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mmmatt
Jul 12, 2007, 5:18 PM
its probably more functional to build it a few stories then multiple stories. Its a police station....

yeah I know...but you could have the police on the 1st to 5th floors...then the other stuff above it lol. I know it wouldnt work, I just want a tall building...let me dream haha.

ErickMontreal
Jul 12, 2007, 5:33 PM
yeah I know...but you could have the police on the 1st to 5th floors...then the other stuff above it lol. I know it wouldnt work, I just want a tall building...let me dream haha.


Agree with you! I would like to see something like Halifax or Saint John get built here.

My concern is the fact Moncton has a firm plan to restrict the height along Main and Assumption street as well.

theshark
Jul 13, 2007, 4:25 AM
height restriction?? no good!! :koko:
Would make a boring skyline to see all the buildings at the same height.

westcoast604
Jul 24, 2007, 11:29 PM
The new Marriot doesnt look that bad...not very suburban at all really. The other hotel up the street has that feel mostly due to it's architecture (especially the horrible cone roof feature), building materials, the distance it is setback from the street, and with parking/access road in front if i can remember correctly.
Im not sure what is going to be on the ground floor of the Marriot, but the first floor should be a podium of retail, with the upper 5 as hotel, setback slightly. At least it is being built right up to the sidewalk.

ErickMontreal
Jul 25, 2007, 12:18 AM
The new Marriot doesnt look that bad...not very suburban at all really. The other hotel up the street has that feel mostly due to it's architecture (especially the horrible cone roof feature), building materials, the distance it is setback from the street, and with parking/access road in front if i can remember correctly.
Im not sure what is going to be on the ground floor of the Marriot, but the first floor should be a podium of retail, with the upper 5 as hotel, setback slightly. At least it is being built right up to the sidewalk.


I think it will be a The Keg steakhouse.

On the street level this hotel is quite urban but on the skyline perspective, it could be better. Like I said, it will be a great addition for downtown Moncton nevertheless. Moreover with the courthouse and specially with the convention center project, this hotel will be necessary.

ErickMontreal
Jul 25, 2007, 10:32 PM
:: Retail ::

Coming Soon :: Champlain Place

Buffalo Jean
Aldo Accessories
Claire France
American Eagle Outfitters (Reopening, store redevelopment)

Recently open :: Champlain place

Mexx/Mexx kid
Cassis
Ben Moss Jewellers
Trade Secret
Quilts Etc

Others ::

Telus (Wheler Power Center)
Little Cesear's Pizza (Champlain Plaza)

Coming Soon :: Mapleton Plaza

The Brick
Jacob
Mountain coop equipment
Linens n Things

Rumors :: Best Buy, Town Shoe, Esprit, Globo.

ErickMontreal
Jul 26, 2007, 1:32 PM
Moncton sets stage for premiers' meeting
Provincial leaders' visit seen as chance for city to market its strengths to western and central Canada

By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Thursday July 26th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

As local officials make final preparations to host Canada's provincial and territorial leaders from Aug 8-10, they are also busy putting on the ritz for the nearly 100 media representatives who will touch down in Moncton for the Council of the Federation's summer meetings.

City of Moncton spokesman Paul Thomson says city crews are hard at work getting Moncton primped and ready for the arrival of the premiers by dressing up the downtown, beautifying the city's parks, and upgrading City Hall Plaza.

But he is among a number of officials working to ensure the rest of the country sees Metro Moncton and New Brunswick as more than just a charming backdrop for the high-profile meetings.

"A lot of the focus for us here is on the media, and the fact that we're going to be having national media descending on us, and trying to get some stories out," he said in an interview yesterday.

Thomson says the city sees the event as an opportunity comparable to the success Moncton had in marketing itself through the Memorial Cup.

It's the type of opportunity the city cannot let pass by, he says.

The Council of the Federation was created in 2003 by Canada's premiers as a forum to bring provinces and territories together to play a co-operative role in revitalizing the Canadian federation.

Premier Shawn Graham has indicated that energy and environment issues will be at the top of the agenda during this summer's meetings.

Downtown Moncton Inc., erected signage on Main Street yesterday in order to set the stage for the national event. The multi-coloured lamp signs are each emblazoned with the name of a different province or territory.

DMI CEO Daniel Allain says this is the type of event that can make waves for the city and region.

"We're just trying to make people aware that we are going to have some leaders here that we will be placing New Brunswick on the map," he said yesterday.

While almost 100 media representatives will be crawling around the city, Allain uses a hockey analogy to note that sometime, a one or two stories can register the type of impact that will bring windfalls to the region.

"It's just like making it to the NHL, you just have to impress one or two scouts to make it to the big leagues," he said.

"It's going to have a really big impact because we have a really good story to tell."

Allain sees it as the region's duty to showcase Atlantic Canada in a different light than perhaps some of the events' participants are accustomed to seeing.

The pot is sweetened when one considers that the conference's 200 delegates will be bringing families and guests, as Allain foresees up to 500 people are expected to flow into the region for the event.

"That's the objective, it's to change the mindset of central and western Canadians who think that Eastern Canada and New Brunswick are have not provinces. We are a have province," he said.

"It's our duty to make sure they are well-informed and that they know what is happening in our area."

From the opening event of the conference, which will feature art showcased by the New Brunswick Craft Council, to the end of the conference, New Brunswick talent will be on display between the closed door meetings, says Marie-Andrée Bolduc, press secretary with the Premier's office.

While there are no events planned to give Metro Monctonians a chance to meet and greet the first ministers, they will get a chance to bump into a premier by chance as leaders and their staff explore the city between the meetings.

"Given that the schedule is quite packed in a day and a half, most of the schedule is meetings and receptions, but the premiers will definitely be in town and out and about," she said.

"There will definitely be a buzz in Moncton and the Greater Moncton area. People may see them around."

While Premier Shawn Graham is chairing the meetings, his wife, Roxanne Reeves will lead a program for spouses and children of delegates to take in the sights and unique experiences of the region. The City of Moncton will participate directly in that program

During their time in Moncton, the premiers will be staying at the Delta Beauséjour, along with most of their staff.

Bolduc says Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe, have been very helpful in the planning stages of the event, which she describes as a great opportunity to showcase New Brunswick.

"Even though the conference is in the Greater Moncton area, it will be showcasing talent from across the province, whether it be music or other artists," she said.

"We want to make sure this will be memorable for all of the premiers."

ErickMontreal
Jul 27, 2007, 3:18 PM
Moncton BIA to include St. George Street

July 27, 2007 - 10:56 am
By: Allan Dearing - News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB - After 18 months of negotiations, St. George Street is poised to join the Downtown Moncton Business Improvement Area.

At a special stakeholder meeting, property and business owners in Downtown Moncton have voted in favour of expanding the BIA to include St. George.

Downtown Moncton Inc. Executive Director Daniel Allain says this expansion has a lot of potential for St. George.

Allain says issues such as security and the esthetic appeal of the street will be explored.

The Moncton BIA is set to grow by one-third to include 850 businesses and 260 property owners.

ErickMontreal
Jul 28, 2007, 3:10 PM
New skateboard park plans unveiled
Enthusiasts pleased with expansion of seven-year-old facility

By Stephanie Kukkonen
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday July 28th, 2007
Appeared on page A3

Skateboarders won't have to wait long until they're riding the rails with the best of them.

Yesterday, architects and representatives of the City of Moncton got together for a barbecue at the existing skateboard park. The point was to show the park's users the new and exciting expansion that could begin as early as the fall.

The existing skate park has been a second home to many avid skateboarders, rollerbladers and bikers for seven years and in its prime it was celebrated as possibly the best in Atlantic Canada. But like all aging things, it is time for an upgrade.

"I was involved with the planning of the original one," says Delaney Fearon, who's been skateboarding for 22 years. "I'd like to see more challenging obstacles where people can work on their tricks and grow as a skater."

Although the park caters to all athletes on wheels, the majority of the clientele are boarders. Fearon says that while there is a known degree of animosity between skateboarders and bicyclists, 95 per cent of the time everybody gets along really well. Still, those at yesterday's meeting were all toting skateboards.

A sum of $250,000 was set aside in the 2007 City Works budget for the expansion of the park and when the preliminary plans were shown to the skaters, there was nothing but smiles and comments of admiration.

"I am 100 per cent pleased with the plans," says Fearon. "I think anything added to this park would be great, but I am very, very happy with the ones they have."

The existing park contains many ramps and rails that are good for transitional stunts, but the new park will have a lot more for jump tricks and stagnant stunts. Many of the skate boarders gathered, suggested that the edges on some of the new obstacles be squared off to reduce the slipping they find on the existing obstacles' round edges.

"Some of the things that are being added to the park are things that I would probably never try on my own," says Fearon. "I don't necessarily always think it's the obstacles in the park, but the talent in the park that makes it what it is. I think this expansion will help the skaters become more talented and to grow."

Other suggestions from the park's users were things like more trees to shut out the wind that can become an added challenge to tricks.

Also they want to see more places to sit and watch other skaters try out the obstacles. More benches and seating blocks was a very popular suggestion.

Other than a few additions here and there, the athletes are extremely happy with the preliminary plans and the designers are confident that there is something in there that everybody will like.

"My friends would say that I am a complainer by nature," says Fearon, "and I really can't find anything to complain about."

Seely32
Jul 31, 2007, 2:11 PM
Chinese cultural school inks deal to open New Brunswick campus
Education Moncton-based institute one of three in Canada

MARTY KLINKENBERG
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
Published Tuesday July 31st, 2007
Appeared on page A1


BEIJING - New Brunswick is about to add another important link to its developing ties with China, with an announcement expected soon that a Confucius Institute will open in Moncton in the fall, only the third such school in Canada.

New Brunswick education officials met with counterparts in Beijing Monday and finalized an agreement to open one of the Chinese cultural schools in New Brunswick in September. The institute will partner with a number of universities and community colleges in the province, and will eventually open up satellite campuses outside of Moncton as well.

"The Chinese government is opening 100 of these institutes worldwide, and we got one of them," said Alan Norman, a former principal at Bernice MacNaughton High School who now serves as general manager of Moncton-based Atlantic Education International.

The firm works with the provincial government to oversee the implementation of curriculum from New Brunswick into Chinese schools. Four schools in China - two each in Beijing and Shenzhen - currently use New Brunswick's curriculum.

"The biggest country in the world is our partner and we have to take pride in that," Norman said Saturday after handing out New Brunswick high school diplomas at graduation exercises for the Beijing and Shenzhen Concord Colleges of Sino-Canada at the Great Hall of the People. "Other provinces are envious of the work we do in China.

"We don't bow down to anybody."

A group of New Brunswick schools will join the British Columbia Institute of Technology and the University of Waterloo as the only affiliates within Canada of the Confucius Institute. Other affiliates include the London School of Economics and the Universities of Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Rhode Island, Purdue University, Michigan State and North Carolina State.

The Confucius Institute is a non-profit public school designed to strengthen relations with other countries by offering opportunities to students outside China to study Chinese language and culture. Its headquarters is in Beijing and falls under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic, which estimates that approximately 100 million people worldwide will be learning Chinese as a foreign language by the year 2010.

Norman has been negotiating a deal to bring the Confucius Institute to New Brunswick for 18 months. Since 1997, his company has worked on initiatives with the Department of Education and the Concord College of Sino-Canada, which celebrated its 10th anniversary Sunday night with a 2.5-hour concert by the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra at the Canadian International School in Beijing.

All four of the schools in China using New Brunswick curriculum were founded by Dr. Francis Pang, who has also had a long-standing relationship with the University of New Brunswick Saint John. Pang is hosting the 72-member youth orchestra during its current two-week China tour, and also has three dozen other high school students from across the province staying at the Beijing Concord College.

Those students, all in grades 10 or 11, are participating in a summer camp that includes classroom instruction in Chinese culture and language, as well as visits to historic sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. At the same time, Chinese students take part in an English-language program, with activities scheduled in such a way that New Brunswick and Chinese youths interact and reinforce skills in both languages.

"Cultural diversity means better understanding and more opportunity," said Pang, who was born in Hong Kong but lived in Canada for 28 years. "For us, it is a win-win situation."

Pang has been invited to visit the province in September to go fly fishing for Atlantic salmon and talk about further initiatives. He has entertained a delegation of New Brunswick officials for the last few days and joined them in a reception at the Canadian Embassy.

