The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[mmmatt]

Also just found out that Molson booked Sam Roberts for a little concert in Moncton to celebrate, not too bad! :)

[mmmatt]

Entrepreneur sees city as hub of 'next big thing' in web applications

Published Saturday September 29th, 2007

Dan Martell wants to put Moncton back on the rails.


The 27-year-old entrepreneur isn't a railroad buff; he's a leading edge computer programmer and business owner who thinks Moncton could become a global hotspot for the latest big thing in the technology world.

Martell, born in Moncton and educated at Mathieu-Martin High School, is president of Spheric Technologies, a Moncton-based company of 15 employees that has experienced more than 60 per cent revenue growth in each of the three years it's been in existence. But Martell isn't content to rest on that growth; he's preparing to host a workshop in Moncton that will feature one of the world's foremost experts and authors on that 'next big thing'.

And he thinks Moncton could be on the forefront of finding a niche as home to developers and firms focusing on the next wave in web applications.

It's called Ruby on Rails and the speaker is Ruby expert Bruce Tate, a nine-time author and speaker from Austin, Texas. Tate is acknowledged as one of the world's foremost authorities on the Rails' phenomena.

Ruby on Rails has become the web application framework of choice among Silicon Valley startups, Martell explained in a recent interview. And aside from one Toronto-based company, Moncton's own Spheric Technologies is the only other Canadian firm paid to do Rails' consulting.

Rails programming is only a small part of Spheric's current work, but Martell is confident growth will explode in the next year as more large firms turn to it as the solution to their web development needs. Ruby on Rails allows developers to create web applications in about half the time of other programming languages, Martell explains.

The big names in the technology business have started to turn to Ruby on Rails for their products, including Amazon,com, YellowPages.com and Apple, which will include it on their latest Mac OS X operating system called Leopard that is due out this fall. Other big players have developed their own hybrids on Ruby, including Microsoft's Iron Ruby and Sun Microsystems' J-Ruby.

Moncton's own PropertyGuys.com has made the move to a Ruby on Rails platform.

Company spokesman Walter Melanson said PropertyGuys.com selected a "more responsive, smoother and reliable platform which will be more enjoyable to end users."

He predicts using the new web application will position the Moncton business success story among the top percentile of real estate websites in the world.

Martell predicts his company will be adding 20 developers over the next 16 months to the three staff now working on Ruby projects. His five-year business plan foresees 100 employees.

"I want to put Moncton on that map; to make it a Rails' city," he said.

That isn't an idle boast. The other source of Spheric's revenue stream is building products using BEA's Aqualogic, a unified cross-platform software suite for business processes.

Spheric's clients include several big names, including Proctor & Gamble, Johnson&Johnson, United Health Group, Novartis, Dole and the Yale School of Management. One of Martell's latest projects is building a business social networking tool similar to Facebook for Proctor & Gamble's workforce.

Like so many other IT professionals, Martell picked up his knowledge and moved West after graduating from the BKM computer school and he spent time developing enterprise portals for business as part of an OAO Technologies team. He found work with some big names, including Syncrude Oil, Babcock & Wilcox and NAV Canada.

As a lone gun for hire in the developer world, Martell longed to be part of a team. So he headed home to Moncton in the summer of 2004 and bought Spheric Technologies from a small group of developers. Rather than bail for other opportunities, all of the original partners have stayed with Spheric.

"We worked our butts off in the beginning," Martell recalls.

"We did training in our cars, we were very frugal and we invested in people, not infrastructure."

In fact, to this day, Spheric remains very much a virtual company.

There is something called Spheric University housed in half a duplex that serves as a thinking and play area for the company's staff, but there is no office per se. The company's developers live not only in Moncton, but Vancouver, Oshawa, Newfoundland and Halifax.

Still, Martell wants to give young people graduating from web development and programming schools an option other than leaving the region. "I want to hire Monctonians, Atlantic Canadians and develop products here."

The local workshop on Ruby on Rails featuring Bruce Tate will be held at the NRC building on the Université de Moncton campus, off Crowley Farm Road. It is part of the Cybersocial series that brings together IT professionals and business owners in Metro Moncton.

