The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread [Archive] - Page 28

MonctonRad

Aug 19, 2008, 1:44 PM

New addition at The Moncton Hospital on track to open this fall

By Aloma Jardine
Times & Transcript Staff

Hospital's new ambulatory care centre is reaching the final stages of construction and should open sometime this fall.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=172679&size=500x0

Although it has outward signs of being complete, it will be a while yet before the new Ambulatory Care unit at The Moncton Hospital will open as all the systems are now undergoing testing and certification. Alan Mongraw, vice-president operations for the South-East Regional Health Authority, says they are in the process of commissioning the building -- testing all of the mechanical, electrical, fire alarm and other operational systems -- and that most of the construction work, apart from some of the final detail work, is complete.

But Mongraw wasn't prepared to give an opening date for the new centre, saying it will depend on how well commissioning goes.

"I'm reluctant at this point to nail a date down," he says. "Originally we were trying to project a September date, obviously we're not going to achieve that date. We are not far away, but at this point I think it would be premature until we get more information from the contractor to tell us what issues there may be."

When the project was first announced in May 2005, the aim was to complete it by last fall, but Mongraw says once architectural plans were drawn up and the full scope and scale of the project was known, it was clear that was not going to be feasible given the complexity of the project.

Instead, the opening date was revised to this past spring. Mongraw says early this year it became apparent that a May opening date would not be doable and the final target was revised to this fall.

"A project of that complexity -- it is a 160,000 square foot, fairly technical building -- it is not unusual to experience delays, frustrating as that might be for everybody," he says.

Besides the commissioning, Mongraw says they are beginning to install any fixed or new equipment and some of the furnishings.

"We had a big order of chairs delivered today, for example," he says.

Once everything is in place, Mongraw says there will be a short period of staff orientation and training as they get used to any new systems, learn where everything is in the building, and prepare for things like fire emergencies.

Then begins the task of actually moving departments, labs, and clinics over to the new space without disrupting services.

"In the case of the emergency department it will literally be over a very short space of time, over a weekend, it will be very quick," Mongraw says. "The laboratories will be over as short a space of time as we can manage so that we can maintain continuity of service without confusion."

Mongraw says there is a little more leeway in moving clinics, but says they still want to get everything moved over as quickly as possible.

"We may do sections at a time, but that may be over a period of a couple of weeks. We definitely don't want to drag it out because it is confusing for the public, what's open, what's not," he says.

"I would stay from start to finish, once we begin the moves, it would be a matter of weeks."

Once things have moved out of their current space in The Moncton Hospital, plans are well underway to re-purpose some of the empty space.

The emergency department will be converted into a new intensive care unit and the cardiology and GI clinics will be made into a new oncology clinic.

"We are looking at a variety of space planning issues for other services and activities and trying to work up a plan so that the spaces that are vacated can be used to their best advantage," Mongraw says.

MonctonRad

Aug 19, 2008, 1:48 PM

Council Votes to Approve Casino Project

Council also votes to prevent Muirfield Dr. from being extended to Casino Drive, Mountain Road

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

At its core, it was all pretty straightforward. Moncton city council had a subdivision plan to either accept or reject.

Under the Community Planning Act -- one of the two pieces of provincial legislation that give and limit a municipal council's authority -- councillors met last night to consider a land subdivision's transportation issues, site servicing, buffer adjustments, sidewalks, landscaping, creation of streets and the land that any developer must set aside for public services.

When the land to be subdivided is New Brunswick's first casino, however, things get complicated.

Three hours and more than a dozen speakers came between the introduction of the council agenda item and the voting on it at last night's regular public meeting of council.

While there was much discussion of the matters within council's purview, there was also much discussion about the supposed benefits and drawbacks of having a casino in the region at all.

Ultimately, city council unanimously approved developer Sonco Gaming New Brunswick's subdivision plan and approved the creation of a new public street named Casino Drive to access Sonco's casino/hotel/convention centre and entertainment complex.

(Had council not approved Casino Drive as a street, the developer could still have simply built the roadway as a private entryway.)

Once the vote to accept the subdivision plan passed, council then moved to deal with what the casino's immediate neighbours wanted from them most -- a promise that Muirfield Drive/Twin Oaks Boulevard would not be extended to connect to Casino Drive and Mountain Road, becoming a busy through street.

"As far as we're concerned, Muirfield must never be allowed to connect to Casino Drive," as neighbourhood representative Glen Feltmate put it.

Council unanimously voted to amend the city's municipal plan so that an extension of Muirfield was no longer identified as a future road.

The closure has no effect on the casino complex. The future plan for the road had long been on the books and Sonco president Michael Novac has said he neither sought the roadwork nor does he need it done for the sake of his project.

In a similar matter, council also quickly voted unanimously to ensure a stub on Sunshine Drive would be prevented from ever becoming a street into the casino property.

The city's director of engineering and environmental services, Jack MacDonald, urged council to maintain land at the end of Muirfield Drive as a city easement, so that if the city some day decides a road is in its best interest, even 30 or 40 years in the future, it would have its options open.

It may have been the prudent idea, but it wasn't the popular one. Nevertheless, Mayor George LeBlanc commended him for giving council his best professional advice.

"Mr. MacDonald, you have set an example of what we expect here from senior city staff," LeBlanc said, as the city's political masters then did what they had to do in the best traditions of democracy.

Council also sent the idea of a fence eight feet high and opaque at the rear of the complex back to the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission for consideration.

While residents of the nearest residential properties might have been at least partially appeased by the concessions they have gained since the casino site was announced, there were other Monctonians on hand to argue against the existence of a casino anywhere in the region.

"Though the Times & Transcript continues to print positive stories about casinos, there are many citizens who disagree with the casino," said Dan Britton, who identified himself as a citizen, father of four and media executive.

Britton said the city's "being offered $1.5 million (the estimated amount of property tax the city will get from the development each year) to babysit such a controversial project," was hardly worth it. Ward 3 Councillor Brian Hicks pointed out, however, that should the casino have gone outside city limits or in neighbouring Dieppe, Moncton might still face social costs without any revenue.

While she called them "the conscience of the city," Councillor-at-large Kathryn Barnes asked of those who had come to debate the casino question itself, "why didn't anyone make representations to the province when there was first talk of a casino? I just feel that you're a little bit late."

Debate of just how many extra police officers would be needed or what the economic costs would be elicited a lot of possible numbers, but in the absence of hard numbers, people on all sides of the issue tended to complain the provincial government was to blame for not having public consultations where these matters could be hashed out well before this.

Many of the councillors who spoke on the issue argued the province should be offering part of its share of the profits to the city to offset policing costs.

Despite the passions surrounding the issue and the length of the debate, the tone was remarkably respectful, with all parties present -- citizens, councillors, and developers -- commending the other parties for working together to make the most of the situation.

mmmatt

Aug 20, 2008, 8:51 AM

Thinking about tourism tonight I got to thinking...

Moncton is really defining itself as a tourist "hub" so to speak...we are settled in the epicenter of NB tourism...within an hour of downtown you have:

Crystal Palace, Magic Mountain, Magnetic Hill Zoo, Concert site, Parlee Beach, Fundy National Park, Kouchibouguac National Park, Dunes of Bouctouche, Pays de la Sagouine, Hopewell Rocks, Cape Enrage, TreeGo, Fort Beauséjour, Champlain Mall...and the list goes on

All of these basically sum up the top tourist draws in NB save for a few (Kings Landing, NB museum, Reversing Falls etc...)

That being said I think the city could do much more to become a much better tourist draw, to be able to draw from much further away.

What we struggle with though is winter...which happens to be our longest season haha...I think if we added a few attractions to the list Moncton could be a literal "winter wonderland" for tourists...and would help increase the summer season as well...

we are certainly moving in the right direction in this respect with the addition of Casino New Brunswick and the upcoming expansion of the Moncton Museum, but I cant help but feel we could do so much more.

The three best ideas I could think of (two of which have been mentioned before) are:

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1. An Imax

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/03/imaxIMAX.jpg

This has been on Monctons wish list for a long time...and I cant understand it...we have two large theater complexes which do very well...and for NBers the closest Imax is at least a 3 hour+ drive away (Hali or Quebec)...I think an Imax would do very well in Moncton.

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2. An Indoor Aquarium

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Georgia_Aquarium_-_Ocean_Voyager_Tunnel_Jan_2006.jpg/800px-Georgia_Aquarium_-_Ocean_Voyager_Tunnel_Jan_2006.jpg

Currently the largest aquarium in Atlantic Canada is in Shippigan (I didnt even know about it until just now haha) and its pretty small...I think with a good financial backer (Ive found most are backed by large companies) along with some government money we could get a nice aquarium here...they are great year round tourist draws, it could be built as an addition to the zoo, as they have plenty of land out there...or better yet as a downtown landmark...which has worked well for many aquariums...for example (although these are much MUCH larger than we could expect)

Melbourne Aquarium

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/MelbourneAquariumEast.JPG/800px-MelbourneAquariumEast.JPG

Georgia Aquarium

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/36/Georgia-aquarium-aerial.jpg/800px-Georgia-aquarium-aerial.jpg

This aquarium cost 250 million dollars to build in 2005, in its first 2 years it had 5 million visitors...at an average of 23$ per visitors its made over 115,000,000 million so far...so you can see how feasible it becomes...obviously this is on a much larger scale than Moncton, but its a good example.

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3. A Downtown Arena

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Columbus-ohio-nationwide-arena.jpg/800px-Columbus-ohio-nationwide-arena.jpg

This is the new downtown hot project...and I think for good reason, a nice new 10,000 seat downtown arena would do wonders for Moncton...it could be built with a new hotel...added convention space, etc...it would open us up to much larger indoor concerts, sporting events, and shows like the Cirque du Soleil etc. It would really help to liven downtown up during the winter as well.

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now obviously the best case scenario I could see (though its a massive longshot) would be to have these three attractions all built in very close proximity. Perhaps with the aquarium, the Imax, and a large parking garage taking over Assumptions parking lot, and the arena in the beaver lumber spot...with a link between the two via pedway, and also a link to a new hotel and to the Delta.

ahh I can dream :)

In reality though a downtown arena I can see becoming serious soon, what with the mayor, Downtown Moncton inc, and the general population (as far as I know) strongly all backing it.

An Imax I can see happening sometime in the future...to me it makes logical sense...maybe we should all open one up together and compete with Empire muhaha :P

An aquarium is not really on the radar right now, but I think it would be great...perhaps just a dream for now though.

Sorry to sort of run away on a tangent like that...just a late night rant haha

MonctonRad

Aug 20, 2008, 1:58 PM

STU

You're not going out on a tangent at all! That's one of the fun things about this forum, the freedom to dream and to speculate.

Personal thoughts;

(1) - Aquarium: Not ever going to happen, ever. Population base is too small and the construction costs are way too high. The overhead to run a state of the art aquarium would be prohibitive.

(2) - Downtown arena: I am convinced that this will happen. It's actually amazing how quickly this proposed project has jumped to the top of the queue in terms of possible downtown developments. With the casino now going to Magnetic Hill and with the coliseum beginning to show its age, the timing is right for this project. Depending on where the justice complex will be built, I foresee a 12,000 seat "metro centre" with corporate boxes and an adjacent regional convention centre as a good fit for the Beaver Lumber property.

(3) - IMAX Theatre: No reason why this couldn't be built in Moncton. I think it would be popular. Most every time I'm in Halifax I check out what titles are playing at the IMAX down there. The question is, where could it be built?
I don't think it would be at the Empire 8 theatres at Wheeler Park. They just completed conversion of all eight auditoriums out there to stadium seating and I don't think there is room for expansion of this complex. I don't think a standalone IMAX downtown would survive. Most new IMAX theatres are builty in cineplexes. An IMAX at Crystal Palace would seem the most likely possibility but this would likely entail ripping out three or four of the existing auditoriums and heavy duty renovations.