The New Brunswick contingent is led by Minister of Education Kelly Lamrock, and includes assistant deputy minister Dave Roberts, Lt.-Gov. Herménégilde Chiasson, Strategic Programs Director Gary Wood, St. Thomas University administrator Colleen Comeau and MLA Larry Kennedy of Victoria-Tobique. The group is visiting five cities in nine days, the others being Shanghai, Hainan, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Lamrock, who flew to Bejing from Montreal last week after attending a Police concert, has been addressing officials here in both English and Chinese. He began taking Mandarin lessons only three weeks ago, but has been able to generate applause and smiles with his remarks in the mother tongue.

"We provide a real and perceived assurance that the education system in New Brunswick is of high quality, and there are a number of people here who are very interested in getting their own campuses in our province," Lamrock said. "There is a huge demand in China for community college and university education, and we want to be a part of that.

"We want to train their students and trades people, and put a New Brunswick stamp on it."

Lamrock addressed the graduates of the Beijing Concord and Shenzhen Sino-Canada Colleges on Saturday in the Great Hall. He said he felt tremendous pride in watching and listening to the youth orchestra, and also in handing out New Brunswick diplomas to students from China.

"It is incredible to have New Brunswick on the centre stage at an event like this," he said.

"Ten years from now these students here will be movers and shakers, and when they think of Canada, they aren't going to think of Vancouver or Toronto. They are going to think about New Brunswick."

Lamrock said no place in Canada can boast the links in education that New Brunswick has forged thus far with China.

"There is nothing else like it," he said. "Other provinces have tried to poach this now a dozen times over. We have to be a little more nimble, a little quicker and a lot more creative than provinces that are bigger than our own."

Marty Klinkenberg is contributing editor at The Telegraph-Journal. He is currently in China following the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra's two-week Forbidden City concert tour. He can be reached at mklinkenberg@rogers.com.

ErickMontreal
Aug 1, 2007, 4:12 PM
Metro bus fleet to double

$2.6M in gov't funding aimed at boosting ridership to 2.8 million by 2009 and getting 1,100 cars daily off the street by 2011

http://www.branchdesign.com/monctonpixels/P1110022_new_city_buses.jpg

By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday August 1st, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Codiac Transit will nearly double its fleet of buses within 2-1/2 years, thanks to $2.66 million from the federal and provincial governments.

"Our actual ridership is 1.7 million passengers yearly," Codiac manager John Allain said yesterday as the funding was announced. "By 2009, that will have climbed to 2.8 million passengers."

The money means not only more buses, but more frequent runs, extended routes and new coverage areas.

The money comes from the federal-provincial agreement on public transit.

Allain said service frequency will go up 85 per cent with the investment.

"We will be getting many newer routes, at an increased frequency. Some old routes which saw buses going by every hour will now have service every half hour. And some new routes will have service every 15 minutes."

The new buses will all be wheelchair-friendly and low-emission. The accessible buses will be launched in the fall of 2008.

New student passes will be made available next year to 9,000 students in Metro Moncton. Codiac is now talking to school and university officials about how to best meet their needs.

A new airport shuttle service will link air passengers with hotels in Moncton and Dieppe, as well as with taxis, trains, inter-city buses and other Codiac buses.

A new transit corridor will be created along sections of Champlain Street, Main Street, Weldon Street, Mountain Road and Plaza Boulevard, connecting important businesses.

"Provisions have also been made to extend this corridor to Riverview and further along Champlain Boulevard," Allain said, with service every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

New areas will be served by Codiac Transit thanks to the funding, including Grove Hamlet, Sunshine Drive and Salisbury Road to the Allison Baptist Church.

The area around Salisbury Road and the Moncton Industrial Park will enjoy bus service on Saturdays and Sundays for the first time.

Solar-powered bus shelters at l'Université de Moncton and at Dieppe City Hall will also serve as demonstration sites.

Four "intermodal" bus stops will link city buses with other modes of transportation, from trains, inter-city buses, the airport and even taxis.

Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore, representing the federal minister of transportation, called public transit "an important factor in enhancing the quality of life for residents of Moncton and in communities across the country."

Provincial Minister of Transportation Denis Landry said the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 575 metric tonnes by 2011 and take 1,100 cars off the roads daily.

"Bettering our public transit systems is a practical way to reduce congestion on our streets and improve air quality," Landry said.

About one-quarter of New Brunswick's greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation and about 70 per cent of that comes from road traffic.

Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton spoke on behalf of the three area municipal mayors.

"These investments will encourage more people to take the bus, fostering a greener community which is a key strategic priority for Moncton," Mitton said.

The average age of Codiac buses will be reduced to less than six years from the current age of more than nine years.

ErickMontreal
Aug 2, 2007, 7:57 PM
Metro resale housing markets up 35 per cent
Average price of a house in Metro Moncton almost $153,000, up $15,000 from

By Yvon Gauvin
Times & Transcript staff
Published Tuesday July 31st, 2007
Appeared on page C2

The resale market for houses in Canada reached new heights in June with several provinces, including New Brunswick, setting records for sales activity and average prices.

Metro Moncton also saw significant increases in sales dollars for June and total sales for year-to-date.

In Metro Moncton, dollar volume figures showed $48,840,040, an increase of 35 per cent over June of 2006, said Stephen McWilliams, president of the Greater Moncton Real Estate Board Inc. The figures for the year to date show a 19 per cent increase at $218,988,577, he said.

Total MLS single family housing sales were up 22 per cent in June and 13 per cent to date in 2007, he added.

The average price for a house rose from $137,860 during the first half of 2006 to $152,814 this year.

McWilliams said the trend in buying new is in semi-detached housing in the Moncton region.

"They're hot as a firecracker," he said. People like to buy new and prefer homes that are easy to maintain, easy to run, he added.

Moncton continues to do well in the real estate market overall as does New Brunswick, he added.

Dollar volume sales for New Brunswick totalled $129.9 million for June compared to $95.4 million in 2006, up 36.1 per cent. A total of 910 units sold compared to 749 in June 2006, an increase of 21.5 per cent.

The average price for the province in June was $142,734 compared to $127,406 last year, an increase of 12 per cent.

The figures for the first six months are $589.1 million compared to $465.5 million last year, an increase of 26.6 per cent. A total of 4,222 units were sold compared to 3,631 last year, an increase of 16.3 per cent.

The average price for the first six months this year is $139,539 compared to $128,205 last year, an increase of 8.8 per cent.

The Canadian Real Estate Association released figures for the first six months of 2007 for multiple listing (MLS) home sales setting records in several categories.

Seasonally adjusted home sales activity was up 8.2 per cent nationally at 287,862 for the first six months over the same period in 2006 and remains on track to set a record for the year.

A total of 133,612 units were sold during the second quarter of 2007, an increase of 3.3 per cent and the highest ever single-quarter result.

New Brunswick set a record sales during this period.

The total for June was 44,907, down one per cent, yet ranked the second highest monthly total on record.

The average price for a home also went up nationally about 10.3 per cent for the first half and for the second quarter of 2007, said the association. Every province set a record selling price average for the first half of 2007.

The average price rose 11.2 per cent in June nationally to $315,332, breaking records in several provinces including New Brunswick.

Seasonally adjusted new MLS listings totalled 214,127 for the second quarter of 2007, and in June, setting records, including in New Brunswick, the report added.

The MLS residential dollar volume set records for both the first half and for the second quarter of 2007.

The volume surpassed the $40 billion mark in the second quarter.

The seasonally adjusted dollar volume for June was $13.8 billion, an increase of 0.7 per cent over the previous May record total.
_____________________________________________________________________

Metro job forecast stays hot
Manpower survey indicates local employers will continue to add employees over next three months

By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday July 28th, 2007
Appeared on page B1

Metro Moncton employers expect to continue hiring at a "vigorous" pace until at least the autumn, a new survey suggests.

The latest Manpower Employment Outlook survey for the third quarter of 2007 shows that employers expect to continue creating jobs in this area at the same rate that they did through the spring.

"This quarter's net employment outlook indicates that the active hiring activity seen in the previous quarter will continue," says Lori Rogers, vice-president operations for Manpower Canada.

Manpower calls itself the world's biggest staffing agency. They survey employers regularly on their hiring plans and then release the data publicly.

"Employers are telling us that over the next three months they will continue to add to their payrolls at the same rate as in the preceding period," Rogers says in a news release.

This particular survey looked at hiring trends up to September.

The survey data shows that in Metro Moncton 47 per cent of employers plan to hire, while seven per cent plan to reduce their workforce. Another 43 per

cent plan to maintain their current staffing levels and three per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions.

"Moncton's third quarter net employment outlook of 40 per cent remains unchanged from the same time last year when the outlook was also 40 per cent," says Mindy Stoltz of Manpower's Charlottetown office.

The Manpower Employment Outlook survey is done quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease staff in the coming quarter. Manpower calls it the most extensive forward-looking survey of its kind and has been carrying out the surveys for more than 40 years. They interview more than 1,700 public and private employers in 43 markets across the country, making the survey's margin of error plus or minus 2.4 per cent.

A comparison of Moncton with other markets across the country shows the Metro area fares well in comparison.

Of the 43 regions surveyed, only Edmonton (52 per cent) and Saskatoon (50 per cent) showed a higher percentage of employers planning to add more employees to their payrolls, leaving the Metro area with the nation's third highest percentage of companies that are hiring more staff.

When one factors in the seven per cent of employers who reported they were planning to subtract jobs, Metro Moncton ranks seventh-best in the nation for employers who are hiring compared to those who are cutting their roster.

Of the 10 sectors surveyed in the Atlantic region, construction employers report the most active results for the quarter with 69 per cent expecting to hire and none expecting layoffs. None of the figures for the Atlantic region are seasonally adjusted.

Wholesalers and retailers report that 56 per cent plan to hire and none plan to cut staff, while 31 per cent of manufacturers of durables planned to add to their payrolls while 13 per cent thought they would be letting some workers go. Manufacturers of non-durables fared better, with 38 per cent planning to hire and only four per cent planning to axe some jobs.

In the service sector, 30 per cent said they'd be hiring while only two per cent expected a decrease in numbers.

Metro Moncton's figures also compare well to the national average. Where 47 per cent of Metro Moncton employers intend to add workers over the summer and into September, nationally 33 per cent intend to do the same. Where seven per cent of Moncton area firms plan to cut jobs, across Canada five per cent intend to do the same.

ErickMontreal
Aug 3, 2007, 10:41 PM
Canada's Prime Minister talks business in Moncton

August 03, 2007 - 3:43 pm
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB-Canada's Prime Minister visited Moncton today to take part in a round table discussion with business leaders.

While Stephen Harper never addressed the media, former New Brunswick Premier, Bernard Lord did.

He acted as a facilitator for the meeting and says the discussion was a good one.

He says they discussed a number of issues, and a convention centre for downtown Moncton was definitely one of their topics.

Lord says while there were no major commitments made on the convention centre, the Prime Minister did have a very open response.

He says they also talked about taxes, but the strongest message from the business community was their willingness to continue to succeed.

ErickMontreal
Aug 4, 2007, 4:50 PM
Convention centre is hot topic
Lack of customs service at Moncton airport, state of Petitcodiac River also

TOOL HELP
By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday August 4th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

While former premier Bernard Lord was tapped by the Prime Minister's Office to moderate a meeting between the Steven Harper and 15 Metro Moncton business powerhouses, he had some competition.

Enterprise Greater Moncton chairman Brian Baxter called on some family connections with the prime minister to break the ice for what was called a frank, open discussion on the role the federal government can play in Metro's driving economy, from a proposed convention centre, to the Petitcodiac River and customs services at the Moncton Airport.

"His grandmother lived a block up from me, and I confessed that I used to wreck her chestnut tree, trying to get the chestnuts off it, and when she couldn't catch me, she got his uncle George to come after me," explained Baxter.

"So that broke some of the formality, so really it was a very friendly meeting."

No firm commitments to funding for any projects came out of the meeting, but Harper did state his support for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and expressed knowledge and interest in the region's priorities, Baxter said.

Baxter says the roundtable gave the business leaders a chance to deliver a strong message to Harper.

"I think (Lounsbury's President) Larry Nelson said it well, 'We get things done in Moncton, all we need is the opportunity,'" said Baxter.

Lord said the case for a downtown convention centre was made loud and clear, and it registered with Harper.