[JasonL-Moncton]

Vaughan Harvey link opens to traffic
New connection to Gunningsville Bridge expected to change Metro traffic

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=29468&size=400x0

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=29469&size=400x0



I drove this on Sunday...started on Connaught near the hospital...drove from there all the way down Vaughn Harvey...straight under the train bridge (which was a weird feeling in that location) and straight onto the bridge right over to Riverview...can't wait until the open up the extension on the Riverview side...anyone know when that is?

JL

PS> Have been hearing a lot of talk about a Canadian Tire being built in Riverview?

[mylesmalley]

I drove this on Sunday...started on Connaught near the hospital...drove from there all the way down Vaughn Harvey...straight under the train bridge (which was a weird feeling in that location) and straight onto the bridge right over to Riverview...can't wait until the open up the extension on the Riverview side...anyone know when that is?

JL

PS> Have been hearing a lot of talk about a Canadian Tire being built in Riverview?

I found the new stretch of Vaughan Harvey seemed a lot shorter than I was expecting. It certainly makes getting across the river easier though. As for Canadian Tire, I've heard no mention of it. If it's true, it could be a good catalyst for growth over there. However, it could be said that we have more than enough big-box malls already...

[JasonL-Moncton]

I found the new stretch of Vaughan Harvey seemed a lot shorter than I was expecting. It certainly makes getting across the river easier though. As for Canadian Tire, I've heard no mention of it. If it's true, it could be a good catalyst for growth over there. However, it could be said that we have more than enough big-box malls already...

I work with a lot of residents of Riverview and they've all been talking about it, as well as Wal-Mart being considered for up in Findley Park...

JL

[mylesmalley]

There's a lot of talk on the SJ forum about the racino project planned there. I guess the developers are considering Moncton and others as possible alternatives because city council there won't give the developers a hold on the land for a year. I heard a while back that some people were interested in building some kind of racino out towards Lower Coverdale. Anybody know if something has happened with that?

[JasonL-Moncton]

There's a lot of talk on the SJ forum about the racino project planned there. I guess the developers are considering Moncton and others as possible alternatives because city council there won't give the developers a hold on the land for a year. I heard a while back that some people were interested in building some kind of racino out towards Lower Coverdale. Anybody know if something has happened with that?

There has been a lot of talk about it over the last couple of years that it would happen here....but the talk has dwindled some lately over the rumbles of a convention center/casino...who knows...first the provincial laws have to be changed.

JL

[mylesmalley]

http://hongkong.edushi.com/en/

I know it has absolutely nothing to do with Moncton (or The western Hemisphere, for that matter). I just figured you guys would find this interesting. Very SimCity-ish map of Hong Kong.

[ErickMontreal]

http://hongkong.edushi.com/en/

I know it has absolutely nothing to do with Moncton (or The western Hemisphere, for that matter). I just figured you guys would find this interesting. Very SimCity-ish map of Hong Kong.

Thats really cool, thanks you

[ErickMontreal]

Mapleton power center, anybody know whats going on with that project ?

The land seem to be ready for the the construction start, the only thing we know for sure is that The Brick coming in town.

Assumption + Aliant tower
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1389/1468600329_3d3230ce21_o.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimsboy/1468600329/

[Helladog]

http://hongkong.edushi.com/en/

I know it has absolutely nothing to do with Moncton (or The western Hemisphere, for that matter). I just figured you guys would find this interesting. Very SimCity-ish map of Hong Kong.

Cute!

[mylesmalley]

Mapleton power center, anybody know whats going on with that project ?

The land seem to be ready for the the construction start, the only thing we know for sure is that The Brick coming in town.

Assumption + Aliant tower
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1389/1468600329_3d3230ce21_o.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimsboy/1468600329/



Wow...that's so surreal. Are those the mounds of dirt from the construction of Vaughan Harvey?

[ErickMontreal]

Wow...that's so surreal. Are those the mounds of dirt from the construction of Vaughan Harvey?