An IMAX as part of a downtown entertainment complex including an arena/convention centre/hotel might fly however.

Food for thought.

MonctonRad

Aug 20, 2008, 2:21 PM

Ryan Street, Horsman Road will get upgrades to keep up with increased traffic in booming area

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

When Moncton City Council this week voted to prevent Muirfield Drive from ever connecting to Mountain Road, it dealt with a worry of many residents that their residential street would one day become a busy thoroughfare.

It was a valid concern, as motorists in the increasingly congested northwest Moncton stretches of Mountain Road look more often for shortcuts to get them where they're going.

Anyone just has to look at Moncton streets like Frampton, Ayer, Kendra or Hennesey for precedents. But those roadways, like Muirfield for that matter, were at least planned for higher traffic volumes. For truly startling examples of how even narrow residential side streets can some day become heavily used "drive-thrus," Monctonians need only look at Kirkwood Drive or Lewis Street for examples of stressed streetscapes.

But residents of the northwest end need not look that far. In their collective backyard they have two quiet country lanes which have gone big city in recent years.

Parts of Ryan Street and all of Horsman Road, once well outside Moncton city limits, don't come close to being up to standards for city streets, and nowhere is the contrast between their originally intended uses and their current reality more obvious than where they meet.

When you think busy suburban collector street, you probably don't picture a cattle barn, but there it is, right where Ryan and Horsman handle early 21st century traffic at an intersection more appropriate to the early 20th century.

With Mountain Road growing more crowded, residents within Moncton's fastest growing neighbourhood -- and many from outside the area -- are using Ryan and Horsman as the back door to get to and from the rest of the city.

And it's not just at rush hours anymore. Come from any well attended event at the Moncton Coliseum and you'll see more and more taillights disappearing from Berry Mills Road into the darkness of Horsman Road.

The head of the city's Engineering and Environmental Services department says the City of Moncton is well aware of the problems in the area, and Jack MacDonald says the work already under way the past two years on Ryan Road will continue in the next several years as well.

It will need to. Roads that do connect to Ryan Street already or will in the not-too-distant future include Hildegard, Evergreen, Twin Oaks, Maplehurst and Augusta.

"Capital works is development driven," MacDonald said, noting that with so many places to allocate limited funds, spending money on infrastructure is a matter of careful timing.

This year, Ryan Street is getting upgrades between Penrose and Horsman. MacDonald said the current city five-year capital works budget has money set aside for more work each summer through 2012.

Next year, Horsman Road will get its needed upgrade, as well as have its intersection with Ryan re-aligned. In the three years following that, the money will be spent on Ryan heading westerly from Horsman.

One big issue for motorists that is yet to be resolved is a traffic light for the intersection of Horsman and Berry Mills.

Because of the high speeds of traffic headed east on Berry Mills and the fact most drivers departing Horsman make left turns onto Berry Mills on their way into the city centre, many citizens argue there should be traffic lights at the intersection already.

MacDonald said the city has been lobbying the province for a signallized intersection there for quite some time.

"We meet with the province every year on this and we will meet with them again," he said, adding members of his department and their opposites at the provincial Department of Transportation usually get together about three times per year.

However, the province says a warrant analysis, a mathematical calculation of traffic numbers and other factors, does not yet support the installation of traffic signals.

The work and materials needed for a signallized intersection usually costs a bit more than $100,000.

It's not just a matter of convincing the province to spend the money. Even if the City of Moncton decided to go it alone and foot the bill, it's still a matter of getting permission to install traffic signals on what is a provincial roadway. So far that permission has not been granted.

MacDonald said it would likely take several weeks to two months to install lights and the necessary underground components they need.

As for longterm thinking, MacDonald said there was not yet any talk of one day having an overpass or other form of road junction at Berry Mills, though he agreed there could come a day when Horsman extends across Berry Mills and connects to roads somewhere in the area of the Moncton Industrial Park.

Similarly, he doubted the east end of Ryan Street, severed by the building of Wheeler Boulevard more than two decades ago, might one day be connected via an overpass across Wheeler.

"Never say never," he said, citing how larger cities like Toronto find themselves creating overlapping "spaghetti strands" of overpasses, but he expressed doubt the need would be great enough to justify the costs in the foreseeable future.

Personal note; I live in this section of the city and I have often thought that Ryan Street should be reconnected by an overpass over Wheeler Blvd. Most of the inbound traffic on Mountain Road goes either left or right at the Wheeler Blvd intersection. If Ryan were reconnected, commuters from Kingswood/Evergreen/Rosemount/Hildegard would be able to bypass the worst of the congestion on Mountain Road on their inbound commute.

MonctonRad

Aug 20, 2008, 2:29 PM

Shoppers Drug Mart heads for Vaughan Harvey Blvd.

Residential permits in Moncton up 15 per cent this July over last year

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

Despite weeks of denials from official sources, a new Shoppers Drug Mart has begun construction on Vaughan Harvey Boulevard, adding to the retail niche begun by a new Sobey's/N.B. Liquor complex and driven by the extension of the boulevard to the Gunningsville Bridge.

The foundation has been laid on the property just to the east of the Via Rail station, and the identity of its tenant confirmed in City of Moncton's July building permits.

Moncton issued a total of 157 building permits valued at $13.7 million in July, with the new Shoppers, a warehouse and office building on Edinburgh Drive, and renovations to the Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Hospital leading the way.

The bulk of permits, however, were issued to residential construction projects, which were up 15 per cent over the same period last year.

"We're seeing ongoing consumer confidence in our economy resulting in continued growth in the residential construction sector in the city," said Moncton's business development officer, Kevin Silliker.

This past July, a total of 32 commercial and industrial building permits were issued with a value of $5.3 million. Year to date figures show a total of 715 building permits have been issued for a total value of $63,896,000.

Wishblade

Aug 20, 2008, 6:29 PM

mylesmalley

Aug 20, 2008, 7:07 PM

Maybe we could one-up campbelton and build a two-story reptile museum! :p

Haliguy

Aug 20, 2008, 8:55 PM

Yeah, every city in atlantic canada is far too small to support a major aquarium. Halifax was looking into one a short while back, but it was deemed that Halifax would have to have twice its current population to support one. Oh well, it'd be nice though :P

It would be a nice fit for Halifax with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography and Dalhousie University.

MonctonRad

Aug 20, 2008, 9:21 PM

It would be a nice fit for Halifax with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography and Dalhousie University.

I tend to agree with you Haliguy, Halifax would be the logical site for a major aquarium in the Maritimes; especially given the proximity of B.I.O.

We'll make do with the Magnetic Hill Zoo here in Moncton.:D

ErickMontreal

Aug 20, 2008, 9:28 PM

[B]Shoppers Drug Mart heads for Vaughan Harvey Blvd.

Too much for me.

Another stand alone building surrounded by parking lots right in Downtown core... obviously they really act like a city of 15 000 citizens.

Seriously, their lack of vision is way pathetic.

MonctonRad

Aug 20, 2008, 10:01 PM

Too much for me.

Another stand alone building surrounded by parking lots right in Downtown core... obviously they really act like a city of 15 000 citizens.

Seriously, their lack of vision is way pathetic.

Like I said before Erick, all that is happening is that the former tenants of Highfield Square are decamping next door. The big question is: What's going to happen to Highfield Square?

With the Sobey's in charge, I'm worried; but stay tuned......

sdm

Aug 20, 2008, 11:26 PM

I tend to agree with you Haliguy, Halifax would be the logical site for a major aquarium in the Maritimes; especially given the proximity of B.I.O.

We'll make do with the Magnetic Hill Zoo here in Moncton.:D

There is a small one planned as part of the Queenslanding project downtown Halifax. Where this project is however is a mystery.

ErickMontreal

Aug 21, 2008, 1:25 AM

Like I said before Erick, all that is happening is that the former tenants of Highfield Square are decamping next door. The big question is: What's going to happen to Highfield Square?

With the Sobey's in charge, I'm worried; but stay tuned......

I get it but notwithstanding the fact "Shoppers Drugs Mart" are decamping of Highfield Square does not change the reality : they are building something suburban as well as eyesore in a prime piece of land.

Office, apartments, condos on top maybe ?....Uptown Dieppe !

mylesmalley

Aug 21, 2008, 1:49 PM

Office space snapped up in Metro
Published Thursday August 21st, 2008
Study shows less office space, more industrial space, available across the region
C2
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

The amount of office space is down and industrial space is up in Metro Moncton, according to Colliers International (Atlantic) Inc's mid-year commercial real estate report.

It's a positive report, says Tim Lyons, Colliers' regional director for New Brunswick.

"The positive growth trend that we have experienced over the past 30 months is expected to continue throughout 2008," Lyons says.

"The new office construction completed in 2007 should be occupied this year and the new multi-tenant industrial space opened in Dieppe Industrial Park and under construction in Caledonia Industrial Estates provides more choices for industrial users than they had in the past."

The busy office sector saw 76,000 square feet of office space leased since December, dropping the office vacancy rate since then by two percentage points, to 9.5 per cent. Some tenants expanded and moved to new premises but the offices they left vacant were quickly snapped up, Colliers' study shows.

And the vacancy rate is expected to continue its gradual decline as there are no major office projects currently in the works.

Those factors could prompt an increase in the current lease rates of about $26 per square foot for Class A (the best) space and $19 per square foot of Class B space.

Those figures include net rent, operating costs and property taxes and are derived from a weighted average of 3 million square feet of office space surveyed in Metro Moncton.

Industrial construction has slowed from 2007's pace.

Almost 130,000 square feet of new industrial space was added in the first six months of 2008, with most of it taking place in Caledonia Industrial Estates and Dieppe Industrial Park.

Closures and downsizing added to newly created space have also helped to add 135,000 square feet of vacant space to industrial inventories, leading to an increase in the vacancy rate of one-half of one per cent, to 7.6 per cent.

A big improvement was seen in the category of "leased" premises where vacancies fell so far this year to 11.1 per cent from 13.2 per cent.

The buying/selling market is tightening thanks to nervous investors, however local markets should still see moderate growth, putting upward pressure on rents and land values, especially in light of Metro Moncton's strong economic forecasts.

"The outlook for the balance of 2008 is for the positive trend to continue, but at a slower pace," the report states.

"Business growth from outside the area is expected to slow; however expansion among existing tenancy is anticipated to dominate leasing activity over the coming months."

Colliers International's Moncton Knowledge Report is published twice per year.

ErickMontreal

Aug 21, 2008, 1:50 PM

double post

mylesmalley

Aug 21, 2008, 1:55 PM

Ha! Beat you to it

MonctonRad

Aug 21, 2008, 7:07 PM

Great growth at GMIA in first half of 2008

August 21, 2008 - 2:44 pm
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB-There may be a downturn recently in air travel around the world, but the Greater Moncton International Airport is still a hub of activity.

For the first half of the year, the GMIA saw a 12.4 percent increase from the same period in 2007.

In fact, in the first six months of 2008, a record 336,749 people used the airport.

In June alone, 23.2 percent more travellers flew out of Moncton than the same month last year.

The Airport Authority's President and CEO, Rob Robichaud says a lot of their success has to do with geography.

Meanwhile, Robichaud says they're still hoping to see a 6 to 7 percent total increase in air travel out of the GMIA over the whole year.

C_Boy

Aug 22, 2008, 12:39 AM

Hey everyone !

Just wanted to introduce myself. I found this by accident but am very glad I did. I grew up in Moncton but now live just outside the city (20 minutes north), but just love the city, I work there and there all the time !

I really enjoy seeing developement, growth and new things for Moncton. For what I have read up to know, I see I'm not the only one that likes this and wants the city to be a lot more vertical. hopefully I will be able to contribute to the forum.

It's a pleasure beeing part of the group.