"He was very open and very frank in his response, and there is certainly a willingness for him to work with us, that's why he's here, otherwise he wouldn't be here," said Lord.

While the business leaders didn't leave with anything concrete, Baxter says the seeds have been planted for further co-operation with the federal government.

"If the prime minister understands that is a priority for our community, it helps us get the funding we need to make it through," he said.

But with a flurry of demands flying toward Ottawa from all parts of the country, Baxter said the group appreciated his frankness.

"Everybody's kicking at him and grabbing at him, and everybody wants a rink for their backyard and you know what, he didn't give us any false hope," he said of the "realistic" discussion.

Lord said the meeting was the fourth time he has hosted Harper in Moncton in the last few years, and says the meeting can only help raise the region's profile on the federal government's radar.

He said Harper's links to Moncton don't hurt either, and noted that upon presenting the prime minister with a book about hockey history in Moncton, he was informed that Harper's grandfather actually laced up his skates for the Moncton Hawks.

"Not many communities of our size have had the chance to welcome the prime minister so often here. We're pleased that he's back. He cares about this region," said Lord, who now works with the Montreal law firm of McCarthy-Tetrault.

"And every time I have a chance to speak with him or anyone in the prime minister's office, I always take the opportunity to put a plug in for Moncton and New Brunswick."

Lord was contacted a little over a week ago to bring together Metro Moncton business people for the private roundtable discussion.

He responded to repeated questions about why Premier Shawn Graham was bypassed in the exercise by saying the meeting, which was hosted by Downtown Moncton Centreville Inc., was simply not political. Other questions that hinted that the meeting was a means to rally support for the federal Conservatives were also brushed off.

Aside from the convention centre, insufficient customs services at the Greater Moncton International Airport was also a hot topic.

Baxter says Harper was puzzled by the situation which sees Moncton-bound flights redirected toward Halifax after midnight because of a lack of customs staff here.

"He was upfront. He said 'I don't understand this' and I will have our Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day look into it, and I understand he has already done that," he said.

Lynne Coyle, Manager of WestJet Moncton, helped explain how the development of the region's economy, and the airport itself, are being negatively affected by the situation, as flights are rerouted to Halifax, and charters are discouraged from adding flights to Metro.

Baxter says Harper asked "why can't we just fix it."

While the Petitcodiac River and Dieppe's burgeoning aerospace park were touched on briefly, there was lots of discussion regarding the region's Inland Port concept and the Atlantic Gateway.

"We would like to be the catalyst of the Atlantic Gateway, instead of going from Halifax to Moncton, why don't we go from Moncton to Halifax, and we think we have the economic platform here to do that," said Baxter.

Requests have been made to the federal government for seed money to help get the Inland Port off the ground, but there are still strides to be made to decide how and if both projects can work together.

Baxter said the presence of Wesley Armour, CEO of Armour Transportation, who is very involved in Inland Port project, helped move that discussion along.

But a convention centre remained the big topic, says the president of Downtown Moncton Centreville Inc., Maura Mckinnon.

"What's really important is that the three local area mayors have indicated that the convention centre is a priority for all of greater Moncton, not just Moncton, so it is an example of co-operation of our three local area mayors and councils," she said.

McKinnon said the meeting was a good follow-up meetings held in March in Ottawa between a local delegation and federal officials.

"Each time you have a new change in government, the file kind of goes back and you have to start over, so I think we're in a very good place now in terms of the contacts we made both in March when we were in Ottawa and today."

Those behind the project are asking for a 9 million contribution from Ottawa, and a 4.5 million contribution from the province.

While Ottawa has not offered little indication of its intentions, McKinnon remains optimistic.

"Moncton is an economic driver for the province, and if we were to have a convention centre it would allow us to compete for conventions that would normally go to Toronto or Montreal or Halifax, so they are very aware of the importance of this to Greater Moncton and to our future so we will have to wait and see."
__________________________________________________________________________

New pharmacy


Published Saturday August 4th, 2007
Appeared on page d3

Work is under way on Mapleton Road in Moncton on a new Lawton’s Drugstore. The 162-square-metre (1,800- square-foot), two-storey building is being constructed at a cost of $1.5 million. The site is in the parking lot of Mapleton Plaza near Mike’s Restaurant. The century-old Lawton’s Drugstore chain is owned by Sobeys.

ErickMontreal
Aug 4, 2007, 6:03 PM
http://hautvilledieppe.networkcentrix.com/media_uploads/jpg/78.jpg

New project in Dieppe

There will be a total of 126 condominiums and 122 apartments, all of them luxurious. There are lots of possibilities for condo layout given that we have ten different design configurations. With the many options, and something to fit every style and taste, the hardest part will be deciding what you want. In addition, a whole range of services, including restaurants and cafés, an economuseum, a fitness centre and an aquatic centre will make every day feel like a holiday for residents and visitors. And everything is close at hand.

The following details cover gross leasable area (GLA) for the Uptown project:

Gross leasable area (GLA) 479 489 square feet
Commercial sector: 234 533 square feet (79 spaces)
Residential sector: 238 956 square feet - 126 units for condos (127 115 sq. Ft) and 122 apartments (111 841 sq. ft)
Parking: 1010
Number of acres: 22 (excluding the ponds, the Dieppe Aquatic and Sports Centre and the section located east of Dieppe Boulevard)

http://uptowndieppe.ca

ErickMontreal
Aug 5, 2007, 8:46 PM
Moncton business leaders list local concerns for PM

Development: Help with convention centre tops agenda at meeting with Harper

Telegraph-Journal
Published Saturday August 4th, 2007
Appeared on page C1

MONCTON - A coveted downtown convention centre was high on the list of priorities for a select group of business leaders as they talked with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in an exclusive meeting.

"The number-one issue was the convention centre," said Brian Baxter, chief executive officer of Botsford Investments and chairman of Enterprise Greater Moncton.

"We were in Ottawa in February pitching our case to the federal government, through the efforts of (New Brunswick's cabinet representative Greg) Thompson," he said. "But it's really neat to have the prime minister in downtown Moncton talking about a downtown Moncton project."

The business community and municipal leaders in Moncton are striving to get a three-way funding deal between the city, the province and the federal government for an $18-million convention centre and hotel complex.

Harper was in Moncton on Friday afternoon for an hour-long meeting with 14 local business leaders and community business group executives.

He arrived after visiting flood-ravaged areas in Newfoundland in the morning.

Following the meeting the prime minister headed to a barbeque in Foreign Affairs Minister Peter McKay's Nova Scotia riding.

While he was available for a brief photo opportunity, Harper did not speak with reporters in Moncton.

Baxter said while the convention centre project was the top priority, participants in the meeting told Harper about their frustrations with customs services at the Greater Moncton International Airport.

The airport's executives and the Moncton business community have been decrying for months the lack of 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service at the Moncton airport.

They fear without such service - which is available at rival Robert L. Stanfield International Airport in Halifax - further growth at the Moncton airport could be stymied.

Baxter said the prime minister couldn't understand why the Moncton airport didn't have 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service.

"He was upfront. He said 'I don't understand this and I will have our minister of public safety, Stockwell Day, look into it' - which I understand he's already doing," said Baxter.

In addition to discussing the convention centre and customs service, the business leaders also talked about the proposed inland port at the Moncton airport.

An inland port is a distribution centre at which containers shipped by rail or road from a seaport are offloaded. Cargo is sorted and repackaged and sent to its destination.

Baxter said business leaders pressed the federal government for support for the project.

"We're looking for some money from them to help us set up the operations of the inland port," said Baxter.

The federal money would be used to help plan and design the facility, he said.

While encouraged by the meeting, Baxter said he didn't leave it with any firm expectations.

"He didn't give us any false hope. He said 'look you've got to understand' - and we all did (understand) the demands on the guy. We didn't put any excessive demands on him at all."

The prime minister's meeting with business leaders - and a strategy session beforehand - was moderated by former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord.

Lord said after the meeting that he received a call from the prime minister's office last week to help organize the business gathering.

Working with the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Greater Moncton and Downtown Moncton Inc., Lord brought together executives from the transportation, manufacturing, financial, insurance and investment sectors.

Among the participant were Robert Irving, president of the Irving Moncton group of companies; Wes Armour, chief executive officer of Armour Transportation Systems; Susan Hicks of Technology Venture Group; Pierre-Yves Julien, president of Medavie Blue Cross; Larry Nelson, president of Lounsbury Company Limited; and Lynne Coyle, manager of WestJet Moncton.

"We had a very good, very positive discussion with the prime minister," said Lord.

Lord said the prime minister had a "very open" response to the convention centre funding request.

"(But there was) no money commitment today, no one expected that at this moment."

Daniel Allain, executive director of Downtown Moncton Inc., said the overall theme of the meeting was that business leaders in Moncton want to work with the prime minister and the federal Conservative government.

ErickMontreal
Aug 6, 2007, 9:47 PM
Hub City prepares to assume spotlight
Summit Council of Federation summit thrusts Moncton onto national stage

Quentin Casey
Telegraph-Journal
Published Monday August 6th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

New flowers have been planted and flags raised. A menu stocked with seafood has been carefully drawn up, and the best of the surrounding area is ready to be showcased.

Simply put, New Brunswick's Hub City is ready for its time on the national stage.

Starting Wednesday, more than 300 visitors from every corner of the country will descend on Moncton for the annual gathering of the Council of the Federation.

For three days, Canada's 13 provincial and territorial leaders will gather for meetings, expected to focus mainly on energy and climate change issues.

A summer tradition, the conference allows the premiers to draft new policy and discuss pressing political topics.

But with more than 200 delegates (including family and political staffers) and more than 100 members of the media expected, the event will also display Moncton, and Maritime hospitality, to the rest of the country.

Acadian culture, local dishes, music, and tourism treasures such as the Hopewell Rocks will all be highlighted.

And at the centre will be Moncton.

Mayor Lorne Mitton is excited to welcome his guests and says he will underline the city's "vibrant" downtown, business-friendly atmosphere and great way of life.

"We're pleased and privileged that this event is being held here. We're working hard to make our city looks very, very good," he said.

"We want to make the premier proud that the event was held in Moncton."

Thursday and Friday will see the bulk of the policy work done behind closed doors at the Delta Beauséjour hotel.

The Beauséjour's executive chef, Stefan Muller, will oversee many of the meals served to delegates.

He has been planning his menu for months and guards its contents like secrets affecting national security.

"You'll have to wait and see," he says. "I'm being very careful."

His only hint: local products, such as scallops, salmon, apples, potatoes and special cheeses, will be in abundance.

"We want to promote New Brunswick products as best we can."

Muller, who has also presided over dinners for the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and former U.S. president George H. Bush, says it's a treat to cook for special guests.

"It's always a lot of fun and a new challenge to come up with different items," he says. "But it was very challenging to come up with a specific local item (to profile)."

The conference, held last year in St. John's, N.L., usually allows for one night of special food and entertainment - to briefly free delegates from their political discussions and wrangling.

That event will be held Thursday in Premier Shawn Graham's Kent riding at the Acadian cultural village, Le Pays de la Sagouine.

Located in Bouctouche, visitors will reach the small island via a wooden boardwalk and be treated to a variety of food, theatre and music, including Acadian and aboriginal tunes.

Executive director Paul LeBlanc calls the site the ideal location for an evening getaway.

"We hope it will be fun - a good break from their meetings. We'll have a good show there for them," he says.

"Everything featured is going to be from New Brunswick, from the appetizers to the menu. You can bet your boots there will be scallops and lobster and salmon.

"They'll be able to kick back and we'll end the night with some beautiful song and dance and fireworks."

Both Graham and his wife, Roxanne Reeves, will have a hand in guiding the delegates.

Graham, who also serves as minister of wellness, has organized morning jogs along the Petitcodiac River.

It's not known how many of the leaders will brave an early morning wake-up call to join the young premier for a stroll at 6:30 a.m.

Reeves will lead excursions for the spouses and children of the premiers.

A trip south of Moncton, to the Hopewell Rocks and famous tides of the Bay of Fundy is also planned.

A final event will take place after the concluding news conference on Friday afternoon. Premiers not pressed to hurry home will play a round of golf at the Fox Creek Golf Club in Dieppe.

"There will be a buzz in the Moncton area, it's definitely going to be busy," said one staffer in the premier's office of the events planned over the past year.

Concluded Graham of the event's importance: "This is New Brunswick's chance to shine."