Yeah, I think its close Assumption blvd.

[ErickMontreal]

Downtown shopping poised to expand?
Lands around Vaughan Harvey extension could be home to Metro's 'third retail power node, to join Champlain Place, Trinity Drive'

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=31405&size=400x0

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday October 3rd, 2007
Appeared on page A1

For years now, it has been predicted that linking Vaughan Harvey Boulevard to the Gunningsville Bridge and Assomption Boulevard would spur development at the western edge of downtown Moncton.

Now less than a week after the last link has opened to traffic, it appears those development plans are taking shape.

First there are the Sobey's supermarket and NB Liquor outlet under construction at the southeast corner of Main Street and Vaughan Harvey.

And now the land directly across from that, where once Moncton's exceedingly humble first Frenchy's outlet once stood on the now essentially defunct Tannery Street, has been assessed at $1.3 million and is poised for development.

"This is what Vaughan Harvey's all about," said Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville's general manager Daniel Allain said yesterday. "This is why DMCI has been pushing for this for so long."

Moncton City Council this week looked at a tentative subdivision plan for the land because landowner CN has entered into a purchase and sale agreement on the property, according to a Greater Moncton Planning District Commission report to council made public at Monday's regularly scheduled meeting of council.

A call to CN was not returned yesterday.

As well, a call made late in the day to Sobey's subsidiary ECL Properties to see if that company might be expanding its holdings in the area was not returned by the end of the business day.

A transaction between the two corporations has been long the subject of speculation in local development circles.

The planning commission report states, "no development plans have been submitted for the site."

Council voted to take cash in lieu of land for public purposes. At an established rate of eight per cent, the city added $104,000 to its coffers with its decision last night, but potential development on the land could mean a much bigger windfall with future property tax revenues.

The land lies directly to the west of Vaughan Harvey Extension and stretches from Main Street south to the CN main rail line. It curves west around the bottom of the residential neighbourhood bounded by Fownes and Prince streets before ending a short distance east of Jonathan Creek. The parcel of land is a bit more than five-and-a-half hectares or almost 14 acres in size.

Whatever the development that takes shape, it seems certain at least some soil remediation will be required. For decades, the area was home to various heavy industries. Tannery Street was, in fact, so named because it once was the home of a number of tanneries, which used various chemicals in their leather making.

Various rail yard activities have also taken place in the vicinity throughout the 20th century, so hydrocarbon contamination from coal and diesel is likely.

The experience with the land dug up for the rail underpass that allowed Vaughan Harvey to punch through was that the soil had hydrocarbons but no significant heavy metals. That's relatively good news, as hydrocarbon-saturated soil can be entombed beneath buildings, clay or asphalt and not pose any significant health risk. It's not the sort of thing you would want the kids digging up in the backyard, however, so that leaves a question mark over the possibility of residential development.

The former industrial land is now zoned for commercial business development, at any rate, and that suits Allain just fine.

"There's going to be a third retail power node in our region to join Champlain Place and Trinity Drive," he said. "And it's going to be here in the heart of the city."

Allain said he took a call from a site locator property shopping for a client, just yesterday, giving him a chance to sing the praises of the area.

While property scouts rarely disclose who they are working for, Allain said the scout did at least divulge that she represented a national retailer looking to build 30,000 square feet (2,700 square metres) of space. For those having trouble picturing those dimensions, the Future Shop on Plaza Boulevard is 25,000 square feet.

He said he provided her with information about Metro Moncton's other retail powerhouse areas -- better to land investment anywhere in the tri-community than see it go elsewhere -- but he said he hoped he had the scout now thinking about another viable option in the heart of the community.

"It's all coming together," Allain said upon hearing about apparent progress in developing this latest parcel.

The question that remains however, is just what is coming together on Tannery Street.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Eco-revolution to take over Moncton
Schwarzenegger's energy advisor keynote speaker at conference

TOOL HELP
By Aloma Jardine
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday October 3rd, 2007
Appeared on page C2

The "rock stars of the sustainability movement" are headlining Moncton's ecoRevolution conference Nov. 27.