MonctonRad

Aug 22, 2008, 12:44 AM

Dmajackson

Aug 22, 2008, 2:26 AM

Yeah, every city in atlantic canada is far too small to support a major aquarium. Halifax was looking into one a short while back, but it was deemed that Halifax would have to have twice its current population to support one. Oh well, it'd be nice though :P

I've been to the aquarium in Quebec City and it is awesome but of course if we ever were to get one it wouldn't be nearly as good. Very convienient for Quebec that they have twice the pop. of Halifax so they get all the things we want... Now to get Queen's Landing back on the table...

I say HRM and Moncton join together and build all the things we want somewheres near Amherst/Sackville! :D Then when we start losing money stick the local county with the bill :P

Hey everyone !

Just wanted to introduce myself. I found this by accident but am very glad I did. I grew up in Moncton but now live just outside the city (20 minutes north), but just love the city, I work there and there all the time !

I really enjoy seeing developement, growth and new things for Moncton. For what I have read up to know, I see I'm not the only one that likes this and wants the city to be a lot more vertical. hopefully I will be able to contribute to the forum.

It's a pleasure beeing part of the group.

Welcome from your friendly neighbours in Halifax. Don't worry our bark is worse than our bite. :)

mylesmalley

Aug 22, 2008, 6:05 AM

MonctonRad

Aug 22, 2008, 12:45 PM

I know I posted a similar article yesterday from the News 91.9 website but this article re: the GMIA from the Times & Transcript today is more detailed.

Passenger traffic up at Moncton airport
Worldwide slump not evident; more flights possible in future

by dwayne tingley
times & transcript staff

Air travel is in a worldwide slump, but statistics released by the Greater Moncton International Airport (GMIA) tell quite a different story.

A record high 336,749 travellers used the airport during the first half of this year, marking a 12.4 per increase from the same period last year. In June alone, 23.2 per cent more travellers used the airport.

GMIA president and chief executive officer Rob Robichaud said yesterday increasing fuel costs have forced most airlines around the world to hike their rates, which have led to fewer passengers. Most airlines are noting one to four per cent decreases in passenger traffic, said Robichaud, who is also managing director of the airport.

"In view of the trends around the world, we are very pleased with the way things are going for us in Moncton," Robichaud said yesterday.

"With 18 to 20 scheduled flights daily, we are offer a greater choice for consumers than other airports in the region. We've been able to establish ourselves in the eyes of the consumer as an airport with a great variety of services."

"We wish to thank the community for (its) continued support of air services from New Brunswick's busiest airport. Our air service development objectives aim to increase services and offer the best travel options to link our community to the world."

He said a successful winter charter season that stretched from February to May helped boost numbers this year. Approximately seven "sun destination" flights were two or three more each day over last year.

Other improved services included WestJet's Moncton to Edmonton (through Toronto) flight and three additional Air Canada Jazz flights to Toronto and Montreal, which included business class seats.

"We had projected a six to seven per cent increase in passenger traffic this year and we're going to stick with that because we're not sure what the fall will bring," Robichaud said.

"I don't think anyone expected numbers this good so we're very encouraged with the way things are going."

Air Canada Jazz has already announced it will be making across-the-board cuts this fall and Robichaud is trying to pin down how that will impact on the Moncton airport. For now, it appears, the impact will be minimal, he said.

The airport is also hoping to add more "sun destination" flights in 2009 as well as new services to St. John's, N.L., Boston and New York-Newark.

Continental Airlines has decided to offer seven-day a week service from Moncton to New York-Newark. In the past, it operated just four flights per week from October to February.

"We're also working away at increasing our international cargo service and we are trying to get an overpass built at the Highway 15 exit so these are busy times for the airport," Robichaud said.

rocyn

Aug 22, 2008, 1:58 PM

mylesmalley

Aug 22, 2008, 2:39 PM

Casino a cash boost for Metro
Published Friday August 22nd, 2008

While Moncton won't receive revenue from operation, it will enjoy economic spinoffs
A1
By Mary Moszynski
Times & Transcript Staff

FREDERICTON - Metro Moncton will reap the financial rewards of having a casino and entertainment complex built in the community, benefits other communities would love to receive, says Finance Minister Victor Boudreau.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Boudreau
Boudreau said the casino, which is expected to generate roughly $1.5 million in property tax for the city, will create numerous jobs and economic spinoffs.

"The city is obviously going to get the economic spin-offs that come with a $90-million private sector investment in a municipality," he said. "There's close to 700 or 800 jobs during the construction, there's over 400 jobs during the operations. Hopefully some of these people will be buying homes and cars and things of the like, which is going to benefit the local economy."

Earlier this week, several city councillors suggested the provincial government should give a slice of the casino revenue to the city to cover so-called additional social costs.

Under the agreement with the province, Sonco Gaming New Brunswick will keep 50 per cent of the profits, 43 per cent will go to the province and three per cent will be put into a fund for future improvements to the facility.

The money flowing to government will go into general coffers, meaning it will be spent on projects across the province, including Moncton, said Boudreau.

"I could tell you that there are other municipalities that would certainly like to get a $90-million private sector investment," he said. "I'm positive the greater Moncton area is going to benefit from this project."

Boudreau also pointed out the casino provides Moncton with a convention centre/entertainment complex without any government funding.

Those calling on the province to share its portion with the city say a casino will lead to increased policing costs.

However, in neighbouring Halifax, a team of additional officers hired to deal with the expected surge in crime when a casino opened there was quickly disbanded because the crime rate didn't increase.

In fact, a York University study of RCMP-investigated money laundering cases suggests that if the province is thinking about adding plain-clothes officers to curb money laundering, they should be posted in banks, where the majority of laundering activities take place in Canada.

Boudreau said the city won't receive a share of the revenue -- just like it doesn't receive a share of the profit from any other business.

"These companies don't give a percentage of their profits to the municipality and I don't see why a casino development should be any different."

Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc said the city is still working out what additional costs might be incurred by the municipality.

"We're not trying to hit the jackpot here, so to speak, but if there was a good argument for sharing the revenue we certainly wouldn't be opposed to that," he said.

LeBlanc said there could be costs related to policing or roadwork, although he said council wants to do the math before speaking with Boudreau.

"I would hope this thing would be a benefit financially for the city so we don't have to worry about breaking even, that we're coming out a little bit ahead."

mylesmalley

Aug 22, 2008, 2:51 PM

City life presents conundrums
Published Friday August 22nd, 2008

D6
Brent Mazerolle
Modern life

I don't know if it's accurate, but comedian Dennis Miller usually gets credit for this one:

"A developer is someone who wants to build a house in the woods. An environmentalist is someone who already has a house in the woods."

Because of my work attending meetings of both Moncton City Council and the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission, I often find myself thinking about this in our rapidly developing city, where there have been frequent land use conflicts in recent years.

Most recently it came to mind as residents of the Palisade Drive and Jarvis Court area of Moncton were before city council opposing a decision to turn some wooded land near their homes into building lots for Habitat for Humanity.

The residents say they will lose some of their quality of life as the woods are a favourite recreation area for them and a habitat for a number of small animals. Because of our society's current concern for the environment, protecting the environment of the area was a key point made several times by residents.

I have every sympathy for them. I know just how they feel. In fact I know exactly how they feel because I remember when the woods I played in as a boy got cut down to make way for houses. In fact it was their houses, the ones where the folks on Jarvis and Palisade live today.

The first moose I ever saw was right about where today Palisade and Jarvis meet. The first time I strapped on cross country skis with my Dad and set off on a wilderness expedition, we entered the woods not a hundred metres from the land in question. I understand the despair as you see your forest threatened.

When I was very small, our family home on Drummond Street was at the edge of the area's developed land. My father and uncle and grandfather used to leave our front yard on their snowmobiles and journey all the way to Bouctouche, crossing only a handful of roads to do so.

The development of Palisade Drive made that a lot trickier. Today, the Caledonia Industrial Park just about cuts those trails off, and the creation of the Irishtown Nature Park has sure put the kibosh on the massive snowmobile gatherings that used to happen on the ice of the reservoir each winter.

Some of course would say that's all a good thing.

Similarly, when my ancestors first settled on Drummond Street (I believe I was fourth generation there), I'm sure there were people nearby who lamented yet more sprawl.

My current home in Riverview is on what was once lovely fertile farmland, and before that it was probably woods. The first white settlers to the Moncton area, not to mention the shipbuilders who quickly followed, were attracted by the massive pines that lined the river around what is today downtown Moncton. Perhaps you've seen these remarkable pines?

No? Nah, me neither. So what's to be done?

The folks on Palisade and Jarvis are going to lose trees in their immediate vicinity (there are assurances most trees will remain, but we'll see), but they still live at the edge of one of the largest remaining wooded areas within Moncton, an area around Humphrey Brook which runs out to Harrisville. But like that other large parcel of wooded land north of Morton Avenue across from the Université de Moncton, the Humphrey/Harrisville area is already getting pencilled in on developers' maps.

People want their houses at the edge of the woods and developers will continue to give them that. At least all these lands in question are within the city's serviceable boundaries, meaning infilling them is more economical and eco-friendly than sprawling the city ever further outward.

And here's the Catch-22. Those of us who appreciate the natural world most are the ones who want to live at the edge of it or right smack-dab in it. But if we really cared about the environment, we would abandon our cars and move into high density housing in the city core or close to our work. But I spent the first working years of my adult life trying desperately to get out of apartment buildings, so that's no answer.

While we bought our new home last year largely because our kids could walk to school for the whole 13 years and we could walk to grocery stores and just about everything else, we still chose a single family house that offers living on three floors for four people. It's hardly eco-friendly to heat.

And when I need to get out in the woods and remember what the world is all about? I hop in my car and burn a bunch of fossil fuel to get to the Irishtown Nature Park.

How are we going to solve these conundrums of modern life? Beats me. But I think it's time we all tried to come up with some creative ideas.

Surely it doesn't always have to be a matter of homes versus trees.

n Brent Mazerolle composts and is a staff reporter for the Times & Transcript. He tries to keep the two activities separate.

mylesmalley

Aug 22, 2008, 3:00 PM

Address traffic now, not later
Published Thursday August 21st, 2008

The City of Moncton merits praise for recognizing the increased traffic on Ryan Street and Horsman Road as well as the need for a traffic light at Horsman and Berry Mills Road, and for beginning to address it before it becomes a major safety issue. Moncton has not always shown such foresight in the past.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Unfortunately, the New Brunswick Department of Transportation is demonstrating bureaucratic myopia and sticking to a time-worn formula on the question of a traffic light on Berry Mills, saying that the traffic doesn't warrant one yet.

This neither shows foresight nor an appreciation of the realities today at that intersection, which is already busy enough that it poses a considerable safety hazard. The city knows that, and so do drivers who use Berry Mills Road. It is beyond any doubt that the traffic volumes are increasing and will continue to increase, particularly once the work on Ryan and Horsman is completed.

And that leaves but one question: which is more important to the provincial authorities, an artificial formula that will soon tell them a light is needed (but hasn't yet) or ensuring improved public safety now when improvements are clearly needed?

A little more common sense and a little less slavish adherence to a formula, particularly in a situation involving a rapidly growing populace demonstrating unmistakable trends, is in order. The cost is minuscule; public safety is paramount.

MonctonRad

Aug 22, 2008, 4:49 PM

We bought a house on Penrose St last fall. I cannot wait until this construction is done. Since the minute the snow melted, there has been non-stop truck traffic, noise and airborne dirt from home construction. This is not a great place for a family to be living right now.

I was getting used to this, when they rip up the road at Ryan & Hildegarde for water and/or sewer upgrades. I was looking forward to this neverending construction mess being done, when they decide to close Ryan from Penrose to Horsman for construction. Could they not have finished one project before starting another? Did they intend to do both at the same time or did the Ryan/Hildegarde project take longer than anticipated? Just seems like terrible planning.

Probably not what you want to hear but apparently there is money in the city budget for upgrading Ryan/Horseman to be spent over the next five years. Mind you, the construction will gradually progress westward so hopefully you'll be in the free and clear soon.