ErickMontreal
Aug 7, 2007, 2:21 PM
Announcement expected today on future of the Petitcodiac River

August 07, 2007 - 7:35 am
By: Chris McKee

MONCTON, NB - A major announcement on the future of the Petitcodiac River is expected today in Moncton.

Provincial Supply and Services Minister Roly MacIntyre will announce this morning that the province plans to construct a 280-metre bridge to replace the Petitcodiac River Causeway.

The project was selected from a list of four options drafted in an environmental impact assessment.

According to the Telegraph Journal, the project will see a bridge constructed downstream from the existing causeway gates, which will be destroyed.

The paper says it will cost an estimated $54.6 million and provincial officials will negotiate with federal counterparts for a funding agreement.

The project is expected to restore the river to 82 per cent of its original flow.

ErickMontreal
Aug 7, 2007, 3:49 PM
Option selected for restoration of Petitcodiac River (07/08/07)

http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/TeleVox/Photo/2007aug7_1.jpg

"Replacing the Petitcodiac River Causeway with a 280-metre long bridge is the preferred option for this project," MacIntyre said. "It offers the most positive environmental benefits for the river. The next step is to secure a federal/provincial funding agreement. Federal support is critical due to Ottawa's previous involvement in the causeway and the size and cost of this project."

MacIntyre said the causeway was built in 1968 with the collaboration, financial support and approval of the federal government, and the province needs a partnership with Ottawa to solve the long-standing issues surrounding it.

The province's preferred option includes permanently opening the gates to allow fish passage and constructing the new 280-metre long bridge immediately downstream of the existing bridge. The new structure will have four lanes of traffic and will tie into the existing Findlay Boulevard and approach ramps on the Riverview side of the Petitcodiac. Once the new bridge is completed, the existing gates structure will be removed to allow for an eventual river opening of between 72 and 225 metres wide.

Subject to a partnership agreement, the work will be carried out in three phases: two years for planning and site preparation; two years for opening the gates and environmental monitoring of the river; and three to four years for construction of the new bridge, depending on funding support and seasonal weather conditions at the time.

"The Province of New Brunswick is committed to this project," MacIntyre said. "It's going to take time and money and it will have to be done in phases in partnership with the federal government. We also have to make sure the project proceeds in compliance with the environmental approval process and all 17 conditions as set out by the provincial Department of Environment."

In 2002, Supply and Services undertook the management of a federal-provincial environmental impact assessment (EIA) to study possible modifications to the causeway in order to solve fish passage and other ecosystem issues on the river. In December 2006, the final EIA report, including four options, was approved by the Department of Environment.

Federal involvement in the causeway dates back to the time of its construction and later included a federal/provincial memorandum of understanding which was signed in 1996 to develop a long-term solution to fish passage.

In 2000, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced a thorough review of all issues surrounding the causeway.

07/08/07

MonctonGoldenFlames
Aug 7, 2007, 7:15 PM
I can't believe it's taken this long to try to get those damn gates open permanently. The feet dragging on this topic is embarassing. I remember this being a hot topic back in junior high....over 13 yrs ago!

ErickMontreal
Aug 8, 2007, 2:24 PM
I can't believe it's taken this long to try to get those damn gates open permanently. The feet dragging on this topic is embarassing. I remember this being a hot topic back in junior high....over 13 yrs ago!

I don`t know much about this topic Its a great news though !

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Premiers arrive in Moncton
Environment, energy expected to be among hot topics as Shawn Graham cs

By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday August 8th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

The table is set for this week's meeting of Canada's premiers in Metro Moncton.

The question that remains is 'What's on the menu?'

Since its first meeting in Charlottetown in 2003, the Council of the Federation and its 13 members representing Canada's provinces and territories have met each summer to seek common ground.

The three days of meetings begin today.

While each premier brings his own agenda, pressures, and sets of priorities to the table, efforts are made to hammer out partnerships and discuss emerging challenges and opportunities.

The summer meetings are a seen as a chance for provinces to present their preoccupations and protect their interests in front of a national audience.

The council's members have used the meetings to band together to lobby Ottawa on issues ranging from health care to the reported "fiscal imbalance" between the federal and provincial governments,

While Premier Shawn Graham has indicated that energy and environment issues will be at the top of the agenda during this summer's meetings, with every premier comes a unique agenda. Add to that mix a number of national lobby groups, and the happenings over the next few days become unpredictable despite months of planning.

All eyes will be on New Brunswick Liberal Premier Shawn Graham, as he is handed the high-profile yet difficult task of mapping out that common ground as the chairman of the meetings.

Graham will feel at home during the proceedings, and not just because they will be take place in southeastern New Brunswick.

He has made energy issues the backbone of his young government's self-sufficiency agenda, and is experienced navigating a minefield of questions on how his plans to make the province an east coast energy hub will affect mounting environmental concerns.

New Brunswick's premier may take on a leadership role in helping to make strides on talk of a national, east-west electricity link, as provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba also search for ways to export their energy to hungry markets.

Here's what each province is bringing to the table:

n British Columbia: Starting on Canada's west coast, British Columbia Premier, Gordon Campbell could be one of the most active participants in the meeting. Campbell has been a leading proponent of tough action on climate change.

The Liberal premier has indicated that he will lobby each province and territory to agree to meet California tailpipe emission standards on vehicle emissions by 2016.

n Alberta: Many will be looking at the manner in which Campbell, and other premiers who are looking for commitments in setting emission targets, will engage Alberta Conservative premier Ed Stelmach, who may have coined his own catch phrase last week when reporters quizzed him on the Moncton meetings: "Don't mess with Alberta."

Stelmach launched warnings throughout Alberta media last week, warning other provinces not to gang up on the oil-rich province when it ciomes time to discuss environmental issues.

He warned that if economic impacts of overly aggressive emissions targets slow Alberta's booming economy, the whole country will feel the economic repercussions.

"It's critical that at the table, with respect to climate change, that our goals are pragmatic," Stelmach told reporters last Friday in Edmonton.

Despite what could be viewed as a large rift separating their neighbouring provinces on the environmental front, Stelmach and Campbell have worked closely together to streamline interprovincial trade and labour mobility.

The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement, (TILMA) took effect in April with the purpose of harmonizing a vast collection of regulations, from professional certification and tenders for public transportation to trucking guidelines.

But Stelmach and Campbell were frustrated in July at the latest Western Premiers Meeting where Saskatchewan's NDP premier Lorne Calvert and Manitoba's NDP premier Gary Doer balked at the invitation to join.

"When are we going to decide we're a country?" Campbell asked. "When are we going to decide that the free movement of goods and people and services is something that's part of what a national identity should be."

While he agreed with the principle behind TILMA, Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert questioned the need for the agreement, as well as its efficiency in arbitrating labour disputes.

n Saskatchewan: While Saskatchewan media have largely ignored Calvert's participation in the Council of the Federation meetings here this week, the NDP premier's verbal and legal battles with Prime Minister Steven Harper over the place of resource revenues in equalization formulas have been well publicized.

Calvert has been onside with Newfoundland and Labrador Conservative premier Danny Williams, and Nova Scotia Conservative premier Rodney MacDonald, who have also bemoaned Harper's work on the file.

As they have done before, many expect the trio to use the national spotlight to once again attract attention to their province's fiscal situation and place more pressure on the Harper government.

n Manitoba: Premier Gary Doer has worked closely with former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord in the past at Council of the Federation meetings. The NDP premier even signed a formalized agreement to create a "corridor of co-operation" between the provinces. Time will tell how Doer will take to New Brunswick Liberal premier Shawn Graham.

n Ontario: Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty's participation in this week's meetings has not garnered much attention thus far in Ontario either, but he is expected to make waves on the environmental front as he heads into an nearing provincial election.

McGuinty is expected to lobby for absolute emissions targets as well as a cap-and-trade system, but the premier of Canada's largest province will no doubt be a major player on a number of fronts, including a growing need for more energy options, which could play into the energy-exporting plans of provinces like Manitoba and New Brunswick.

Signs that Ontario's gargantuan economy may be slowing, and its position as a "have" province that faces significant fiscal and infrastructure challenges could dictate McGuinty's agenda.

n Quebec: Liberal premier Jean Charest grabbed headlines in his province this week as a government source revealed that Charest wants to reopen the constitutional debate by pushing for Ottawa to recognize Quebec's specificity in a "Charter of Open Federalism," a document he would like to see amended to the Constitution.

Charest's agenda at the meeting could revolve in part around that idea, as the source said Charest wants to force the Harper government to more clearly define its position regarding Quebec, and federal provincial relations in general. More specifically, Charest is said to be pushing for greater autonomy for provinces, and more clearly defined spheres of jurisdiction.

n Prince Edward Island: As Canada's most newly elected premier, the Island's Robert Ghiz will be the new kid on the block as he further immerses himself in the dynamics of interprovincial relations.

n Nova Scotia: Premier Rodney MacDonald's opposition to the Harper government's equalization formulas is well-known, but it will be interesting to see how his voice will resound this time around those of Newfoundland and Labrador's flamboyant premier Danny Williams, or Saskatchewan's Lorne Calvert. Nova Scotia's commitment to environmental issues will also be tested.

n Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny WiIliams, who may be the most media-savvy and flamboyant premier in Moncton this week, will undoubtedly grab more than his share of national headlines. Best known for his battles with Prime Minister Steven Harper over equalization formulas, Williams is equally driven regarding a number of subjects that affect his home province, including his push to establish more capacity to export energy from Labrador and mainland Newfoundland tp the rest of the country.

Many, however, will be looking for the crucial substance behind his larger-than-life persona and statements. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see whether his fiery political style ends up building, or burning, more bridges.

n Premiers to tackle labour mobility/NEWS A9

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Health care professionals gather for Moncton conference

August 07, 2007 - 10:15 am
By: Tara Clow - News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB - Over one hundred health care professionals will attend tomorrow's conference in Moncton, that is being hosted by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions.

Nurses Federation President Linda Silas says the conference is being held in Moncton, just hours before provincial and territorial leaders gather in the Hub City for the Council of Federation.

Premiers plans to talk about the environment, but Silas is hoping the nurses unions conference will bring health care concerns to their attention.

Silas says the environment is an important issue, but health care is still the number one concern of most Canadians.

mmmatt
Aug 10, 2007, 9:21 PM
Metro Moncton real estate boom continues
Multiple-unit starts double over last year, leading other N.B. cities

Kate Wright
times & transcript staff
Published Friday August 10th, 2007



OTTAWA - Metro Moncton's real estate market continues to boom, with multiple-unit construction quickly gaining ground in the city.

Last month, multiple-unit starts more than doubled from July 2006 -- up to 160 units from 74 units.

The city surpassed the province's other urban centres in multiple-unit starts.

Saint John was down to eight unit starts from 17 unit starts last July.

Fredericton was down to two unit starts from 70 unit starts during the same time last year.

Single-unit starts have remained stable, up to 78 units from last July's average of 75 units.

Canadian Mortgage and Housing spokesman Claude Gautreau said yesterday that semi-detached units are becoming increasingly popular in Metro.

He said the continued stream of in-migration to the hub city means that young professionals and young families are taking advantage of the semi-detached because of its desirable price point.

"Young professionals may not be able to afford a $175,000 bungalow, but a $139,000 semi-detached may be more realistic," he said.

Gautreau adds that Metro's existing home market is still going strong.

In the first six months of 2007, Gautreau said existing home sales are at 879 units, up from 812 unit sales during the same period last year.

A new home in Metro averages at $213,275, while an existing home resale can run significantly cheaper at $143,091.

In urban centres across Canada, total housing starts in July trailed last year's total by 12 per cent, down to 16,921 from last year's total of 19,298.

In the Atlantic region, 892 starts were recorded in July 2007 compared to 1,010 units during the same period in 2006.

But Stephen McWilliam, a real estate agent with Century 21 in Moncton, said the hub city hasn't experienced much of that slow down.

McWilliam said he was anticipating a market cool-off earlier this year, but has yet to see such a cool-off happen.

He said the semi-detached housing market is still very hot because of its affordability and the quality of the construction.

"They're nice houses "" they're done right," he said.

"Everyone likes a new house, and there can be a $30,000 price difference between a semi-detached and a single-detached."

But Gautreau said the market can expect to cool off slightly over the next two to three years, a normal occurrence after a period of high volume construction.

Moncton's single detached starts peaked in 2003 with 495 units, compared to 387 in 2006.