The presence of keynote speaker Terry Tamminen, an energy and environmental policy advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was announced earlier in the year, but a number of further speakers were unveiled at a press conference yesterday at the Capitol Theatre.

"The rock stars of the sustainability movement are coming to this," says local businessman Craig Evans. "These aren't pseudo-experts, they are the real deal."

Evans, who owns the Pizza Delight at 1313 Mountain Rd. and works with Polycello Packaging in Amherst, N.S., decided to get involved with the conference as he is particularly interested in helping small business owners who are large energy consumers find ways of becoming more sustainable.

Restaurants, for example, use huge amounts of energy cooking and heating and freezing and chilling, but most are not in a position to spend huge amounts of cash to replace all of their equipment with energy efficient varieties.

"As we try to figure out what we can afford to do, we need help with that," he says.

Evans says the necessary information is out there, but there is no one-stop shop to find it and business owners often lack the expertise to know if what they are reading or hearing is true, which is where the conference will come in.

Rick DesBrisay, chairman of ecoRevolution, says the symposium has two main aims.

"One is to create the desire to actually go do something about it, and two, (to provide) specific ideas that they can apply to actually do something. So it is both a motivational thing and a practical one -- what can I do tomorrow to be more environmentally-friendly?" he says. "Our job is to tell them where to go, what to do, who to talk to."

Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce CEO Valerie Roy says in many cases companies want to implement better environmental practices, but don't have the know-how or time to acquire it.

"When you are a small business you are very, very tied down with the day-to-day operations of your business as it sits right now with today's technology. You want to move forward, but you really don't know where to begin," she says.

The idea for the conference grew out of a brainstorming session among local business leaders.

"By bringing business people around the table to talk about things that are important to them and to identify perhaps those gaps in terms of their knowledge of how to go forward, that was where this idea came from, so it was really led by the business community," Roy says.

"It really is one of those things that has grown and grown and grown since we started the process and it seems more and more relevant as we go forward."

In the spirit of sustainability, Roy says the GMCC is also looking at how it can make its practices more environmentally-friendly and a start was yesterday's press conference where they used mugs, cutlery, and cloth napkins instead of disposables to serve refreshments.

Roy says moving toward sustainable practices not only makes good environmental sense, it makes good business sense.

"They are actually saving a lot of money by being environmentally-friendly, which increases their bottom line, so why not do it?" she says.

The conference's presenting sponsor, Aliant, is a good example of a business making a few changes that offer positive impacts all around.

In the last year nearly 46,000 customers and employees switched to paperless billing, which has saved four million sheets of paper - that's over 500 trees -- and 600 tonnes of office waste was recycled at the company's major office centres.

Tele-conferencing instead of travelling among customers and employees also saved nearly 120,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions -- the equivalent of removing 23,000 vehicles from the road for one year.

One of the speakers at the conference is Aliant's vice-president of communications and public affairs, Robyn Tingley, who will be sharing more about the greening of the company.

DesBrisay says they're expecting to draw 300 to 400 people to the conference from throughout Atlantica -- the Atlantic provinces, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

The majority of the presentations are being held at the Delta Beauséjour, but Tamminen's keynote speech will be delivered at the Capitol Theatre at 7 p.m. to give more people the opportunity to attend.

Tickets for the day-long conference are $375 for chamber of commerce or board of trade members, $450 for non-members, and $200 for students and seniors, plus applicable taxes.

Tickets can also be purchased exclusively for the keynote speech through the Capitol Theatre box office at a cost of $70.
Log in to access premiu

[ErickMontreal]

Sod turning ceremony for Dieppe Aquattic and Sports Centre

Dieppe – Premier Shawn Graham and Mayor Achille Maillet proceeded Tuesday morning with the sod turning ceremony to acknowledge the beginning of the construction for the Dieppe Aquatic and Sports Centre.