It is the destiny of Ryan/Horseman to become collector roads funnelling commuter traffic from Evergreen Park/Kingswood Park towards Berry Mills Road and away from Mountain Road.

There will be increased traffic on Ryan but Ryan will be getting proper stormsewers, is being widened and curbed and will have sidewalks on both sides.

And so a country lane becomes a city street. The times they are a changing.

mylesmalley

Aug 22, 2008, 5:33 PM

Probably not what you want to hear but apparently there is money in the city budget for upgrading Ryan/Horseman to be spent over the next five years. Mind you, the construction will gradually progress westward so hopefully you'll be in the free and clear soon.

It is the destiny of Ryan/Horseman to become collector roads funnelling commuter traffic from Evergreen Park/Kingswood Park towards Berry Mills Road and away from Mountain Road.

There will be increased traffic on Ryan but Ryan will be getting proper stormsewers, is being widened and curbed and will have sidewalks on both sides.

And so a country lane becomes a city street. The times they are a changing.

It's probably only a matter of time before Ryan is 4 lanes and as busy as mountain... boy, the locals will loooove that.

rocyn

Aug 23, 2008, 5:23 PM

MonctonRad

Aug 24, 2008, 2:27 PM

I have no real problem with Ryan becoming busier - I just want not to be trapped in between two street construction zones with no alternative escape route. I want to assume that the two construction zones happening at the same time on either side of our street was some sort of accident and not intentional. Having some sort of estimated time table for when they will finish this year's work on the Hildegarde end OR the Horsman end of Ryan would make this less frustrating.

I understand your frustration and, watching Kingswood Park growing around me for the last 19 years, I know where you are coming from.

Sometimes the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing (split brain syndrome). How many times have we seen city streets freshly paved only to be dug up again in two weeks time for sewer work. It doesn't make any sense.

mylesmalley

Aug 25, 2008, 3:05 PM

Retail still booming in Metro
Published Monday August 25th, 2008

Increased presence of power centres, changes to Champlain Place indicative of a strong retail market
A1
By Cole Hobson
Times & Transcript Staff

While shoppers may disagree with recent policy changes at Champlain Place or be inconvenienced by the mall's ongoing renovations, Eric Pelletier with Enterprise Greater Moncton says the changes are a sign the retail industry is alive, well and continuing to boom in Metro Moncton.

ENLARGE PHOTO

VIKTOR PIVOVAROV/TIMES & TRANSCR
Shoppers walk through Champlain Place on Saturday.
"It shows that they're investing in our locality and the company (Cadillac Fairview) has shown that Champlain Place is a major asset to them," says Pelletier, manager of investment attraction and community relations with Enterprise Greater Moncton. "It's very positive that they're reinvesting in their infrastructure in their mall to better suit their clientele and to remain the leading shopping centre in Atlantic Canada."

The $14-million in renovations is being undertaken at Champlain Place to give the shopping centre a facelift and to make for a better shopper experience, but also perhaps to rejuvenate a mall that is seeing increased competition of late from "big box store" shopping centres like the Trinity Power Centre.

Although he admits power centres are "growing and taking more space" in Greater Moncton, Pelletier doesn't believe the increase in one type of retail will be at the expense of shopping malls like Champlain Place.

"I think it's a mix -- different venues work for different stores. There's definitely a good reason for retailers to set up shop in a shopping mall and the model for other big box stores works better in a power centre setting," he said. "I think we're going to keep growing the power centres and attracting unique retailers to the shopping malls at the same time. I don't see them necessarily competing, I see them fulfilling two separate needs."

While locations all around the Atlantic provinces have seen a growth in the number of power centres and big box stores, Pelletier says the most marked increases have been in the Moncton area.

"If you look at the tourist numbers, there's as many people who when they're in Greater Moncton they will be going to Champlain Mall and to the power centre -- I don't see a problem with number of visits on that side," he says. "For us regionally, the total retail offering works better than one shopping mall or one power centre."

Retail in Metro has continued to grow at a staggering pace in recent years and is expected to gross roughly $2.25-billion in sales in 2008, according to FP Markets-Canadian Demographics data. By comparison, that number is up from the retail sales estimates of $1.79-billion in Moncton in 2007.

As of April 2008, New Brunswick had amassed $803-million in retail sales, an increase of 2.2 per cent from last year at this point, according to Retail Council of Canada data.

Similar data from 2007 shows that retail made up 12.2 per cent of New Brunswick's labour force and 11.3 per cent of the province's total number of establishments.

Neil Mattson, general manager of Champlain Place, says the mall's recent changes and renovations have the goal of trying to create more of a complete experience for the areas shoppers.

"Today's sophisticated mall shopper is looking not only for a variety of merchandise or selection of stores, but more and more they are looking for a heightened shopper experience," he said. "This includes increased guest services, comfortable soft seating areas, state of the art washrooms, a relaxed atmosphere and ambience. The current renovation will ensure that Champlain Place has the amenities that the modern shopper is looking for."

Although there has been controversy surrounding Champlain Place's decision to disallow shopping carts within the confines of the mall, it's par for the course for Cadillac Fairview, the company which owns and operates Champlain Place.

A representative with the company said all of their shopping centres outside of New Brunswick do not allow shopping carts, limiting their use solely to grocery stores and large department stores.

Mattson says the mall's new ServiCentre, which is scheduled to open in February 2009, will hopefully alleviate some of the concern over a lack of shopping carts, by offering additional services such as a coat and parcel check.

Meanwhile, Pelletier says the key for malls, power centres and Metro Moncton alike to stay on top in the world of retail is to continue to reinvest in their product and offer unique shopping experiences for all types of consumers.

"As long as the mall keeps attracting the unique retail experience and unique retailers to their destination, I think you'll see as much business to one as the other," he said. "Some major retail brands are coming back to shopping malls actually . . . We can't forget that we live in Canada and in winter and snow and so on, shoppers like to be inside as well."

MonctonRad

Aug 25, 2008, 10:03 PM

Re: Champlain Place

The renovations are coming along nicely right now and one thing I have noticed is that the mall is a lot brighter now than it used to be. It should be a definite improvement.

New stores that have opened include Urban Planet, Boathouse, Wirelesswave and Virgin Mobile. RW & Co. is moving across the hall. There are new washrooms in the food court area.

Does anyone else have any tidbits re: new retailers or services moving into the mall? It looks like they are starting renovations in the old Disney Store location.

mylesmalley

Aug 26, 2008, 12:47 AM

Re: Champlain Place

The renovations are coming along nicely right now and one thing I have noticed is that the mall is a lot brighter now than it used to be. It should be a definite improvement.

New stores that have opened include Urban Planet, Boathouse, Wirelesswave and Virgin Mobile. RW & Co. is moving across the hall. There are new washrooms in the food court area.

Does anyone else have any tidbits re: new retailers or services moving into the mall?

I try to avoid the mall as much as possible. Dec. 24th at 3 pm is more than enough of Champlain Place for me in a year.

MonctonRad

Aug 27, 2008, 2:31 PM

Scoudouc interchange project to go ahead

However, minister says Greater Moncton International Airport interchange will have to wait for now

By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

land acquisition and surveying is well underway for a new interchange linking Highway 15 (Veterans' Highway) directly with the Scoudouc Industrial Park.

In contrast, a key overpass that would allow traffic that is leaving the Greater Moncton International Airport far easier access to Moncton via Highway 15 remains in limbo.

But that's not to say there's no action on the file, provincial Minister of Finance Victor Boudreau said yesterday. Boudreau said he recently met with airport CEO Rob Robichaud to discuss a study that lays out the costs and advantages of building an overpass to serve traffic leaving the airport and heading for Moncton, and that report is now in the government's hands.

The airport finds itself in an odd situation. Built alongside Highway 15 (popularly known as the Moncton-Shediac four-lane highway,) traffic travelling from Moncton to the airport can use an efficient four-lane highway to get there.

However, on their return trip into Metro Moncton, traffic must either use much slower Dieppe city streets or head north on Highway 15 for several kilometres and then double back towards Moncton.

Those who cry out that the lack of a proper overpass is hampering development of the entire airport area as a key regional economic cog point to the new interchange slated to start serving the Scoudouc Industrial Park (population: 16 businesses) in the fall of 2010 and wonder if the province has its priorities in the right place.

Boudreau defends the new interchange, however, pointing out that it will take 50,000 large trucks off the semi-rural Highway 132 (the Scoudouc Road) and surrounding streets, making those streets safer, quieter and longer lasting. It will save those trucks approximately 10 kilometres or six miles of travel, making the park a more attractive place in which to do business and removing greenhouse gas emissions from the air.

Actual construction should begin next year, Boudreau said, predicting it will be a catalyst for future growth in the park, which boasts an ample supply of low-cost, low-taxed, well serviced land suitable for a wide variety of industries and manufacturing.

Still, that doesn't change the fact that since the new airport terminal opened at its new location in 2002, development has been hampered by the lack of an overpass or proper interchange to serve traffic flowing both north and south to and from the airport, instead of just north.

Boudreau said cabinet will be looking at the issue in the coming months.

For those not familiar with where this is, the overpass and interchange will be located about 8-10 km north of the TCH on route 15/11 on the way to Shediac.

mylesmalley

Aug 27, 2008, 2:52 PM

Nothing would put a bigger smile on my face than seeing a new overpass allowing access to the Dieppe Industrial Park. The traffic at Adeilard-Savoie and Dieppe Boulevard is unbelievable at times.

That said, the city of Dieppe is also looking at expanding the park to the other side of the airport. A new overpass would make it a much more attractive area for development.

Question is, what kind of overpass? I think they really have two options:

1) Create a trumpet or diamond interchange onto Rt 15 and have the road end there.

2) create a road that runs from the new overpass to shediac road, like harrisville blvd further down the highway.

Personally, I prefer the second option. It would create another collector road for the growing Shediac road area. Not to mention, it would be very convenient if Irving went ahead and built another Big Stop at the Shediac Road exist off the TCH, as the rumour goes.

MonctonRad

Aug 27, 2008, 3:54 PM

mylesmalley

Aug 27, 2008, 3:57 PM

Another thing they should consider, especially if there is going to be new retail (eg Sobey's) on Harrisville Blvd. is to widen the Harrisville/Dieppe Blvd. overpass over Route 15. The traffic there can be atrocious at times.

I've heard that that's already in the pipes. So far though, Dieppe has been more concerned with finishing Dieppe Blvd down to fox creek.

gehrhardt

Aug 27, 2008, 8:35 PM

There's a lot of activity along Harrisville Blvd between Shediac Rd and Rt 15 anyway. It looks like they're putting in sewer or water pipes, but the ground has been leveled off quite a bit on one side. Kind of like what gets done when a road is widened...

mylesmalley

Aug 27, 2008, 10:51 PM

mylesmalley

Aug 28, 2008, 11:05 AM

Housing developments planned for Metro
Published Thursday August 28th, 2008

Federal, provincial govt's put up $4.5M for six new buildings in Moncton, Dieppe
A4
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

Six new affordable housing projects will be built in Moncton and Dieppe, creating 126 units of which 65 will be subsidized for low-income individuals and families.

The federal and provincial governments will each chip in close to $4.5 million on the projects, which are being built by private developers.

"The creation of more affordable housing is essential to our joint efforts to provide low-income individuals opportunities to be active within their community," Mary Schryer, provincial Minister of Social Development, said during yesterday's announcement in Moncton.

"Affordable housing is so important to New Brunswick. That's how we truly build strong communities. We need more of it."

Rob Moore, MP for Fundy Royal says the projects are targeted to people like single seniors, special-needs individuals and low-income earners, "those who need it most."

"Projects like these will provide low-income individuals here in Moncton with safe, quality housing at an affordable cost which will help them to build a better and stronger future," he says.