ErickMontreal
Aug 10, 2007, 9:25 PM
Aliant Tower stays closed
Downtown Moncton landmark won't be opening to tourists for tours anytime soon, says company

By Aloma Jardine
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday August 10th, 2007
Appeared on page A10

It's not as tall as the CN Tower, but the Aliant Tower in Moncton would still offer a pretty fantastic view on the city.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem the tower is likely to turn into a tourist attraction in the sky any time soon.

"It is a really interesting concept because that tower has been a fixture on the Moncton skyline for a long time," says Isabelle Robinson, spokeswoman for Aliant.

But Robinson says opening the tower to the public would not be very safe or easy.

"The tower is one of our main communication towers for paging, wireless, cellular, and other services including broadcast facilities," she says. "The inside of it is essentially a hollow core that supports all of the transmission lines, the cable, all the network infrastructure. The inside is really only meant to hold that technology and all the network requirements with a minimal amount of space for people who need to go in and do repairs... The way it is built inside is not meant to have large numbers of individuals through it."

Robinson says reaching the top of the tower requires climbing a series of ladders -- not something particularly conducive to public tours -- plus there is the question of maintaining the integrity of the network -- something that would also be difficult with people trooping through.

The tower, which was completed in 1971, is the tallest structure in Moncton, reaching a height of more than 350 feet. It was built in 16 days of continuous concrete pouring.

"It has definitely been an icon there in Moncton and a source of interest for people," Robinson says, explaining that every time they do maintenance around it they get calls from people concerned about whether they might be planning to take the tower down.

"But it is not likely at this point (to be open to the public) with the equipment being the main focus of it," she says.

The tower was initially designed to support microwave technology, but since the mid-1980s that has been replaced with fibre optics.

mmmatt
Aug 10, 2007, 9:51 PM
Aliant Tower stays closed
Downtown Moncton landmark won't be opening to tourists for tours anytime soon, says company

hahaha I read that too...I never knew anybody wanted it to be opened up. A friend of mine has been to the top...he said it takes a lot of physical effort to get there. its quite small in some places. Maybe someday after they dont need to use it for telecommunications they we transform it into a tourist attraction...it would certainly be a great view!

mmmatt
Aug 11, 2007, 12:38 AM
Moncton from space! We could see the shape of the river change quite a bit from what it looks like here in 10 or so years.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/ISS006-E-11591.jpgPhoto credit: NASA

ErickMontreal
Aug 11, 2007, 3:34 PM
Job growth steady in N.B.
Metro Moncton shows slight gain in monthly employment rate; 13,000 more NBers working since last September

By KATE WRIGHT
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday August 11th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

OTTAWA - Despite a loss of 3,000 jobs last month, the provincial employment picture remains strong with 13,000 more people working since last September, Statistics Canada reported yesterday.

While there were 362,200 New Brunswickers holding jobs last month, compared to 365,400 over the same period last year, Statistics Canada spokesman Jason Gilmour said the province has been enjoying steady growth since last fall.

Job prospects remain steady in Metro Moncton, with 103,400 people working last month, up from 103,300 in July 2006.

The unemployment rate also dropped over that time. Around 2,000 people found work since last July, when there were 8,000 people without jobs.

Gilmour said there have been major gains in the construction sector as Metro's building boom rages on. Call centres and businesses offering support services have also grown.

"The unemployment rate is still the lowest in a very long time and there does seem to be some encouraging growth signs," said Gilmour. "The province is growing well, even when stacked up against growth percentages of Western provinces."

Metro also leads the province in employment. In Fredericton, 71,200 people were working, up from 66,900 in July 2006. In Saint John, 88,100 people were in the workforce, up from 86,200 over the same period last year.

Samuel LeBreton, senior economist with Service Canada, said year-to-year, New Brunswick's employment sector is experiencing a swift upward swing.

While month-to-month figures offer insight, LeBreton said looking at long-term employment trends offers a real look into New Brunswick's employment future.

If the positive trend continues, LeBreton said the province could reach record employment levels in the coming months.

Since 1990, both the construction and call centre industries have grown dramatically, creating tens of thousands of jobs in the province.

Only 6,000 people were employed in the call centre sector in 1990. That industry has grown by 270 per cent since that time and now employs 22,000 people.

Law, accounting and engineering firms have also gained ground in the province. In 1990, there were only 8,000 people employed in those sectors. Those industries have grown by 81 per cent today, now employing 14,500 people.

LeBreton said the province's aging population has also helped to fuel job growth in the health-care field. In 1990, there were 34,000 employees working in that sector. The industry has grown by 34 per cent since then, now employing 45,000 people.

But there have also been industries that have suffered over the last 20 years.

LeBreton said the fishing industry boasted 4,500 workers in 1990. That sector has dropped by 66 per cent, now employing just 1,500 people.

There was also a decline in educational service jobs last month, which includes teachers and professors. There was also a slight drop in the service sector, including a decline in accommodation and food service jobs.

With such substantial growth in the province over the last 20 years, LeBreton said the work force will eventually plateau and growth will steady itself for a few years.

The national employment rate was little changed in July, leaving growth so far in 2007 at 1.3 per cent, similar to the growth rate in the first seven months of 2006.

The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 6.0 per cent, the lowest since 1974.

Alberta was the only province to show a significant employment increase in July, as an estimated 14,000 more people were working. This pushed Alberta's employment rate back to its record high of 71.6 per cent.

ErickMontreal
Aug 13, 2007, 3:15 PM
City Hall undergoes renovation

Published Monday August 13th, 2007
Appeared on page A7

Moncton City Hall is growing on the inside.

The building's one private tenant, the law firm of McInnes Cooper, left in April for the Blue Cross Centre so the growing city could use the office space in the running of the municipality.

This represents a significant portion of city hall's third floor office space.

The city hired Architects Four Ltd in April to develop a relocation expansion plan for several departments in need of additional office space and to develop a plan to renovate second-floor space as well, so that it can become a "one-stop shop" for residential and commercial developers seeking zoning approvals, building permits, civic numbers or information on economic development opportunities in the city.

Now the city has awarded a tender of $315,000 to carry out the renovations. Avondale Construction was the successful bidder.

n Brent Mazerolle's City Hall Report appears Mondays, looking at the people and issues behind the scenes at Moncton City Hall.

mmmatt
Aug 13, 2007, 8:28 PM
Moncton a hub of historical buildings
August 13, 2007 - 3:12 pm
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB-The Moncton Rotary Club heard from the Registrar for the New Brunswick Register on Historic Places today, and got quite a history lesson.

Because it's Acadian week, Lawren Campbell spent some time during his presentation, on the topic of what was built by acadians, and he says there are more Acadian built buildings in the area than some people might think.

He says there are a number of small scale residential Acadian buildings, along with Castle Manor, which used to be Mary's Home, and the Rectory for Saint Bernards Church.

Meanwhile, Campbell says if people would just look up at the top half of buildings when walking in downtown Moncton they'd realize just how historical the Hub City is.

mmmatt
Aug 13, 2007, 10:32 PM
Well, I got my car back from the shop today, the heater core broke on it lol coolant everywhere. Hopefully tomorrow I can take a spin around town and take a bunch of pics to update everyone on the many projects under construction.

ErickMontreal
Aug 13, 2007, 10:48 PM
Well, I got my car back from the shop today, the heater core broke on it lol coolant everywhere. Hopefully tomorrow I can take a spin around town and take a bunch of pics to update everyone on the many projects under construction.

Well, I found that photo, it could help us to get a idea on what will be the impact of the new hotel on the Main Street. The quality is not really great though. Good luck for you car !

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1088/1096946007_f87b50de0c_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ralphshipp/sets/72157601395207596/?page=2

mmmatt
Aug 13, 2007, 10:55 PM
Well, I found that photo, it could help us to get a idea on what will be the impact of the new hotel on the Main Street. The quality is not really great though. Good luck for you car !

Thanks :) Good pic...its a bit far away though, ill try to get over there tomorrow and take a few close up. My car is fine now...250$ later haha.

ErickMontreal
Aug 13, 2007, 11:16 PM
I really looking forward to see where the courthouse as well as the new RCMP office will take place. Moreover, I just want the Federal shares the cost of the Convention center, as I really think its the key for the new downtown developments like a Casino, Hotel, condo..

mmmatt
Aug 14, 2007, 2:08 AM
I really looking forward to see where the courthouse as well as the new RCMP office will take place. Moreover, I just want the Federal shares the cost of the Convention center, as I really think its the key for the new downtown developments like a Casino, Hotel, condo..

yeah, that is going to be sweet. hopefully we will see an announcement soon on the courthouse. The convention center will happen, and I have a feeling it may be within a year we hear an announcement what with the city possibly taking the reins moreso than before.

ErickMontreal
Aug 14, 2007, 2:34 AM
yeah, that is going to be sweet. hopefully we will see an announcement soon on the courthouse. The convention center will happen, and I have a feeling it may be within a year we hear an announcement what with the city possibly taking the reins moreso than before.

Well, I wish you`re right. Mike Murphy said a while back the city has to go by itself on it. Assumption already showed some interests in the project but the city had rejected the plan. I assume that Assumption has enough lands and money to get a master plan that going to include a Courthouse, Hotel as well as convention center . The last plan was really urban , it included pedway system to link Blue cross to Delta and all new stuffs as well together.

SJTOKO
Aug 14, 2007, 5:31 PM
Well, I found that photo, it could help us to get a idea on what will be the impact of the new hotel on the Main Street. The quality is not really great though. Good luck for you car !

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1088/1096946007_f87b50de0c_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ralphshipp/sets/72157601395207596/?page=2

:yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :banana:

ErickMontreal
Aug 14, 2007, 6:37 PM
:yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :banana:

Well, I could understand that you prefer the picturesque panorama of a refinery, a pulp mill as well as falling appart buildings

I just dont understand you goal anyway.

SJTOKO
Aug 14, 2007, 6:45 PM
I just dont understand you goal anyway.

You'll catch on eventually, now peel yourself off of your seat, put down your checklist of Moncton businesses and your English phrasebook, grab yourself an iced coffee and get outside and enjoy the day....:tup:

mmmatt
Aug 14, 2007, 7:48 PM
You'll catch on eventually, now peel yourself off of your seat, put down your checklist of Moncton businesses and your English phrasebook, grab yourself an iced coffee and get outside and enjoy the day....:tup:

Or howsabout you stop being foolish before I report you. :tup:

mmmatt
Aug 14, 2007, 8:48 PM
Construction projects in Moncton, all pictures taken by me today (8/14/07).
I apoligize some pics are junky because they were taken froim my car while driving haha.

New Peterbuilt store in Caledonia (That place is booming right now)
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1576.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1575.jpg

Old YMCA renovations
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1587.jpg

New Ambulatory care unit at Moncton Hospital well under way
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1578.jpg

New Molson Brewery almost done (this is from the back...it looks better from the front but I was lazy)
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1573.jpg

Some New buildings in Dieppe:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1566.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1567.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1568.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1569.jpg

Dieppe City Hall
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1562.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1564.jpg

New Holiday Inn Express near airport
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1571-1.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1572.jpg

Random building under construction near Champlain Mall
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1561.jpg

New Sobeys Downtown is well underway, they now have a bit of a frame up...Ill add some pics of it later.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1586.jpg

And of course last but not least the new Marriott downtown!
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1555.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1554.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1556.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1557.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1558.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1559.jpg

There are a a bunch of things I missed..I just didnt have the time today...hopefully Ill get out again soon and take some more.

mmmatt
Aug 15, 2007, 12:55 AM
I just read that Sum41 and Finger 11 will play in Moncton in November (they will also play in Halifax and St. John's). Two of my favorite bands! that will be a sweet show, hopefully I can make it :D

ErickMontreal
Aug 15, 2007, 1:24 AM
I just read that Sum41 and Finger 11 will play in Moncton in November (they will also play in Halifax and St. John's). Two of my favorite bands! that will be a sweet show, hopefully I can make it :D

Thank you for the photos!:tup:

Great show, there are some great bands that coming in Bar on Main street too, I just dont remember the name.

I think Sobeys will get retail space along main street, its a good idea. Do you know whats going on with Mapleton shopping center?

SJTOKO
Aug 15, 2007, 8:59 AM
howsabout:tup:

report you:tup:

LOL:haha:

ErickMontreal
Aug 15, 2007, 10:39 AM
However, i'll leave your thread now... it's been a pleasure..