‘What a great day for Dieppe and its’ residents and Mr. Premier, thank you tremendously for your support and your partnership offer towards this important project’, said Mayor Maillet. ‘The municipal pool project has been in the works for over 20 years in Dieppe and our council decided it was time for its’ construction following numerous requests by our citizens. It has required many years of planning, consultations, studies, research, discussions and many public meetings in order to find critical elements to ensure the viability and full potential of the project.’

“Dieppe is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the province and is home to many young families’, said Premier Graham. ‘If we want to encourage the well-being of our youth and families, we must invest in opportunities that promote a healthy lifestyle.’

‘This is why I am very happy to be here today and I am pleased to announce that our government is ready to meet with the Mayor of Dieppe to discuss a possible partnership for this important project.’

The Centre will house two pools and will be built at a cost of $13.5 million on Aquatique Street in the Dieppe Industrial Park, near residential areas. It will be equipped with elements that will reduce operating costs and insure good quality water for swimmers.

It will include a family pool with various games for children and another 25 meter pool available for competitions and general swimming. There will also be locker rooms, a reception area and a multi-purpose room.

It is anticipated that the first swimmers will be able to use the facility in February 2009. Competition clubs, synchronized swimming and exercise clubs will join the Centre.

‘I wish to thank the numerous people involved on past various council committees for the Aquatic and Sports Centre’, added Mayor Maillet. ‘They did tremendous ground work and today we witness the result of their numerous meetings and discussions. Thank you to all for your time and energy.’

[mylesmalley]

That concerned-citizens group in Dieppe must be having kittens.

I'm glad to see that land next to Vaughan Harvey will be developed...but another mall? And so close to downtown. You'd think there'd be a better use for that real-estate.

[ErickMontreal]

That concerned-citizens group in Dieppe must be having kittens.

I'm glad to see that land next to Vaughan Harvey will be developed...but another mall? And so close to downtown. You'd think there'd be a better use for that real-estate.

Well, Dieppe city really is proactive, "we are doing it,that its thats all", I like that.

You`re right, if they use the land for a power center it will be inneficient, I would like to see something like Market Square complex (condos/appartments/shopping) in Saint John or something.

[mmmatt]

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=31405&size=400x0



You can see my house in this picture :D haha

[JasonL-Moncton]

Well, Dieppe city really is proactive, "we are doing it,that its thats all", I like that.

You`re right, if they use the land for a power center it will be inneficient, I would like to see something like Market Square complex (condos/appartments/shopping) in Saint John or something.

Pro-active is nice...but Dieppe city council is being ridiculous in attempting to grow the way it is...it's trying to compete with Moncton in a way it cannot. Property taxes are so high in Dieppe that people that 'want' out can't leave because they can't sell their home...I thought they were bad in Moncton but they are 3-4 times higher than Moncton.

As far as downtown...it won't necessarily be a 'box store' power center mentality down there...

[Wishblade]

Moncton seems like a progressive city, but its thinking way too suburuban and not urban enough. I mean, a Sobeys downtown? Thats certainly not where that belongs. Is anybody thinking about building any highrises perhaps?

[ErickMontreal]

Pro-active is nice...but Dieppe city council is being ridiculous in attempting to grow the way it is...it's trying to compete with Moncton in a way it cannot. Property taxes are so high in Dieppe that people that 'want' out can't leave because they can't sell their home...I thought they were bad in Moncton but they are 3-4 times higher than Moncton.

As far as downtown...it won't necessarily be a 'box store' power center mentality down there...

You`re right. I never understand the competition between both cities, Dieppe is nothing without Moncton. On the other hand, I just want to point out the fact that Dieppe is more efficient than Moncton city council in term of project planning. Moncton city made some major setbacks since 8 years from now with the "Verdiroc " project in downtown characterized by some as a fiasco.

[ErickMontreal]

Moncton seems like a progressive city, but its thinking way too suburuban and not urban enough. I mean, a Sobeys downtown? Thats certainly not where that belongs. Is anybody thinking about building any highrises perhaps?

There are Assumption Corp and us in the thread as well :haha:

[Helladog]

Moncton seems like a progressive city, but its thinking way too suburuban and not urban enough. I mean, a Sobeys downtown? Thats certainly not where that belongs. Is anybody thinking about building any highrises perhaps?