The funding comes from Phase 3 of the Canada-New Brunswick Affordable Housing Agreement, in which government helps the private sector build affordable units. The total construction bill will be about $9.2 million, but the projects will receive $1.9 million in federal tax dollars to supplement construction costs and the province will shell out $2.5 million in rent supplements for 65 of the units.

Many of the speakers emphasized how granting disadvantaged people the opportunity to enjoy safe, healthy housing is often what kickstarts them on the road to further successes.

Developer Brian Steeves agrees.

"This gives people the chance to live in the type of home that they should have," Steeves says. "It's a real honour to be involved in a project like this."

Steeves also notes that almost all of the projects represented in-filling, or taking up vacant spaces amid built-in areas of Moncton and Dieppe, which means they are much cheaper to serve with municipal services, friendlier to the environment and most are on bus routes. Being new housing, they are also easier to heat.

Steeves, of Seville Property Group, notes that half the 60 units of his apartment building on McLaughlin Drive will come with rent supplements. That building is the first of seven buildings on nine acres that will include a commercial component and which will be planted with native grasses and trees which won't be subject to pesticides.

"People should be very proud to live in one of these units," he says.

MonctonRad

Aug 29, 2008, 1:08 PM

Fire station's stones are golden

Exterior of Botsford St. station was 10 per cent of total building cost

BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

The quarried stone exterior of Moncton's new Botsford Street fire station was probably the most expensive option available and represents about 10 per cent of the overall cost of $1.8 million, but will give the building a long-lasting stately appearance, the architect said yesterday.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=177893&size=265x0

The quarried-stone exterior of Moncton's new Botsford Street fire station was probably the most expensive option available and represents about 10 per cent of the overall cost of $2 million. "It's a very expensive product but the building was in such a prominent position that we wanted it to have a strong look," said Blair Roma, the Saint John architect who designed the building in conjunction with the builder, Rice Contracting of Moncton. "Fire stations have power and should be a building of strength."

That strength ended up costing about $200,000 or one-tenth of the building's overall pricetag of approximately $2 million when there were other less expensive products that could have been used.

Roma, who also designed the Riverview fire station and Moncton's Hildegard fire station, said the city's design proposals called for a either a brick or stone exterior. As a result, the design/build team proposed the use of quarried stone similar to the exterior of the nearby Moncton High School building, which was constructed in the early 1930s.

"A fire station should be part of the community and bear a resemblance to the rest of the neighbourhood."

Roma said he studied the MHS building extensively and borrowed some design elements when preparing plans for the fire station. The rough stone blocks vary in size and are mainly decorative, while the smooth stones around the windows are an integral part of the structure. He said the stones were individually cut and prepared at a quarry in Nova Scotia, trucked to the site and installed by skilled tradesmen from Acadia Bricklayers. Part of the decision to use the stone was that the building proposal called for a percentage of local materials.

The architectural beauty of quarried sandstone blocks can be seen in several older buildings in Downtown Moncton. A few downtown churches, including the landmark Assomption Cathedral on St. George Street, are built from sandstone. So is the historic Castle Manor on Mountain Road. Roma said the stones turn black over time, usually because of accumulated dirt. St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church underwent a cleaning and refit a few years ago, restoring the stone to its natural brown colour.

In recent years, builders have been criticized for erecting plain-looking buildings of concrete slabs and brick. In recent years, builders have used cultured stone, which provides the look of real stone at a lower price.

City of Moncton spokesman Paul Thompson said the city wanted to lead by example by providing an esthetically pleasing building at an important gateway to the downtown area from Highway 15. In its request for proposals (RFP), the city stipulated that the exterior of the building must be brick or stone, mainly for the insulation value and to present a dignified look and feel for the building.

He said the design had the lowest cost of several proposals submitted by different builders. Thompson said the stone also has insulating qualities which should result in lower heating and operating costs.

A Moncton retailer said yesterday that cut stone would cost around $14 per square foot, not counting installation cost, while cultured stone would be $10 to $13. Other alternatives are house stone and clay bricks which are in the $7 per square foot range. The popular vinyl siding ranges from $8 to $20 per square foot depending on the grade.

The new fire station is located on Botsford Street near the intersection of Wheeler Boulevard. It has been under construction throughout the summer and is scheduled to go into service sometime in September. It will replace the existing Assomption Boulevard fire station and become the headquarters of the Moncton Fire Department with a ladder truck, administration office and the chief's office.

The station was constructed under a design/build agreement between the city and Rice Contracting, which has built and renovated many buildings around Metro Moncton, including restaurants, hotels, churches, auto dealerships, government buildings and retail stores.

Moncton fire chief Eric Arsenault said he is pleased with the progress of construction and looking forward to moving in next month. He agreed the stone exterior was an expensive component of the building but accomplishes the goal of creating a landmark for the city. When the request for proposals went out in April of 2007, Arsenault said the goal was to create a building that was architecturally pleasing, not just a "plain square garage."

The city and the fire department have already taken heat from critics for the location of the station. It was built in a triangular-shaped lot where King and Botsford streets come to a point at the major intersection where Wheeler Boulevard connects to Highway 15 via the Hall's Creek traffic circle. Critics say the area will be just too busy and fire trucks could be held up in traffic. However, the city says the location will give the station quick access to Wheeler, Shediac Road and the downtown. The road connections have been widened to make more room for fire trucks, resulting in a change in traffic flow around the intersection. For example, cars travelling toward the downtown from Lewisville Road or coming off Highway 15 will no longer be able to swerve left onto King Street.

Arsenault said he is confident the location will provide trucks and fire crews with the mobility and access they require to do the job.

Roma said it was a challenge to design a building to fit into the relatively small lot.

The station was built with two large doors that create a drive-through truck bay between King and Botsford streets. This will allow trucks to exit from the Botsford Street side and return to quarters through the King Street doors.

Another striking feature of the building is the clock tower. Although it appears to be decorative, it is also functiona. The inside of the tower is equipped with special racks where fire hoses can be hung out to dain and dry. It could also be used for training firefighters in climbing and rappelling. Having a clock on the side was part of the city's original design idea.

Personal note - A fire station is a substantive civic building and in this particular case, this building will be the departmental headquarters and is located on a corner at a principle entrance to downtown. I don't think anyone should quibble over $200,000 for stonework for this building. Sure, aluminum or vinyl siding would be cheaper in the short run but I wager that this building will be gracing this corner for 80-100 years (if not longer). The stonework will help to ensure this building's longevity and posterity.

MonctonRad

Aug 29, 2008, 1:22 PM

Parking issue dominates debate on apartments

Planning commission works out a compromise for area residents and developers working on downtown complex

By Yvon Gauvin
Times & Transcript staff

A request to reduce the number of parking spaces for a proposed 50-unit residential complex on Moncton's High Street north of Mountain Road turned into a marathon debate Wednesday night as members of the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission sought to find the right compromise for all concerned.

At one point, there were amendments to the motion to approve the variance request from Tannery Court Cooperative on behalf of Lotusland Holdings Ltd., 430 High St.

The request was to reduce the required 50 regular and three handicapped parking spaces to 17 regular and three handicapped spaces.

The location of the proposed subsidized residential complex intended for single occupants earning under $10,000 is a one-time supermarket between High and Jones Streets. The building's parking lot merges with Myers Avenue, a short cross-street.

The parking questions grew in stature as area residents wondered where the new tenants and their friends were going to park with the street already clogged with vehicles parking on one side. The situation would become even worse during the winter months when a parking ban on city streets is in force, they said.

There already are apartment buildings in the immediate area further complicating the parking issue, said one resident.

Mike Cahill, representing the non-profit co-operative group, said the feeling is that most of the tenants won't need parking spaces with existing bus service in the area.

Similar residential projects operated by the co-operative have shown that only a few tenants needed parking spaces including a Fredericton 50-unit complex outside the city centre area where only 20 tenants requested parking privileges.

He said the planners have enough space for 34 regular and three handicapped parking spots but wanted to use part of the land for landscaping rather than paving. The plan was to add green to the project, he explained.

Debate centered on whether or not to use the available space for parking now or wait and see if the need it there.

One commissioner noted that it could create undue hardships and problems if the area was paved now when only to realize the extra parking wasn't needed.

The debate prompted commissioner Boyd Anderson to question the developer about improvements to Myles Avenue which has no curb or gutter and is almost indistinguishable from the existing parking lot.

Anderson wanted the developer to pay for improvements to the street, eliciting further discussions.

Commission director Bill Budd reminded commissioners that they do not have the jurisdiction to force developers to fix curbs and gutters in this instance.

Anderson then moved to recommend the developer and city engineers meet to discuss street improvements and financial arrangements.

The commission passed the motion and its amendments denying the original request to reduce parking spaces from 50 plus three to 17 plus three in favour of creating 34 regular and 3 handicapped paving spots, establishing a substantive completion date for the project and the recommendation to meet with city engineers regarding Myles Avenue.

Four commissioners voted against the motion.

A request to extend a cul-de-sac off Ammon Road was granted despite objections from local residents who worried about traffic and the area's water table.

The request on behalf of Lawton Hicks will allow for the creation of a subdivision and street linking up with McLaughlin Road.

mylesmalley

Aug 29, 2008, 1:44 PM

I'm actually really glad they used the stone they did. I know the transcript loves to nit-pick every dollar the city spends, but it makes for a nice addition to a generally mediocre part of town and looks great with MHS just up the hill. Plus, the height of the tower and proximity to the widened Botsford street makes the whole area feel more dense.

As for the affordable apartments. I'm glad to hear so many units are being built in the city with poor people in mind. I find it kind of sad when there's so much opposition to this type of project. I realize they're concerned about 'parking issues' but generally, people just don't like that kind of development going up next door. Insofar as parking is concerned. People are just going to have to get used to the fact that, as Moncton grows, space for parking is going to become a bigger issue. Until the city/developers get it into their heads that the city needs some parking structures in key areas, we're going to see more and more of this type of complaint.

MonctonRad

Aug 29, 2008, 4:09 PM

Insofar as parking is concerned. People are just going to have to get used to the fact that, as Moncton grows, space for parking is going to become a bigger issue. Until the city/developers get it into their heads that the city needs some parking structures in key areas, we're going to see more and more of this type of complaint.

The main impetus for getting some additonal parking structures downtown will be when the Beaver Lumber properties and the properties behind Assumption Place finally get developed. This will wipe out a lot of surface parking that will need to be replaced. If a downtown arena gets built behind Assumption Place, they will need a pretty big parking garage.

PostModernPrometheus

Aug 31, 2008, 4:34 PM

HAPPY LABOUR DAY NB'ers!!!!!

:cheers: :banana: :cheers:

MonctonRad

Sep 2, 2008, 11:53 PM

St. Pat's Family Centre in Moncton gets boost

September 02, 2008 - 2:55 pm
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB - An announcement of over of $300,000 from the Graham government was announced today by the province's health minister for the St. Patrick's Family Centre in Moncton.

The province had already earmarked $200,000 for the centre earlier in the summer, and then matched a donation of $100,000 given to the centre, by the LeGresley family, who summers in Shediac.

That means, according to Mike Murphy, a total of $400,000 will go towards some great renovations for the centre.

Amongst other things, the centre will now get new locker rooms, new gym facilities, a new roof, and new windows.

The St. Patrick's Family Centre has been operating a variety of services and programs for Moncton residents, from pre-school children, to senior citizens, since 1964.

JasonL-Moncton

Sep 3, 2008, 6:49 PM

A lot of activity on the 'new' site at Mapleton...they are currently erecting a retaining wall along the Mapleton side right now.

JL

mylesmalley

Sep 3, 2008, 7:38 PM

Erick was telling me he saw them pouring foundations.

JasonL-Moncton

Sep 3, 2008, 7:45 PM

Erick was telling me he saw them pouring foundations.

They might be...the retaining wall is huge...that's the only thing I could see as I was whipping by at 120 :P

mmmatt

Sep 3, 2008, 8:02 PM

mylesmalley

Sep 3, 2008, 8:10 PM

Yeah its a hive of activity right now...they have parts of Mapleton paved now (just the base layer) and they are taking down the power lines that would have been directly in the center of the north bound lanes haha.

