilegia growing tall and delicately, reaching for the sky. Fire was represented with predominantly red sedum with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Water was represented with blue/grey sedum and a mix of alliums representing delicate corals and jelly fish.
The RoofStone pavers create a wavy ‘X’, representing the waves and starfish, and the four points lining up with north/south/east and west representing a compass to always find your way. The paver loop around the chimney represents an anchor and the connection to hearth and home. RoofEdge was used to create a drain channel along the bottom profile of the roof and was filled in with rocks collected from the site by volunteers helping with the install.
In total there are 23 sedum varieties and 11 native accents used. Every plant selected supports nature and the environment, either supporting pollinators or providing food, with each blend having at least one edible plant or fruit bearing plant. In addition to being beautiful, the live roof also has other benefits.
“The roof moderates the house heating and cooling - the place is very energy efficient and holds heat in the winter.”
NATS Nursery is located in Langley and includes a modern propagation facility, greenhouses, shipping area, and offices.
In 2006, NATS was awarded the growing contract for the Vancouver Convention Centre, the largest non-industrial green roof in North America. The project involved supplying over 350,000 plants and covered a span of four years. Most notably, this significant undertaking represented a new direction for NATS as the company expanded its vision and product line to encompass the emerging area of green roofs and living walls.
Photo — Submitted
A local living rooftop on Dr. Nataros’ Port Hardy home has been named a People’s Choice Finalist.