At least they have a grocery store within a reachable distance from downtown. In Saint John, the closest grocery store is at Loch Lomond Place and it is tiny.

[kwajo]

Woah, did you just diss Giant Tiger? ;)

Seriously though, I lived Uptown for over a year and did fine getting food in the City Market, Giant Tiger and various corner stores. If you do some selective shopping, you can get supermarket-level prices, and a damn fine selection. The downside is that you have to go to multiple place, but who doesn't love shopping in the City Market everyday? I moved to St. John's and I really miss the market, I think it is one of Saint John's biggest urban assets, even trumping anything Halifax has.

[JasonL-Moncton]

The market in Saint John is my favorite thing 'about' Saint John. :P

[JasonL-Moncton]

You`re right. I never understand the competition between both cities, Dieppe is nothing without Moncton. On the other hand, I just want to point out the fact that Dieppe is more efficient than Moncton city council in term of project planning. Moncton city made some major setbacks since 8 years from now with the "Verdiroc " project in downtown characterized by some as a fiasco.

Personally I still have a hard time calling Dieppe a city...to me it's a 'burb' of Moncton, but I'd be damned if I'd say that in Dieppe....I might not get out of there alive. I don't think there is competition 'between' the cities...but that Dieppe feels it has to compete with Moncton. Moncton doesn't really try and compete with Dieppe, there's no case for it...I for one for years now have thought that Dieppe should be amalgamated into Moncton...as should Riverview, but that will never happen.

JL

[ErickMontreal]

I think it is one of Saint John's biggest urban assets, even trumping anything Halifax has.

The city market, the pedway, the Brunswick Square as well as the market Square are something SJ citizens have to be proud of.

[ErickMontreal]

Personally I still have a hard time calling Dieppe a city...to me it's a 'burb' of Moncton, but I'd be damned if I'd say that in Dieppe....I might not get out of there alive. I don't think there is competition 'between' the cities...but that Dieppe feels it has to compete with Moncton. Moncton doesn't really try and compete with Dieppe, there's no case for it...I for one for years now have thought that Dieppe should be amalgamated into Moncton...as should Riverview, but that will never happen.

I`m entirely agree with you, Riverview and Dieppe are some kind "Burb" ghetto so like you said earlier the amalgamation will never happen mainly for cultural reasons. Riverview is defined as english-only and Dieppe wants to keep their trademark of "L`étoile de L`acadie"

[mylesmalley]

I`m entirely agree with you, Riverview and Dieppe are some kind "Burb" ghetto so like you said earlier the amalgamation will never happen mainly for cultural reasons. Riverview is defined as english-only and Dieppe wants to keep their trademark of "L`étoile de L`acadie"

The big difference between Riverview and Dieppe seems to be overlooked. Riverview is very much a bedroom community. The only real 'industry' is local retail like grocery stores and a few call centers. Dieppe, on the other hand, is really much more city-like. They have a large industrial and retail base, and their residential numbers have been growing at a staggering rate (as a percentage). Therefore, I wouldn't call Dieppe a bedroom community anymore.

I agree, as far as amalgamation is concerned. It seems inefficient having three large-ish communities attached to each other. However, many large cities like Toronto, have dozens of independent (politically) suburbs and seem to function reasonably well. And like HalifaxMtl666 points out, culturally, the communities are quite distinct. Dieppe is probably close to 80 percent french, Riverview is probably 95 percent English, and Moncton is a bit of a hodge-podge.

[ErickMontreal]

The big difference between Riverview and Dieppe seems to be overlooked. Riverview is very much a bedroom community. The only real 'industry' is local retail like grocery stores and a few call centers. Dieppe, on the other hand, is really much more city-like. They have a large industrial and retail base, and their residential numbers have been growing at a staggering rate (as a percentage). Therefore, I wouldn't call Dieppe a bedroom community anymore.