That retaining wall looks really cool, like you said Jason, its huge!

I really don't understand why the city didnt' just close Mapleton from Frampton to Trinity for construction. They've spent more time moving dirt form one side to the other and back again...

you'd think the logical thing to do would be to close it off, diverting whatever traffic there is onto frampton or the TCH, finishing the construction, then reopening it. It'd be safer, quicker and cheaper.

mmmatt

Sep 3, 2008, 8:50 PM

MonctonRad

Sep 3, 2008, 11:07 PM

I really don't understand why the city didnt' just close Mapleton from Frampton to Trinity for construction. They've spent more time moving dirt form one side to the other and back again...

you'd think the logical thing to do would be to close it off, diverting whatever traffic there is onto frampton or the TCH, finishing the construction, then reopening it. It'd be safer, quicker and cheaper.

I'm sure they didn't really have a choice about shutting Mapleton down. A lot of traffic is diverting to Mountain Road anyway and the traffic situation at the Mountain/Wheeler intersection at rush hour is now pure chaos. It would be infinitely worse if Mapleton had been shut completely.

Erick was telling me he saw them pouring foundations.

They are pouring at least one foundation; backing onto the offramp from Wheeler onto Mapleton northbound. To my understanding, this is not the building that will house Best Buy/Linens & Things/The Brick. I think that building is supposed to be facing the other way.

haha the people who live on Frampton would flip! Believe me, I know a few...they are already upset about the heightened level of traffic after the street connected to Mapleton. A lot of kids live in the area, and people seem to think they can drive like 70 on the street for some odd reason :S

If the people on Frampton are unhappy now, wait until it gets extended all the way through to Crowley Farm Road and U de M. Frampton is poised to become the main thoroughfare crosstown north of Wheeler Blvd.:P

JasonL-Moncton

Sep 4, 2008, 12:13 PM

If the people on Frampton are unhappy now, wait until it gets extended all the way through to Crowley Farm Road and U de M. Frampton is poised to become the main thoroughfare crosstown north of Wheeler Blvd.:P

Is that supposed to happen? Not sure I like that plan...

mylesmalley

Sep 4, 2008, 1:13 PM

Is that supposed to happen? Not sure I like that plan...

That's the plan. Frampton is to be extended to the university, following roughly the path that Wheeler does. Its supposed to become the main arterial road for the Vision Lands developments the city's been touting for the past few years. I would imagine at some point another road would be built to connect it to the Mclaughin area. Maybe Hennesey? That would allow it to go all the way to Elmwood.

However the city has shown that they'll cave on their municipal plan if enough residents yell 'think of the children!'. Originally, Horseman was to be extended to Twin Oaks, Twin Oaks extended to Muirfield, and Muirfield connected to the ramps onto the TCH near the casino site. Enough people complained about the traffic though, so the city put the kibosh to it. God knows what stupid compromise the city will have to come up with in 10 years when that whole area becomes a giant traffic jam.

There was also some talk a while ago about connecting the road through centenial park to Russ Howard Drive, and then onto Killam where the new roundabout is being built. I'll admit, I can appreciate why you wouldn't want to do that, seeing as it would become a major road overnight and it would be cutting through parks for more than half its length. At the same time though, it would make getting to Mountain Rd a whole lot more convenient for us down in the New West End.

MonctonRad

Sep 4, 2008, 8:06 PM

Is that supposed to happen? Not sure I like that plan...

It might not be as bad as it sounds. I expect that the Frampton extension from Mapleton to Morton will be a major road, likely four lanes. As Myles said, it will be the main route servicing the "vision lands". In addition, it will act as the main access route to the Mapleton Power Centre as well as the other retail development that has been proposed for the immediately adjacent lands just to the east of the Mapleton development. I expect the heaviest traffic therefore will be on this section of the road, extending from Mapleton to Morton.

Human nature being what it is however, people will search for an alternative to the increasingly intolerable congestion on Mountain Road. I'm sure that Frampton will act as an escape valve for the residents of Valhalla Estates. Whether it also becomes an escape route for commuters from further afield is a debatable point.

Nevertheless, once Frampton is extended, it will be a straight shot downtown from Gorge Road all the way to St. George Street (via Frampton/Crowley Farm/Universite/Archibald). The risk is therefore present that the residential portion of Frampton through Valhalla Estate might experience heavier traffic.

The best way to avoid the possibility of increased commuter traffic through Valhalla is to provide other alternatives for inbound traffic on Mountain Road. The upgrades that are happening on Ryan & Horseman Roads should be quite beneficial in this regard as this should divert some traffic from the Kingswood/Evergreen/Rosemount and possibly the Hilegarde subdivisions to Berry Mills Road.

Bottom line; if you are worried about increased traffic through the Valhalla portion of Frampton Lane, this may not be as big a concern as what you fear.

mmmatt

Sep 4, 2008, 10:39 PM

If this plan to extend frampton goes through I assume like you say, the majority of traffic would be between downtown/elmwood and mapleton rd, and would not continue to the residential section...however, should it become busier they will most likely have to put in speed reducers like speed bumps, more stop signs, speed signs, small roundabouts (like in rural estates, or in Freddy). Some people were thinking they may put lights at the Mapleton/Frampton intersection...just speculation though.

MonctonRad

Sep 4, 2008, 10:58 PM

mmmatt

Sep 4, 2008, 11:05 PM

The traffic lights at Mapleton/Frampton are not speculation. They are to be installed next year.

Wow...that area is going to be nuts...just think, not even 3 years ago that whole area was just a thick forest with a small beat up rural road going through it. Now there are two large hotels, a large retail development U/C on both sides of the road, 4 lane road U/C with median and sidewalks, lights...and more in the works most likely. :)

mmmatt

Sep 5, 2008, 4:34 AM

Bit of colour for the page

Moncton Pano
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/2796812937_88d087f446_b.jpg
credit: orignal on Flickr

Aliant Tower from roof of Blue Cross
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2680965344_466716aef5.jpg?v=0
credit: MarcLine.com on Flickr

Jump!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/2785394617_fa999854fb.jpg?v=0
credit: MarcLine.com on Flickr

Moncton from Riverview neighborhood
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2749980711_0d666da59a.jpg?v=0
credit: Stephen Downes on Flickr

mmmatt

Sep 6, 2008, 2:08 AM

First Hybrid bus in Maritimes being used in School District 2

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=180292&size=400x0
Charles Riordon, a bus driver coach for Metro Moncton’s School District 2, and Dave McCormick, the district’s transportation manager, study the manual for the new hybrid bus. The district is trying out the vehcile, which is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

September 05, 2008 - 2:30 pm
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB-School District 2 is piloting a new hybrid school bus this year, which is the first of it's kind in the Maritimes.

Dave McCormick is the District's Transportation Manager, and says the Hybrid system is used between 0 to 70 kilometres, which is great for a bus, and then it can be turned off for trips involving highway driving.

The bus also uses a system that means it doesn't need to be plugged in, but instead charges itself while it runs.

Also being installed on numerous buses in the District this year are car seats, to be used for children under about 35 pounds.

Roadwork not over yet
Metro road projects winding down, but drivers must deal with construction for a while yet

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=180284&size=400x0
Traffic is stopped on Berry Mills Rd. yesterday as traffic is reduced to a single lane as the road gets resurfaced.

By Aloma Jardine
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday September 5th, 2008

As another summer winds up, so do the myriad of roadwork projects that have been taking place on streets and highways throughout Metro Moncton.

Traffic is stopped on Berry Mills Rd. yesterday as traffic is reduced to a single lane as the road gets resurfaced.

But drivers can expect to continue to meet construction delays on certain routes up to the end of October when projects should finally wrap up for the winter months.

One of the biggest ongoing projects in Moncton is the Mapleton Road widening project.

Marc Robichaud, a project engineer with the City of Moncton says they are aiming to complete work there by about mid-October.

"We have to put a culvert in -- it's going in next week -- then curb and sidewalks and asphalt," he says.

Motorists should also expect delays on Mountain Road and St. George Boulevard over the next couple of weeks as parts of both of those streets are resurfaced.

Robichaud says paving is supposed to begin Monday on St. George and should be completed by mid-week next week.

Crews have also begun milling the stretch of Mountain Road between North Street and Connaught Avenue that is to be repaved and Robichaud expects that project to be completed within the next two weeks.

The provincial Department of Transportation also has several outstanding projects under way in the area.

While a spokesperson for the department did not return a phone call from the Times & Transcript requesting an update on the projects, the department's website mentions the Halls Creek Bridge on University Avenue is reduced to two lanes as is the overpass to allow work on the structures.

The website suggests the work will be completed by today, but it was last updated in early July.

No further information was available on provincial projects.

Work also continues on Ryan Road in Moncton.

Storm and sanitary sewer work is in the process of being completed between Hildegard Drive and Horsman Road. Once it is done, the street has to be fully reconstructed, from crushed rock to curb and sidewalks to asphalt, work that is expected to take until the end of October.

At the other end of the street, a storm and water extension from Ronald Avenue to Augusta Terrace is nearing completion.

Rain has delayed the work somewhat, but the final pipes should be in by mid-week next week at the latest, and repairs to the asphalt are expected to be completed by the end of September.

A final coat of asphalt should be laid on Millennium Boulevard within the next couple of weeks and asphalting should be completed on Northwood Road before the end of September now that the water and sewer extension there is finished.

Several neighbourhood projects are still in progress.

A sewer replacement and watermain renewal, including a full reconstruction of the street, in the Lynwood Drive/Reilly Avenue area is expected to be completed about mid-October, while a similar project on Brandon and Beech Streets is expected to wrap up mid- to late October.

Storm and sanitary sewer work should wrap up on Greenwood Drive by the end of next week, then contractors will move on to Ayer Avenue.

City of Moncton project engineer Darryl Bonhower says the work on Ayer is one of the city's last projects to start this year, but is hoping all of the pipe can be laid by the end of September so asphalt can be put down the first two weeks of October, while asphalting on Greenwood should come by the end of September or the very beginning of October.

The city has completed or begun almost all of the roadwork it had slated for this year. Bonhower says work on renewing a couple of culverts and headwalls had to be postponed until next spring because the required watercourse alteration permits from the province arrived too late to allow the work to be done this year.

mylesmalley

Sep 6, 2008, 2:50 PM

Mapleton Rd. improvements attract new retailers
A1
BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=180559&size=500x0
Recent widening and improvements to Mapleton Road have acted like a magnet to Moncton's north-end shopping mecca.

Work has started at the new Mapleton Power Centre in Moncton's north end.
As construction work continues on Mapleton near the landmark Costco outlet, the cleared area on the other side of Mapleton is a beehive of activity this week with loaders, bulldozers and cement trucks laying the foundation for what will be the next phase of retail expansion.

"The Mapleton Road area has always been a gateway to the community but the widening project is fuelling new investment," said Ben Champoux, economic development officer for the City of Moncton.

Champoux said developers have received building permits to lay new foundations in the area near Costco. He said developers have several tenants lined up for the new retail spaces, but are reluctant to name names because contracts are still in negotiation.

Several new buildings have already gone up in the area, including the new Hampton Inn. Another project under way is a new office complex for Moncton orthodontist Dr. John McManaman. The area is also afloat with for sale signs offering land for sale in what is expected to become very busy area over the next year or so.

Construction is also underway on a new St. Hubert restaurant, located near Home Depot. It is scheduled to open in November

mylesmalley

Sep 6, 2008, 2:55 PM

Cheaper to ship cargo here and then truck it, than to fly it into many North American centres
A13
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

Metro Moncton's reputation as the region's transportation hub will help it become a gateway for goods entering and leaving North America, proponents of a Canada East Air Cargo Gateway said Friday.