Good riddance.

Praise the Lord

.....:)

SJTOKO
Aug 15, 2007, 2:25 PM
When i'm not watching my favorite film Les Invasions barbares I enjoy playing with stuffed animals, taking the bus to Saint John with my Kodak DC50, surfing the net at my local public library and filtering my posts through babelfish.com to make sure people take me seriously...

I've been to the United States before. That place is crazy. I'd rather sit back with a cold one and watch Matlock. Have you ever seen the "best friend'? Now THATS was a classic episode.. Well anyway the wife is yellin at me.... bye for now

I'm a Religious studies major at STU and I have a 1.2 GPA. This site is all I have in life....

:yes:

ErickMontreal
Aug 15, 2007, 3:00 PM
:yes:

Don't worry, some day you'll see the light... maybe, if it ever gets to shine through the thick cloud of smog covering your paradise.

What a typical closed minded bastard.

SJTOKO
Aug 15, 2007, 3:07 PM
Don't worry, some day you'll see the light... maybe, if it ever gets to shine through the thick cloud of smog covering your paradise.

What a typical closed minded bastard.


I'm in Egypt right now and the sun is shining down on me, and I was just talking with my family in SJ and the sun is shining there to.... Plently of sun for everyone.... Like Median said... "how big is your world"?

kwajo
Aug 15, 2007, 3:11 PM
I appreciate your strong support of Saint John SJTOKO, but I just can't understand why you are personally attacking other posters just because they disagree with you. Maybe you were never taught it properly in school, but that's not how debates are supposed to operate.

Seely32
Aug 15, 2007, 3:24 PM
I also agree just becuase you differ with someones politics there is no need for personal attacks. Also how can you have so much hate for one city.

SJTOKO
Aug 15, 2007, 3:30 PM
I appreciate your strong support of Saint John SJTOKO, but I just can't understand why you are personally attacking other posters just because they disagree with you. Maybe you were never taught it properly in school, but that's not how debates are supposed to operate.


Read my posts man.. I'm not debating and i'm not mad or even passionate about the topic/topics....

kwajo
Aug 15, 2007, 4:31 PM
If you are neither passionate, nor interested in debate about topics, then what's the point of posting in a discussion forum?

MonctonGoldenFlames
Aug 15, 2007, 4:38 PM
:yes:


I'm calling shenanigans on you SJTOKO. That is not a quote from me, never was, never will be. Is there a reason you are fabricating quotes?

Sidenote: why the hell is there not an "ignore" button so I don't have to read any more dribble from this asshole?

Helladog
Aug 15, 2007, 11:57 PM
I think he's just trying to get everybody going...y'know a nice backyard fight...:jester:

mmmatt
Aug 16, 2007, 2:36 AM
Council will relocate two public housing units in effort to accommodate new downtown development
Times & Transcript
Published Wednesday August 15th, 2007

As development projects continue to spring up in Dieppe's new downtown, the municipality is pulling out all the stops to provide space, which is increasingly at a premium.

At this week's regular council meeting, council approved a resolution to acquire two semi-detached residential units on Marché Street in order to make room for a downtown development project.

The units are owned by the New Brunswick Housing Corporation, which falls under the responsibilities of the Department of Family and Community Services and has the mandate to improve housing accommodation in New Brunswick,

Council agreed to pay $271,000 to LC Builders incorporated to build the new accommodations that will replace those purchased by the city.

Dieppe will also cover the tenants' moving expenses, and legal and service fees associated with the move.

Mayor Achille Maillet said that the first transaction will help test the waters as the city plans to proceed with more purchases to open up land in the downtown core.

"It is part of the whole agreement surrounding downtown," he said.

"We wanted their residences and, in collaboration with NB Housing, we moved them, we are building houses for them, and it's possible we will continue, because there are a lot."

Maillet said the residences are located on prime real estate areas and, while he couldn't disclose what projects the purchases are preparing, he hinted that they would be a part of significant projects

mmmatt
Aug 16, 2007, 2:46 AM
:yes:

have your fun...if my bachelor degree in karma studies tells me anything you will get whats comin to ya. :cool:

mmmatt
Aug 16, 2007, 10:46 PM
August 16, 2007 - 5:38 pm
By: Allan Dearing - News 91.9 Staff
MONCTON, NB - A new express bus service in Greater Moncton is about to double seat capacity along Codiac Transit's major route.

The express bus will run every 15 minutes, seven days a week with five major stops - Champlain Place, 111 Main Street, Northwest Centre, Plaza Boulevard and Highfield Square.

From August 19th to the 25th, residents of the tri-communities can try out the express bus free of charge.

This expansion and other upcoming new services from Codiac Transit will represent an 85 percent increase in service frequency.

Funding comes from an agreement between all three levels of government.

mmmatt
Aug 20, 2007, 9:15 PM
update on Marriott construction...drove by today and noticed they are cladding it in real brick! not that fake sheet stuff, it looks really good :D

ErickMontreal
Aug 22, 2007, 2:30 PM
No cash from feds

City funds $55,000 study to assess convention centre needs and reassess business case without federal funding

Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday August 22nd, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Securing federal funding has long been a stumbling block in the City of Moncton's plans to build a convention centre.

The Times & Transcript has learned that after much patient waiting, city staff have finally reached the conclusion that federal funding is likely not going to happen and are now moving forward on determining what that will mean for the project.

That means looking at every option -- including dropping the idea of a convention centre altogether and finding alternate ways to fill the city's need for meeting space.

Ian Fowler, the city's general manger of recreation, parks, tourism, and culture, says Toronto firm PKF Consulting has been hired at a cost of $55,000 to study the situation.

The management consultant firm, which specializes in the hospitality, real estate, and tourism industries, is to look at what will best suit Moncton, whether a stand alone convention centre, a centre attached to an existing structure or combined with something like a casino, or increasing meeting space in the city in other ways.

They've been asked to come up with three options and recommend the best one for the city.

"We'll have some very good recommendations on tourism in Moncton regardless," Fowler says of the report, which is expected to be delivered by the end of November.

Council has been briefed on the situation and Verdiroc, the Toronto-based development company that has an option on the city-owned Beaver Lumber property, one of the prime sites being looked at for the convention centre, is aware the study is being done.

The push toward a convention centre stems back to a feasibility study carried out by Horwath Consultants in 2000 that found Moncton was under-served in terms of meeting space.

As a result, the city began exploring the idea of a convention centre in earnest.

But much has changed in the interim, and the convention market now isn't what it was in 2000.

The delay in funding has thus brought a blessing of sorts with it -- it gave the city plenty of time to do its homework.

City staff have been working closely with meeting planners across the country, asking what makes them choose a site.

Large companies and other organizations usually have meeting planners on staff or employ them to do the work of setting up events.

What the city has found is that a convention centre really might not be the best solution for Moncton.

Dozens of factors go into making a community a suitable host for a convention centre, including things like how many people you can get into the city on direct flights in a day and what type of hotels are available.

Kelly Cain, Moncton's director of tourism and events, says they've been taking a good hard look at what market Moncton can best serve.

People will not change flights four times to get here, for instance, and while the city is not lacking in hotel rooms, it is lacking in the four- and five-star rooms convention space demands.

An $18-million project, the figure the city has been using, likely would not be meet the needs of today's conventions and meetings.

Cain says they've been looking very closely at what is realistic for Moncton, what the city really needs.

She says meeting planners have been very receptive to being approached and asked what they want to see in convention space and pleasantly surprised that the city is doing so, since they are not often consulted in that way.

Cain says they've gained some very, very good advice that can be applied to a dedicated convention centre or meeting space in general.

Paul Thomson, the city's director of communications, says the PFK report should give the city the information it needs to make a decision once and for all.

"We're pretty confident we'll get from them what we need to make a decision," he says. "We're going to know by the end of December what we're going to do or not do."

Thomson says the move doesn't preclude the city from getting federal money, it is simply accepting the fact that at this point it seems very unlikely that funding will come through and making the decision to go forward on that basis.

Fowler says the absence of federal cash means the business case for a convention centre is completely changed.

Where before the city was looking at footing a quarter of the cost, which could possibly have been off-set by the taxes generated by such a centre, taking on more of the bill would require dipping deeper into the budget which may not make good business sense.

Those are all things the new report will examine.

PKF starts its work a week from Monday.

michael_d40
Aug 22, 2007, 2:46 PM
No cash from feds

City funds $55,000 study to assess convention centre needs and reassess business case without federal funding

Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday August 22nd, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Securing federal funding has long been a stumbling block in the City of Moncton's plans to build a convention centre.

The Times & Transcript has learned that after much patient waiting, city staff have finally reached the conclusion that federal funding is likely not going to happen and are now moving forward on determining what that will mean for the project.

That means looking at every option -- including dropping the idea of a convention centre altogether and finding alternate ways to fill the city's need for meeting space.

Ian Fowler, the city's general manger of recreation, parks, tourism, and culture, says Toronto firm PKF Consulting has been hired at a cost of $55,000 to study the situation.

The management consultant firm, which specializes in the hospitality, real estate, and tourism industries, is to look at what will best suit Moncton, whether a stand alone convention centre, a centre attached to an existing structure or combined with something like a casino, or increasing meeting space in the city in other ways.

They've been asked to come up with three options and recommend the best one for the city.

"We'll have some very good recommendations on tourism in Moncton regardless," Fowler says of the report, which is expected to be delivered by the end of November.

Council has been briefed on the situation and Verdiroc, the Toronto-based development company that has an option on the city-owned Beaver Lumber property, one of the prime sites being looked at for the convention centre, is aware the study is being done.

The push toward a convention centre stems back to a feasibility study carried out by Horwath Consultants in 2000 that found Moncton was under-served in terms of meeting space.

As a result, the city began exploring the idea of a convention centre in earnest.

But much has changed in the interim, and the convention market now isn't what it was in 2000.

The delay in funding has thus brought a blessing of sorts with it -- it gave the city plenty of time to do its homework.

City staff have been working closely with meeting planners across the country, asking what makes them choose a site.

Large companies and other organizations usually have meeting planners on staff or employ them to do the work of setting up events.

What the city has found is that a convention centre really might not be the best solution for Moncton.

Dozens of factors go into making a community a suitable host for a convention centre, including things like how many people you can get into the city on direct flights in a day and what type of hotels are available.

Kelly Cain, Moncton's director of tourism and events, says they've been taking a good hard look at what market Moncton can best serve.

People will not change flights four times to get here, for instance, and while the city is not lacking in hotel rooms, it is lacking in the four- and five-star rooms convention space demands.

An $18-million project, the figure the city has been using, likely would not be meet the needs of today's conventions and meetings.

Cain says they've been looking very closely at what is realistic for Moncton, what the city really needs.

She says meeting planners have been very receptive to being approached and asked what they want to see in convention space and pleasantly surprised that the city is doing so, since they are not often consulted in that way.

Cain says they've gained some very, very good advice that can be applied to a dedicated convention centre or meeting space in general.

Paul Thomson, the city's director of communications, says the PFK report should give the city the information it needs to make a decision once and for all.

"We're pretty confident we'll get from them what we need to make a decision," he says. "We're going to know by the end of December what we're going to do or not do."

Thomson says the move doesn't preclude the city from getting federal money, it is simply accepting the fact that at this point it seems very unlikely that funding will come through and making the decision to go forward on that basis.

Fowler says the absence of federal cash means the business case for a convention centre is completely changed.

Where before the city was looking at footing a quarter of the cost, which could possibly have been off-set by the taxes generated by such a centre, taking on more of the bill would require dipping deeper into the budget which may not make good business sense.

Those are all things the new report will examine.

PKF starts its work a week from Monday.



haha that right there should speak VOLUMES.

Moncton is OUT
Saint John is the new place to be buddy.

ErickMontreal
Aug 22, 2007, 2:58 PM
haha that right there should speak VOLUMES.

Moncton is OUT
Saint John is the new place to be buddy.


lol, No worries when I will move out it will be for the major league ...

mmmatt
Aug 22, 2007, 7:24 PM
haha that right there should speak VOLUMES.

Moncton is OUT
Saint John is the new place to be buddy.

Why? Because Saint John has LOADS of federal cash for a convention center? :shrug:

ErickMontreal
Aug 22, 2007, 7:58 PM
Why? Because Saint John has LOADS of federal cash for a convention center? :shrug:

SJ has a loads of federal cash these days, but for things they looked for since a while back

Its politic issue.Anyway, If the city did not reject Assumption plan 2 years ago, the convention center would be in operation righ now without Federal support.