"There's a good business case to be made for dropping off goods here (from Europe) and trucking them into the United States," said John Thompson, CEO of Enterprise Greater Moncton and vice-chairman of a committee that has examined the concept of creating an inland port in Metro Moncton.

The concept of an inland port is not new and in fact is working well in other jurisdictions. Not much different than a sea port, an inland port simply focuses on other means of transportation than ships. That plays well into Metro Moncton's hands, with its ample cargo-handling capacity at the Greater Moncton International Airport, rail links through its industrial parks and to the airport, its significant number of large trucking firms and its ample logistics such as efficient highways, warehousing and refrigerated storage spaces.

The concept takes a large step towards reality on Monday during a press conference at the Delta Hotel Beauséjour when the Canada East Air Cargo Gateway will be unveiled.

The concept is actually quite simple: in many cases it is cheaper to ship goods by air to Moncton instead of directly to some of the huge commercial markets across North America.

Those goods are then shipped by truck or rail from Moncton, saving money for shippers, importers and exporters as well since the same concept works for goods flowing in the opposite direction, from North America to Europe.

Initially, the gateway will focus on shipping Atlantic-area goods such as perishable foods to Europe, with those cargo jets returning laden with goods destined for the North American market, Thompson explained.

"Then, once we get this thing moving, we'll go after other opportunities."

The initiative will sustain the existing transportation and logistics network in Metro Moncton, but once it becomes more popular as shippers see that they can save money and/or time, it could spur even more transportation links in this area.

It also ties in perfectly with the airport's efforts to boost its already thriving cargo business.

Spinoff benefits should be spread over the entire spectrum of the metro area's existing multi-modal transportation network, but of course it could mean expansions for some firms in the future should the initiative prove successful.

mmmatt

Sep 7, 2008, 1:45 AM

Hello one and all...

Ive been working away this evening, and I would like your opinion on something

As some of you may know, my pet project (and MonctonRads as well) is the upkeep and upgrade of the Moncton article on Wikipedia. We have sucessfully brought the article up to "Good Article" status in the past.

Ive noticed a new trend recently which is that a lot of city articles are now using a montage for a lead picture instead of a single picture. I figured this was a great idea so I started making some...I'm not really sure which is best, or even if Ive come close to being good haha, so I would like your opinion.

Ive used mainly my pictures (the top image is one I recieved permission to use on wiki) but if somebody has a good moncton image to contribute feel free. Just know you are releasing it into public domain.

To start off here are some example of the lead images other cities are using (obviously much more recognizable icons, but you get the idea haha).

New York City

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/aa/NYC_Montage_7.jpg/439px-NYC_Montage_7.jpg

London

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/442px_-_London_Lead_Image.jpg

Chicago

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f1/Chicago_Montage.JPG/338px-Chicago_Montage.JPG

LA

+http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/New_LA_Infobox_Pic_Montage.jpg/439px-New_LA_Infobox_Pic_Montage.jpg

and now for mine!!

Moncton Option A

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/montage/MonctonMontage.png

Moncton Option B

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/montage/MonctonMontageb.png

Moncton Option C

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/montage/MonctonMontagec.png

ANY IDEAS/SUGGESTIONS WELCOME :)

Dmajackson

Sep 7, 2008, 2:01 AM

From an outsider's perspective I would say option B :tup:

mylesmalley

Sep 7, 2008, 3:30 AM

I like A, but B works fine with me as well.

gehrhardt

Sep 7, 2008, 1:13 PM

I like option B as well, but that's a pretty cool shot of the cathedral in "C".

Haliguy

Sep 7, 2008, 2:38 PM

I like A, but both are nice.

mmmatt

Sep 7, 2008, 6:00 PM

Thanks for the input guys!

Well from what Ive gathered from you guys, my own opinion and that of some other people...I think Ill go with B...somebody mentioned to me that in option A the blurry swings pic kinda grabs the eye too much, and I agree, so Ive decided to go with B for now at least...it can always be changed of course.

mylesmalley

Sep 7, 2008, 7:06 PM

You could always go with the one from NYC and see how long it takes people to notice the difference

JasonL-Moncton

Sep 8, 2008, 12:30 PM

Stu...is there a 'better' picture of Magic Mountain? I ask because your eye is obviously drawn to the center of a picture and I find this pic is the one of least quality of them all. IMHO. :)

mmmatt

Sep 8, 2008, 7:47 PM

Stu...is there a 'better' picture of Magic Mountain? I ask because your eye is obviously drawn to the center of a picture and I find this pic is the one of least quality of them all. IMHO. :)

I agree with you Jason, but I'm working with limited resources as the pics I use must either be my own or pics already on Wiki (most of which are my own haha). I love the way the pics for NYC and LA have a spherical type shape in the middle, however I don't know what I could use for that kind of shape which describes Moncton.

If you have a better pic of Moncton you think would go there well by all means send it over, I would greatly appreciate it :)

mylesmalley

Sep 8, 2008, 9:20 PM

if you want something round that signifies Moncton, how about a Tim's coffee pot, or perhaps a shot of the swings at Crystal Palace that is more centered and less blurry?

Wishblade

Sep 8, 2008, 11:44 PM

if you want something round that signifies Moncton, how about a Tim's coffee pot, or perhaps a shot of the swings at Crystal Palace that is more centered and less blurry?

lol, a Tims coffee pot would be more of a national symbol. you might as well stick the flag in there :haha:

mylesmalley

Sep 9, 2008, 12:26 AM

lol, a Tims coffee pot would be more of a national symbol. you might as well stick the flag in there :haha:

True enough.

How about the Halls Creek traffic circle? :haha:

Or some kind of montage representing the roundabout way city hall gets things done?

RHINO

Sep 9, 2008, 9:59 AM

stu_pendiousMatt I would go with C or A

Dont show the fall leaves, stick to summer time events ( we have enough problems with everyone thinking its always cold here).

http://www.meridian.wednet.edu/mms/beach.jpg
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/14/99214-004-0D1A8E24.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_mNz265EcdZM/SH8qiH8kCrI/AAAAAAAAC24/apV9AXtXq14/Fundy+Hopewell_004.jpg

all google found

these would look good too! Looks very WARM.

JasonL-Moncton

Sep 9, 2008, 12:05 PM

What about the wildcats logo perhaps?

The skate park?

The gunningsville bridge lit up at night?

mmmatt

Sep 11, 2008, 2:09 AM

Courthouse project a step closer to reality

Province says construction of downtown justice centre should begin in November

BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
Published Wednesday September 10th, 2008

The dream of a new courthouse for Downtown Moncton took a step closer to reality yesterday as four private developers submitted plans for evaluation by the provincial government.

The Department of Supply and Services confirmed yesterday that four proposals were submitted in time for yesterday's deadline, so the evaluation process can begin.

"We expect to be in a position to make a recommendation to government by the end of this month," department spokeswoman Judy Cole said yesterday. The department would not provide any details on the four proposals, other than the names of the developers and the general locations under consideration.

"An announcement on a partner will be made as soon as we have cabinet approval to proceed. Similar to a tender being awarded, we will be able to provide more details at that time. The location of the courthouse will be announced when we announce the partner. We anticipate that construction will begin by early November," Cole said.

The four companies which submitted proposals were Ashford Investments Inc. of Moncton, Bore Park Place of Moncton, Huntingdon Real Estate Investment of Winnipeg and CitiGroup Properties of Dartmouth.

Two of the bidders want to build on the so-called Beaver Lumber land north of Assomption Boulevard and south of Main Street in the downtown core, while the other two are looking at properties on east Main Street.

The courthouse project is expected to have a major impact on the future look and function of Downtown Moncton.

The Beaver Lumber site has been vacant for several years and is located near the current court and justice facilities, which use leased space inside the Assomption Building. The site is surrounded by new development, including the new Marriott hotel and the recently rebuilt Assomption Boulevard, and very near the downtown core.

The courthouse will house 15 courtrooms and staff as well as Sheriff services, staff from Victims' Services, Probation, Family Support, Crown prosecutors and a law library.

The courthouse project has been delayed several times and is one of the missing pieces in the puzzle of development for downtown. The city has also been working toward a convention centre and considering the idea of a 15,000-seat multi-use arena for the downtown. Earlier this year, it was announced that the much-anticipated casino would not be built downtown, but instead go to the Magnetic Hill area.

The location of the courthouse could have an impact on where the downtown arena would be constructed.

Sophie Cormier-Lalonde, spokeswoman for Downtown Centre-Ville Inc., said the board is excited the courthouse project is finally nearing the construction phase. She said finally nailing down a location for the justice centre will help the city make decisions on where the arena could be located.

There has been talk that the aging Highfield Square shopping could be demolished to make way for the arena project. The mall has seen many tenants move out in recent years to the point where only a handful of retailers remain. The food court has also seen tenants leave or shut down. A large gap was left when Sobeys moved from Highfield Square to a new free-standing store nearby. Construction is now underway for a new Shoppers Drug Mart location between the mall and the nearby Via Rail station.

The Highfield Square mall is owned by the Empire Group, the parent company of Sobeys. Officials with Empire Developments have said they are looking at options for the future of the mall but no decisions have been made. Empire recently announced plans for the rebuilding of the Penhorn Mall in Dartmouth and for a new 22-storey office complex in downtown Halifax. The Halifax development will have over 450,000 square feet of hotel, retail and office space, along with its own parking garage. ECL Developments says it will increase the economic activity in Halifax by bringing more people to work, shop, eat and explore the history and variety of the city's downtown.

- Now lets see some rendersssss :D

mmmatt

Sep 11, 2008, 2:11 AM

Moncton water tower work begins

$3.5M structure will take about a year to complete

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=181993&size=500x0
Workers get ready to lift another section into place as work continues on the newwater tower just off Twin Oaks in north west Moncton. The new tower is expected to have a 50 year life span.

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday September 10th, 2008

Moncton's newest water tower is under construction in the northwest end, but it should take about a year before it comes on-line.

Workers get ready to lift another section into place as work continues on the newwater tower just off Twin Oaks in north west Moncton. The new tower is expected to have a 50 year life span.

Ensor Nicholson, the City of Moncton's director of water services, said the work is relatively complicated, and will require that much time to ensure it is done right.

"Water is very heavy," he said. "One gallon weighs 10 pounds and this tower will hold 1.25 million gallons, so that's a huge weight."

The $3.5 million tower, off Twin Oaks Drive, is right beside the aging structure it is being built to replace. The new tower is the same design as the one built in Caledonia Industrial Estates a few years ago.

It is being built by Landmark Contractors, who Nicholson said have built practically every water tower in Canada. For those spooked at the prospect of 10.25 million pounds (4.6 million kg) of water hovering above Twin Oaks, Nicholson noted Landmark is not the company that built a Fredericton water tower which burst about 20 years ago.

Concrete work at the site should be done in about a month and the metal tank will be built on the ground over the winter. Once the tank is painted next May or June, it will be hoisted and topped over the summer, with it coming on-stream by fall.

While the general public likely won't be able to discern the differences, Nicholson said the design of the tank means it will have more usable capacity, slightly increase water pressure, and circulate water more frequently, meaning the water will be fresher when it comes from taps in that end of the city.

MonctonRad

Sep 11, 2008, 11:03 PM

mylesmalley

Sep 12, 2008, 1:12 AM

STU:

I've been in T.O. (The Great Satan, The Big Smoke, The Centre of the Universe) for the last six days, hence my absence here.

For your montage, my belated preference is for option 1, although option 2 is pretty good as well.

I've always appreciated your photos in the Wiki article. They certainly liven up the Moncton entry. The montage is a good idea!

IMO, Great Satan is a bit much for Toronto...maybe Missassauga though :P
I prefer to call it the Land of the Endless Subdivisions

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=43.826973,-79.289017&spn=0.028236,0.098877&t=k&z=14

MonctonRad

Sep 12, 2008, 12:38 PM

mylesmalley

Sep 14, 2008, 8:26 PM

There is a new construction site starting next to the Amsterdam Inn on Mountain Road. As far as I can tell, it is unrelated to the adjacent casino project. I suspect that it might represent the Microtel Motel that has been previously mentioned in the media.

Any ideas anyone?

Not sure what that is. I expect we'll see quite a bit of hotel development in the area around there though. The casino's hotel is only supposed to have 100? rooms, so there'll definitely be demand for more space in the area.

I bet the Holiday Inn is happy.

mmmatt

Sep 14, 2008, 11:06 PM

Moncton among top places to do business

Canadian Business magazine ranks Moncton among one of best five cities in Canada

Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday September 13th, 2008

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=183446&size=500x0
Quality of life is just one of the criteria Canadian Business magazine takes into account when compiling its list of Canada’s best places to do business.

Canadian Business magazine has once again named Moncton one of the top Canadian cities in which to do business. The publication put out its top-40 list of Places to do Business in Canada yesterday, the seventh year it has done so.

Moncton has placed fifth on the best places to do business in Canada list compiled by Canadian Business Magazine.

Moncton placed fifth in the nation and first in Atlantic Canada, with Halifax the only other city in our region to crack the top 10.

Moncton finished first in 2004, and has been in the top five since.

Sherbrooke, Qué., tops the list, while Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver hover near the bottom.

The cities selected for the survey include the country's 25 largest, plus 15 smaller cities for regional representation. Cities are ranked on five factors reflecting socio-economic health: the variable operating costs of doing business, cost of living, non-residential permits, and unemployment and crime rates. The final ranking weighs each factor based on a Canadian Business online survey of nearly 900 readers, rating the importance of the five criteria.

The magazine also tracked population growth rates, office property tax rates, and even the number of citizens holding doctorates, which it estimated for Moncton at a seemingly low 425.

"The city's central location makes it an ideal hub to service the Atlantic provinces," the magazine says of Moncton. "Molson Coors Brewing last year opened its first brewery in Canada in decades to do just that. Moncton is also home to many call centres for companies such as UPS, Purolator and Minacs."

As they did for each city in the survey, the magazine's editors list pros and cons for Moncton.

They consider the pros the facts that, "approximately 40 per cent of the workforce is bilingual; there is no payroll or business improvement tax; and it is one of the cheapest places to live."

As cons, it says, "commercial building growth has stalled during the past three years; and there is a heavy reliance on the call-centre industry."

The magazine made the same assertion about Halifax's commercial building growth.

It was not all good news.

In a small region like ours where each city's success is everyone else's success, while Moncton and Halifax hung on, two of the Maritimes' previous top 10 cities -- Saint John and Charlottetown -- both dropped out of the top ranks.

mylesmalley

Sep 15, 2008, 5:38 AM

I'm going to be in town this weekend. Just wondering if anyone wanted to get together for a coffee?

mmmatt

Sep 15, 2008, 7:46 PM

I'm going to be in town this weekend. Just wondering if anyone wanted to get together for a coffee?

Im gonna be in St Andrews sorry :(

mmmatt

Sep 15, 2008, 7:54 PM

Council eyes future

A3
Brent Mazerolle
Published Monday September 15th, 2008

Moncton city council will be looking toward the future even more than usual as it convenes for its second regularly scheduled September meeting tonight at 6 p.m.

Presentations will be made on the city's Vision 2010 strategic plan and representatives from the Province of New Brunswick will be on hand to discuss the Petitcodiac Causeway project.

As well, a St. George Street conceptual plan will be presented by Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville Inc. president Maura McKinnon, Jim Sackville of BDA Consulting and Lawrence Forbes of the St. George Street Association.

Meanwhile, Tony Hébert, president of the Hands Up! Volunteer Expo and Conference will stop by council chambers to talk about the event, and Flora Dell and Tom Sneath of Mayor's Seniors Advisory Committee will talk about the 2008 International Day of Older Persons.

Meetings are held in the Moncton city council chamber, Moncton Place, 655 Main Street, Moncton.

- That sounds interesting...it would be nice if they put underground wiring, nice lights, more trees etc, like main st. It would certainly give the area a much needed image boost.

mylesmalley

Sep 16, 2008, 2:01 PM

New vision for St. George Street unveiled
Published Tuesday September 16th, 2008

Proponents of plan ask city for $75,000 in 2009 to help start revitalization process
A1
By Aloma Jardine
Times & Transcript Staff

Proponents of the revitalization of St. George Street presented Moncton city council with a detailed look at where they would like to see the street five years from now and made their first pitch for cash to move ahead with their plans at last night's council meeting.

The first two years of the conceptual plan are focused mainly on laying the groundwork for improvements, with the first major reconstruction of a city block set for 2011.

A second block would be revitalized in 2012, and in 2013 the hope is to have the City of Moncton contribute $1.8 million to begin a three-year major streetscape construction program that would cover another several blocks.

But to begin with, the hope is that council will set aside $75,000 in the 2009 budget to cover the costs of preliminary engineering plans.

"We need an on-the-ground assessment of the state of the infrastructure that is there," explains Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc. president Maura McKinnon. "We need to look at the curbs and the sewage, all those type of things. It is to do an assessment of what is currently there and what needs to be put in place to continue to drive St. George Street."

Jim Sackville of BDA Consulting Ltd. says St. George Street has good bones that make transformation easy, things like on-street parking and wide sidewalks.

He says huge improvements could be made simply by adding trees and new lighting, as well as redesigning some of the corners to create areas where pedestrians can gather and perhaps rest for a few moments on a conveniently placed bench or two.

The estimated cost of carrying out these type of changes is about $350,000 per block, making redoing the entire street a pretty costly project.

That's something Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc says council will have to take a look at as it studies the conceptual plan and moves into the budget process.

"It is a very positive plan. It certainly shows some tremendous opportunities for St. George and we will have to do what we can to try to balance our budgets and try to help out there as much as we possibly can," he says.

"I'd like to see us get a start on it. If you don't get started on these things, they tend to go on for some time... But I think we have to come to grips with the plan and try to come up with our own plan of how we can manage this and how we can finance it responsibly."

Sackville believes that as the street is renewed it will attract more businesses and more people to it, who will, in their turn, improve St. George by building new or fixing up old buildings and adding to the variety of commercial enterprises.

"The public expenditure is going to be used to encourage the private sector to come in. And so by far the private sector investment is going to be the largest element," he says. "The public sector investment is going to be relatively modest in the scheme of things."

Sackville says St. George has a large number of sites that are not meeting their true potential and could be infilled with new properties. He says they would like to see mixed use buildings with a good proportion of residential space.

"So three- to four-storey buildings with the top two or even three floors residential -- apartments, lofts, condominiums -- a full range of incomes and age groups, and then the ground floor being retail is what we would really like to see," he says. "There could be some offices and services, but what we would really like to see is retail, as much as possible."

McKinnon says they are also determined to maintain the street's heritage component.

"That is unique," she says. "Some more modern cities don't have that type of heritage we do, so we want to preserve and protect that."

McKinnon says a new St. George Street will have a very different character than Main Street.

"We really want to build it into the type of great street in Atlantic Canada where people will live, they will shop, they will play," she says.

"It will look and feel different than Main Street, but it will complement it. It will not be competing."

mmmatt

Sep 16, 2008, 8:50 PM

^ I really hope the city gets on that asap, it would be a great boost to the whole downtown area

Heres some colour for the page:

Passed by a couple of projects when driving today

Shoppers
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newestness/DSCN0872.jpg

Bella Casa foundation is down now
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newestness/DSCN0875.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newestness/DSCN0876.jpg

MonctonRad

Sep 16, 2008, 11:35 PM

mmmatt

Sep 17, 2008, 12:38 AM

They are doing a major forklift upgrade to the Boston Pizza at Northwest Centre. The building appears to be half torn down. That location isn't that old, I wonder why the extensive renovations?

In other news.....The two new strip malls on Mountain Road are progressing nicely. The one across from Lounsbury Centre is particularly attractive with a lot of brick and stone incorporated into the design. Two of the stores going into this centre appear to be involved in lighting design and home decor. Should be interesting.

Yeah they closed down Boston Pizza for the renovation...they are crazy...the building is only what 4 years old or so? Must be conforming to a new company design or something.

Those strip malls are pretty nice, I love the brick on the one you mentioned...looks nothing like the buildings around it, which is good in this case haha

the other one (by NBCC) started a month or so after however its progressed at break-neck speed and at this rate may beat it to the punch haha.

The new apartment complex on St. George is fairly close to being done (the exterior anyways)...it looks really nice, I like that they used stone and wood siding, not vinyl. Fills in that void well.

Haliguy

Sep 17, 2008, 12:52 AM

They did the same thing to the one in Bayers Lake but that one was fairly old. They must be renovating a lot of their locations to a new look.

C_Boy

Sep 17, 2008, 1:21 AM

There is a new construction site starting next to the Amsterdam Inn on Mountain Road. As far as I can tell, it is unrelated to the adjacent casino project. I suspect that it might represent the Microtel Motel that has been previously mentioned in the media.

Any ideas anyone?

The Microtel Motel is going on Ensley Dr. right in front of the McDonalds but beside the Frenchy's summer tent set up. I don't know what could be going next to Amsterdam inn.

gehrhardt

Sep 17, 2008, 11:38 AM

Isn't that location on Mountain Rd where the Motel 6 sign used to be? That sign was up for quite a while and then disappeared.

JasonL-Moncton

Sep 17, 2008, 12:04 PM

Mapleton is a buzz of activity...the retaining wall along Mapleton Rd. is going up quickly and is massive. There appears to be quite a bit of activity in an area close to the Mapleton exit off wheeler as well.

mmmatt

Sep 17, 2008, 7:41 PM

Shediac growth based on new residents

Seaside town enjoys the second-highest rate of population growth in N.B.

A7
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday September 17th, 2008

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=184935&size=500x0
Development in Shediac continues with new apartments and a new Shoppers Drug Mart on Main Street.

SHEDIAC - Once known almost solely as a vacation destination or a great place to build your single-family home, this town 25 kilometres or 16 miles east of Moncton is now becoming the area of choice in which to build apartment buildings.

It's the kind of high-density residential development that municipalities love because they bring in more new residents and more development but at the same cost, almost, of serving a single home.

Town manager Gérard Belliveau has seen it happen in other places, where citizens are looking for a small town feel but within a reasonable driving distance of a bigger city.

"It's the trend, because people are more and more returning to the concept of the friendly community concept, where you can walk to church and where the medical clinic is almost next door and you take a walk downtown or over to the marina," Belliveau says.

"It's all very interesting."

With Moncton being the major centre of employment in the southeast of the province and located only a 15-minute drive away, Shediac is increasingly viewed as a choice town in which to live. The town showed population growth of 12 per cent in the last census, a trend that has remained consistent since. Increasingly, those new residents are either younger people choosing apartment living in the leafy seaside town or empty-nesters opting to sell the family home in favour of high-end condos and apartments in the town's more relaxed setting.

Most recently, developers built a 13-unit building near Grand-Pré Street, featuring a view of Shediac Bay, a 32-unit complex on Pascal Poirier Street near the downtown, three other apartment buildings scattered about town and a plethora of duplexes.

"And it's not slowing down," Belliveau says.

Expect future growth to focus on the town's south, towards Highway 15 and perhaps even on the south side of the highway, but also in the east on newly annexed lands near Seaside Chev-Olds. Those properties were annexed at the request of private investors who plan a major development there, though they have not announced what will be built or when.

It's a strategic corner, with very high traffic, right at the intersection of Scoudouc Road and Highway 15 (Veterans' Highway.) Shediac has run its water service to the land and the Shediac Sewerage Commission is now connecting it to the sewage system so it could be developed as early as the coming spring.

- Shediac should really be included in Monctons CMA...I would estimate that upwards of 75% of working people living in Shediac work in Moncton...its basically a bedroom community/retirement spot for Moncton.