Moncton has to get something done with the downtown sooner than later. A new arena, condos, apartments, retail spaces, casino, Imax, office spaces as well as new theater for increase...

Either, The Marriott and The Keg are a positive addition

mmmatt
Aug 22, 2007, 10:15 PM
Parts of Riverview's East-West Corridor will soon open
August 22, 2007 - 9:45 am
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

RIVERVIEW, NB-
Parts of the new East-West Corridor in Riverview will likely open sooner rather than later.

The first phase of the East-West Corridor, which will run from the Gunningsville Bridge to Pine Glen should be done by the end of November.

Riverview's Town Manager, David Muir says it's about 90 percent done.

Meanwhile, Muir says it's unlikely that the second phase of the project, which carries the road on to Findlay Boulevard, will be completely done by this fall.

He says they hope though, to lay some asphalt down and open a basic, unfinished version of the road before Christmas too.


[Also im pretty sure the extention from Vaughn Harvey to the bridge will open soon...its all paved and whatnot they are just doing landscaping now...its going to be really nice when its done, I live right by the vaughn harvey main st intersection so its perfect for me :D]

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 12:46 AM
I passed by the Rogers call center today...they are pretty much done the expansion! last time I checked they were just starting...looks like they will add the glass facade soon. I took a picture but Im at work right now...Ill add it in here when I get home.

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 4:48 AM
Heres that pic as promised:

Rogers Call Center:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1649.jpg

and as an added bonus...Marriott update (you can see the brick going up):
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/New%20Moncton/DSCN1648.jpg

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 4:55 AM
Thanks to you for the pics. Marriott is really massive and really urban on a street level perspective.

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 5:00 AM
Thanks to you for the pics. Marriott is really massive and really urban on a street level perspective.

Yeah...so far it looks better than I expected from the street, hopefully it will stay that way once its all done! :) Im going back to Fredericton in a week or so, so I wont be able to take as many pictures anymore :( but hopefully Ill come back every once and a while to get some updates.

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 5:02 AM
Yeah...so far it looks better than I expected from the street, hopefully it will stay that way once its all done! :) Im going back to Fredericton in a week or so, so I wont be able to take as many pictures anymore :( but hopefully Ill come back every once and a while to get some updates.

The next crane will be for Courthouse!

Assumption Corp will likely get the contract and they will provide a brand new design as well

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 3:23 PM
Metro gets direct flight to Ottawa
Air Canada flight departs at 7 a.m. daily, beginning Oct. 28

Published Thursday August 23rd, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Getting to the nation's capital just got a whole lot easier with the addition of a new direct flight to Ottawa.

"This is a biggie for the community. We've had a lot of requests for direct non-stop flights to Ottawa," says Rob Robichaud, president and CEO of the Greater Moncton International Airport. "I'm very pleased that Air Canada has chosen to do that service for us. We've always had to go through Montreal or Toronto or Hamilton."

Starting Oct. 28, a daily flight will leave Moncton at 7 a.m., arriving in Ottawa at 7:55 a.m.

A return flight will depart Ottawa at 7:25 p.m., arriving in Moncton at 10:05 p.m.

The service is being offered with a 50-seat CRJ aircraft.

Kelly Cain, director of tourism and events for the City of Moncton, says she couldn't be more thrilled.

"The flight to Ottawa is a wonderful feather in Moncton's cap and it has been long overdue," she says. "I know the (Greater Moncton) International Airport Authority has been working very diligently to secure that and we're absolutely thrilled. It is going to be a major benefit to the Greater Moncton community."

Cain says this gives the community better access to all kinds of national associations, non-governmental organizations, and meeting planners headquartered in Ottawa as well as to the capital region itself.

"Right away we think of the World Track and Field preparations that are going on, where we're dealing with Sport Canada and such and going back and forth," she says, adding the flight will also make it easier for Ottawa-based people to make site visits to Moncton to check out its potential for hosting various events.

Air Canada also announced the addition of a direct flight from Fredericton to Ottawa departing at 6:40 a.m. each business day, with a return flight departing Ottawa at 6:45 p.m.

A direct flight from St. John's to Ottawa was also introduced.

More connections from Ottawa have also been added, including Saturday service direct flights to Cancun and Montego Bay, three new daily direct flights to Vancouver, three to Calgary, two to Edmonton, two to London, Ont., and four to Boston. Twice-weekly flights to Las Vegas will continue through the winter months.

Two new sun destinations have also been added out of Montreal -- a Thursday flight to the Turks and Caicos and a Sunday flight to Santa Clara, Cuba.

Robichaud believes the region can support at least one, if not two, direct flights to Ottawa a day.

"We have to get our people to use it and then perhaps convince Air Canada that greater frequency is required," he says.

Robichaud says the airport authority is currently working on sorting out its sun destinations flights for this year.

"We're looking as good as last year and, in some cases, better," he says, explaining that they've confirmed one flight to St. Petersburg, Fla., one to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and expect to have two flights to Orlando, Fla., this year instead of just one.

Gillian Bentley, media co-ordinator for WestJet, says they have nothing more in the works right now for Moncton.

"Our winter schedule has more or less been completed now, we have announced any new destinations and so on," she says.

"There is certainly nothing planned at the moment. That is not to say never."

Bentley says WestJet's schedule out of Moncton is likely to stay much the same as well, with one flight a day going out in the morning and one returning in the afternoon via Toronto or Hamilton.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More customs staff to land at Metro airport?
Restrictions on after-hours flights costing Moncton airport business, growth opportunities

Times & Transcript Staff
Published Thursday August 23rd, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Metro Moncton projects seem to be slipping down the federal government's priority list lately, but one request that appears to carry a glimmer of hope is the need for increased Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) staff at the Greater Moncton International Airport.

"I felt more comfortable with that issue than, say, the convention centre," says Enterprise Greater Moncton chairman Brian Baxter of discussions 15 Metro Moncton business leaders, including himself, had with Prime Minister Stephen Harper when he visited the city at the beginning of the month.

"I would say it was iffy if there would be money immediately available for the convention centre. With customs I felt that down the road it would be resolved."

Exactly how far down the road is the obvious question.

At the moment, CBSA staff are on the job at the airport from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

International and trans-border flights that arrive between 5 p.m. and midnight are charged extra to have someone come out and put them through customs and flights arriving after midnight can't land at all. They must be diverted to another airport, usually Halifax, which does have 24-hour a day service.

That is a huge detriment to the airport's ability to attract new flights from the U.S. and abroad and impacts its cargo capacity.

In an e-mail, Mélisa Leclerc, director of communications for Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day's office, says Day has tasked CBSA officials with advancing the file.

"Minister Day has also met with many representatives from the Moncton area, including mayors and economic development officials," she writes. "The CBSA has conducted a Core Services Review to establish a service delivery approach that is fair, transparent and flexible. Options are currently being developed. Minister Day expects to be in a position to announce results and next steps in the beginning of fall 2007."

Airport president and CEO Rob Robichaud says he is optimistic a solution will be put forward this fall as promised.

"I was very encouraged by Prime Minister Harper's comments. Apparently he said, 'Why can't we just fix that?' I'm hopeful that when he went back to Ottawa he spoke to people there," he says.

"We did say we would take them at their word that there would be something done in September. If there is no action or if it is a report that is negative, then we are going to have to start beating the drum again."

Dieppe Mayor Achille Maillet is also feeling good about the chances for a resolution sometime in the near future.

He says a delegation from the region was well-received in Ottawa in February and he says the CBSA staffing issue has been discussed a couple of times since.

"I am disappointed about the time it is taking, but I am optimistic," he says. "I still say it is a flagrant injustice, to a certain extent, we are losing quite a bit for the region. It is very important and we are going to continue to knock on the door."

Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton says the city has continued to make the case for better service at the airport.

"We don't need any deterrents to our services in Moncton and I think the government understands it," he says.

"Yes, a person tends to get discouraged, but we have to remember there is a process... I'm not going to get discouraged to the point where we stop trying and it doesn't do any good to fly off the handle about it.

"We just have to keep pitching and hope you get some positive response. Municipalities across the country are in the same situation, so hopefully the federal government will get around to acting on these things sooner rather than later."

Baxter says the very first thing they're asked by industry looking to settle here is how good the transportation system is. He says it is key to economic growth.

"When you have some big international companies here... they have to get to their markets and get to them quickly," he says.

Robichaud says the limited customs service is really having a serious impact on small communities in Canada, particularly those in Atlantic Canada.

"The whole idea behind the open skies is more accessibility to world markets and by limiting the hours of operation and the staff to serve them, it is unfortunately only the large communities that are being serviced and they are the ones benefitting economically," he says.

"Obviously every time we go after international or trans-border carriers one of the questions we have to answer in the negative is, 'Do you have 24-hour coverage of customs?'"

Robichaud says they're not asking to have staff on site 24 hours a day -- just to have staff available when flights come in.

"I know for sure that flights are being turned away on the weekend, from small flights coming in to larger flights, they are being sent to Saint John and Halifax," he says. "Saint John does have coverage to midnight, but Fredericton, Moncton, and Charlottetown, we deserve that 24-7 availability."

Robichaud says they've been fortunate so far that carriers have worked with them to make sure flights get in before midnight, even if it has meant shifting things around on the other end of the flight.

"We did have an airline that put a couple of destinations in jeopardy, but were fortunately able to adjust their schedule," he says. "But that is not going to last forever. We are trying to grow here."

Robichaud says cargo flights also tend to operate after midnight.

"If we don't have customs service here, they would be diverted to Halifax and that would be a real slap in the face for this community and this province," he says.

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 4:54 PM
Direct Flight to Ottawa! nice! :D Thats excellent news...now we need to get the customs thing fixed...of course it will only be easier for the feds to come check out the situation themselves now that they can fly direct from Ottawa to here! :cool:

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 5:18 PM
Direct Flight to Ottawa! nice! :D Thats excellent news...now we need to get the customs thing fixed...of course it will only be easier for the feds to come check out the situation themselves now that they can fly direct from Ottawa to here! :cool:

Do you remember the announcement by the new owner of the Delta hotel about the major updates to the Hotel, he talked about a partnership for the convention center project, this could be a alternative to solve that problem. I could see a partnership with the city to get something built right behind on the Delta parking. The owner of the land is Assumption.

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 7:42 PM
Do you remember the announcement by the new owner of the Delta hotel about the major updates to the Hotel, he talked about a partnership for the convention center project, this could be a alternative to solve that problem. I could see a partnership with the city to get something built right behind on the Delta parking. The owner of the land is Assumption.

That would be sweet! :) We need to start a citizens group for the betterment of downtown Moncton! :cool: We will have big meetings and whatnot with Delta and Assumption...screw Veridoc they suck :hell:

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 8:30 PM
New direct flight to Ottawa from Moncton
August 23, 2007 - 2:02 pm
By: Darrell Quann-News 91.9 Staff

The Greater Moncton International Airport is getting a new daily direct flight to Ottawa.

The 50-seat Air Canada flight will leave Moncton once a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with a return flight from Ottawa in the evening.

The service will start October 28th.

Airport President and CEO Rob Robichaud says there is a market for the flight, and that they worked hard to get it.

Direct flights to Ottawa will also be offered from Fredericton.

[yay! both my hometowns have a link to the capital now! :D]

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 11:21 PM
That would be sweet! :) We need to start a citizens group for the betterment of downtown Moncton! :cool: We will have big meetings and whatnot with Delta and Assumption...screw Veridoc they suck :hell:

That`s a great idea !

I would like to see parking lots along Main street being developed like the former Royal Bank(tim Horton) and The Bay for increase.

Moreover there is prime land to sale, they used a really old photo though

http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/cclod.nsf/publish/5A0FEC3DF81F580A852572F100501B65/$File/465++Main+Street+For+Sale.pdf

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 11:26 PM
That`s a great idea !

I would like to see parking lots along Main street being developed like the former Royal Bank(tim Horton) and The Bay for increase.

Moreover there is prime land to sale, they used a really old photo though

http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/cclod.nsf/publish/5A0FEC3DF81F580A852572F100501B65/$File/465++Main+Street+For+Sale.pdf

wow is that pic ever old! Beaver Lumber is still there :haha:

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 11:29 PM
wow is that pic ever old! Beaver Lumber is still there :haha:

Where is it exactly ? close to Moncton Subaru ?

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 11:31 PM
Where is it exactly ? close to Moncton Subaru ?

The land or Beaver Lumber?

if the land then yes

if Beaver Lumber than no...that is the random building on the bottom right of the picture beside the jail.

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 11:33 PM
Random update which I discovered while on my walk to Sobeys to get my lunch 5 mins ago:

Crombie is painting Terminal Center white! haha

The black was kinda junky looking...but I dunno how this will look...we shall see

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 11:35 PM
The land or Beaver Lumber?

if the land then yes

if Beaver Lumber than no...that is the random building on the bottom right of the picture beside the jail.

Beaver Lumber is the former land for the Courthouse? I think there is a advertising out there about courthouse yet. I heard the jail will be relocated.. is it true?

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 11:37 PM
Dp

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 11:37 PM
Beaver Lumber is the former land for the Courthouse? I think there is a advertising out there about courthouse yet. I heard the jail will be relocated.. is it true?

Yeah...they have a big fence around where Beaver Lumber used to be...it was the original location for the courthouse, but then they found out it is crappy land not suitable for underground parking. There was some talk about moving the jail, havent heard anything lately though.

ErickMontreal
Aug 23, 2007, 11:43 PM
Random update which I discovered while on my walk to Sobeys to get my lunch 5 mins ago:

Crombie is painting Terminal Center white! haha

The black was kinda junky looking...but I dunno how this will look...we shall see

Are you serious? well, i`m not sure its a great idea though, like you said we shall see..

Termimal is the building right along main? or this is the biggest. ?

Do you beleive it could be possible to add stories up Highfield square?

mmmatt
Aug 23, 2007, 11:46 PM
dp

ErickMontreal
Aug 24, 2007, 12:08 AM
Its the building along main (where I work :cool:) as for adding to Highfield probably not.

Ok thanks

Whats going on with Former Dewey Block ? and where the 4-stories condo that you talked about a while back is supposed to be located?

Its the question night!

mmmatt
Aug 24, 2007, 12:14 AM
Ok thanks

Whats going on with Former Dewey Block ? and where the 4-stories condo that you talked about a while back is supposed to be located?

Its the question night!

Former Dewey Block?

As for the condo all I remember is something about Assumption property...so probably nearby the two newish condos already along the waterfront.

ErickMontreal
Aug 24, 2007, 12:21 AM
Former Dewey Block?

As for the condo all I remember is something about Assumption property...so probably nearby the two newish condos already along the waterfront.

I got a pic

http://www.downtownmoncton.nb.ca/image.php?id=919

mmmatt
Aug 24, 2007, 1:52 AM
I got a pic

http://www.downtownmoncton.nb.ca/image.php?id=919

ohhhh that place...I dunno but they certainly need to fill it. That mural is nice and all but a building is needed :P

mmmatt
Aug 24, 2007, 8:26 PM
Are you serious? well, i`m not sure its a great idea though, like you said we shall see..

Termimal is the building right along main? or this is the biggest. ?

Do you beleive it could be possible to add stories up Highfield square?

Correction! Terminal Center IS the bigger one...but the one being painted is Terminal Plaza...stupid similar names always confuse me haha.

mmmatt
Aug 24, 2007, 10:01 PM
Riverkeeper proceeds with legal action against the feds
August 23, 2007 - 4:54 pm
By: Darrell Quann - News 91.9 Staff







MONCTON, NB - It looks like the federal government will be going to court over the Petitcodiac River after all.

After taking a few weeks to mull over the consequences of going ahead with legal action against the feds - Petitcodiac Riverkeeper will do just that.

Petitcodiac Riverkeeper Chairman Michel Desjardins says he can't see how they will lose.

"I am absolutely convinced the river will be restored sooner rather than later. I don't believe any government can ignore the science, the law and the public opinion and we have those three things in our favour."

Desjardins says having the government realize their legal obligation to fixing the river will finally resolve the issue.

ErickMontreal
Aug 25, 2007, 3:40 PM
Who is Metro's voice in Ottawa?
With river restoration, convention centre and airport projects in works, Opposition MP wants to know who is standing up for Metro Moncton in cabinet

TOOL HELP
By Kate Wright
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday August 25th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

OTTAWA - As a thriving community with a bustling economy, Metro Moncton is one of the great economic generators in the Maritime provinces.

But as the city experiences rapid growth, its infrastructure needs are quickly changing. Metro needs the help of both the provincial and federal governments to realize its potential as the East Coast's hub city.

A convention centre, increased customs staffing at the Greater Moncton International Airport, funding for the thriving aerospace industry and federal funding for the restoration of the Petitcodiac River are all major economic projects that are on the cusp of coming to fruition.

Given the importance of the issues on the city's plate, having a voice at the federal cabinet table has never been more paramount.

With an Opposition MP representing the city without a direct link to the Prime Minister's Office, some community leaders are wondering who on the government side is standing up for Metro Moncton's interests at the cabinet table.

New Brunswick's regional minister Greg Thompson has been criticized this week for admitting to not having read the exhaustive Environmental Impact Assessment that determined the Petitcodiac River must be restored -- arguably one of the largest restoration projects in the province's history.

Thompson has deferred the lead on the river file to Fundy-Royal MP Rob Moore, who has been a vocal opponent of the restoration project.

Sitting on the Opposition side of the Commons, Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Brian Murphy is limited in how far he can influence his colleagues on the government side of the House on Metro's important files.

While the river largely affects his riding, Murphy said the issue also affects people in the ridings of surrounding Tory MPs, making it an issue that should be heard in Ottawa.

"In city government, I became quite vocal on a number of issues, such as cleaning up the water," he said. "Likewise on the river, we are not being heard or read in this case and it's time for us to make a stink."

While Moore has been granted the lead on the file by Thompson, Murphy said Moore doesn't represent the province on the issue.

"I would like to know who's representing New Brunswick for the federal government," he said.

Interview requests to Rob Moore were not returned yesterday.

Dieppe Mayor Achille Maillet is appealing to Thompson and Moore to bring the province's preferred option of removing the causeway to Ottawa, hoping they will stand up for Metro's interests.

Named as one of the most endangered rivers in the world by a number of organizations including National Geographic and Earthwild International, Maillet said the decision to support the restoration project "makes sense" for the region.

"This is extremely important for the economy of the entire region. We will continue knocking on that door," he said. "We will be writing to Mr. Thompson and Mr. Moore and we're hopeful that Mr. Thompson will turn around and say, 'This makes sense for the region'"

Like many files waiting for federal funds, Maillet said the river file needs to move forward quickly and that local Conservative MPs need to stand up for the interests of the city.

The business community is cautious in questioning who's looking out for Metro's needs at the cabinet table.

Valerie Roy, CEO of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, said yesterday that the business community has had to come together and rally Ottawa on its own to put pressure on the federal government in support of important city issues.

In a city that is fast evolving, Roy said there are a number of issues that Moncton is looking for federal help with.

"We have a lot of issues in front of government right now and it's evident that the community, we all agree on what those issues are, but we're not the only community that has issues in front of government," she said.

Roy said regardless of who is in power federally, communities are often left to lobbying Ottawa on their own.

John Thompson, CEO of Enterprise Greater Moncton, said his organization has set its priorities -- including a convention centre and Fundy Gateway funding -- and has been rallying the federal government on Metro's priorities.

While he agrees the river restoration project is a good one, he adds that much-needed infrastructure is also key to boosting Metro's economic profile.

"We have to keep it in context," he said. "We're the largest municipality in New Brunswick. We generate a lot of economic activity. As a community, when you start to grow, you need key infrastructures -- it's extremely important."

Thompson said that the region's elected officials have a number of projects to handle and that they are doing the best they can with the federal resources allocated to the area.

acrew79
Aug 27, 2007, 6:07 PM
Correction! Terminal Center IS the bigger one...but the one being painted is Terminal Plaza...stupid similar names always confuse me haha.
Just a heads up.. the white is only a primer..

ErickMontreal
Aug 27, 2007, 6:16 PM
When I was driving on highway 2 yesterday, I have seen they started the work on the new Hampton Inn.

mmmatt
Aug 27, 2007, 6:39 PM
Just a heads up.. the white is only a primer..

ahhh I see...I had a feeling thats what it was...well thats good, I was thinking recently they needed to be painted or something because the black is all cruddy looking haha, I just didnt think that Crombie would put the effort in to fix it. :P

EDIT: Yeah...I just walked by a few mins ago on my break and saw them painting black over the primer...makes the building look 100% better, cant wait til they do the front which IMO looks the most beat up :)

mmmatt
Aug 27, 2007, 7:19 PM
Feature film begins shooting in Greater Moncton
August 27, 2007 - 6:47 am
By: Cathy LeBreton - News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB - Some up-and-comers as well as some recogizable names are attached to a movie being shot in Greater Moncton.

"Growing Op" is described as a dramatic comedy about a teenaged boy who rebells against his parents, who just happen to to run a marijuana growing operation out of their suburban home.

Several scenes were shot at Moncton's L'Odysee High School on the weekend and much of the filming will take place in a north-end neighborhood.
Producer Rick Warden says newcomer, Stephen Yassi, has been cast in the starring role.

Rachael Blanchard who starred in TV's "Clueless" and "Seventh Heaven" plays the boys love interest and fans of movies like Pulp Fiction and The Whole Nine Yards will recognize Roseanna Arquette as his mom.

Filming is expected to wrap up at the end of next month, with the movie hitting theatres next Fall.

ErickMontreal
Aug 27, 2007, 7:26 PM
:: Moncton Hampton Inn project. ::
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:gVoI3UTgpM1qqM:http://www.vancouvershuttle.ca/logoHamptonInn1.gif


I saw on the advertising of the project that the hotel will be a 4-stories (100 rooms). Moreover, there will be two or three strip malls (5-10 stores) and one gas station along with.

mmmatt
Aug 27, 2007, 7:55 PM
Renovations complete at the Sobeys on Mountain Rd...looks good...

Sobeys on Main st progressing very nicely, they have about 1/2 of the framing up at this point I would say.

ErickMontreal
Aug 27, 2007, 8:11 PM
Renovations complete at the Sobeys on Mountain Rd...looks good...

Sobeys on Main st progressing very nicely, they have about 1/2 of the framing up at this point I would say.

The project is great due to the fact Highfield square will be redeveloped, this shopping center really is in trouble with more than 45 % of vacant space. They talked about many perspectives (apartments, convention center, office space and new parking structure as well). Moreover, Sobeys will add retails space along Main street on the side of the building...

mmmatt
Aug 27, 2007, 8:34 PM
The project is great due to the fact Highfield square will be redeveloped, this shopping center really is in trouble with more than 45 % of vacant space. They talked about many perspectives (apartments, convention center, office space and new parking structure as well). Moreover, Sobeys will add retails space along Main street on the side of the building...

I wouldnt say 45%...maybe once Sobeys leaves it would be close to 45% but not at the moment...its prob more like 25%...either way the mall sucks and what tennants are there go out of bussiness sometimes within a month.

ErickMontreal
Aug 27, 2007, 8:44 PM
I wouldnt say 45%...maybe once Sobeys leaves it would be close to 45% but not at the moment...its prob more like 25%...either way the mall sucks and what tennants are there go out of bussiness sometimes within a month.

Well, according to Crombie homepage, there is more than 26 vacant stores and more than 30 000 s/f of office space for lease, i really don`t know the right percentage but like you said ealier they have to do something with.

mmmatt
Aug 27, 2007, 9:18 PM
Well, according to Crombie homepage, there is more than 26 vacant stores and more than 30 000 s/f of office space for lease, i really don`t know the right percentage but like you said ealier they have to do something with.

wow 26!? thats a lot more than I would have guessed, yeah they need to make better use of the space because clearly Champlain and Trinity are hogging the spotlight as far as retail is concerned.

ErickMontreal
Aug 27, 2007, 9:26 PM
wow 26!? thats a lot more than I would have guessed, yeah they need to make better use of the space because clearly Champlain and Trinity are hogging the spotlight as far as retail is concerned.

You`re right, I mean its the case for whole Main street. There are some restaurants, coffees, hotels, banks, bars but few retail stores. I guess St George Street doing a better job than Main Street on the retail scene. Fredericton doing really well on that issue, the downtown core provides a lots of local stores.