I agree, as far as amalgamation is concerned. It seems inefficient having three large-ish communities attached to each other. However, many large cities like Toronto, have dozens of independent (politically) suburbs and seem to function reasonably well. And like HalifaxMtl666 points out, culturally, the communities are quite distinct. Dieppe is probably close to 80 percent french, Riverview is probably 95 percent English, and Moncton is a bit of a hodge-podge.

Great synthesis, I`m relatively new in Moncton and I often forget the fact Champlain Place, Champlain businesss, Irvings stuffs as well as the airport area are located in Dieppe.

Basicly, the Montreal almagamation experience shows that the almagamation of neiboughoods with culturally distinctions have to be avoided without a strong consensus

[mylesmalley]

Thanks. Thats why they pay me the big bucks :p.

[QUOTE=Basicly, the Montreal almagamation experience shows that the almagamation of neiboughoods with culturally distinctions have to be avoided without a strong consensus[/QUOTE]

The Montreal map is actually kinda funny. You have the main city, and inside of it are probably a half dozen little enclaves that are independent. What if Centennial Place declared its independance...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Montreal2006.png

Has anyone heard anything about that huge project on Dieppe Blvd? The announcement said it would be upwards of $100 million.

[ErickMontreal]

Has anyone heard anything about that huge project on Dieppe Blvd? The announcement said it would be upwards of $100 million.

I guess you talked about that project :

( :: UPTOWN DIEPPE :: )

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

http://uptowndieppe.ca

[mylesmalley]

Looks as though I have a terrible memory...

Too focused on accounting midterm tomorrow...

[ErickMontreal]

Looks as though I have a terrible memory...

Too focused on accounting midterm tomorrow...

No problem :tup:

Its great project that I would like to see Downtown Moncton though

[ErickMontreal]

Traffic lights holding up completion of Riverview's East West Corridor

October 03, 2007 - 12:18 pm
By: Rebecca Davis, News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB - The first phase of the East West Corridor in Riverview may look finished to motorists on Coverdale Road, but it's not quite ready yet.

Riverview's Town Manager David Muir says they're making progress on both phase one and phase two of the project, and says phase one is getting really close to finished.

He says the biggest hold up is that the traffic lights for the Pine Glen intersection are on back order.

He says the lights should be in by the end of November, and they hope to have phase one done before Christmas.

He says, also, that if all goes well with phase two, which connects the new road to Findlay Boulevard, they might be able to open it, unfinished, but driveable, at around the same time.

[mylesmalley]

No problem :tup:

Its great project that I would like to see Downtown Moncton though

Yeah. A development of that magnitude would be great downtown. However, if you go to the developer's page, it looks as though the tallest buildings will only be three floors... if that.

I think our biggest problem is that we really don't have any natural impediments to growth. We don't have mountains or an ocean on one side to force buildings upwards. Or in the case of Toronto, a thousand miles of suburbs and no land left near the center of town.

I think its a bit of a pipe dream to think that Moncton will have an impressive (like Halifax) skyline for quite some time. Which I find quite depressing.

Also, we need a city council that doesn't scare off development. I think in a lot of ways, the city has grown in the past few years in spite of itself. A few years back, some developers wanted to build a (several maybe) tall (ten stories) apartment buildings on the Franklin Yard site. The city council rejected it though, saying that Moncton wasn't ready for that kind of density. Now they're building low-density houses in there.

[mylesmalley]

Haha..wow. Time to get off my soapbox :p.

[mmmatt]

are you serious about franklin yard?! Damn it...that really makes me mad. I mean I am happy they are doing anything at all with that formerly waisted space...but that would have been awesome! Would have been even more awesome right downtown though. oh well... :(

[Helladog]

Woah, did you just diss Giant Tiger? ;)

Seriously though, I lived Uptown for over a year and did fine getting food in the City Market, Giant Tiger and various corner stores. If you do some selective shopping, you can get supermarket-level prices, and a damn fine selection. The downside is that you have to go to multiple place, but who doesn't love shopping in the City Market everyday? I moved to St. John's and I really miss the market, I think it is one of Saint John's biggest urban assets, even trumping anything Halifax has.

Good point...I do alot of buying at Giant Tiger and I should go to the market more often than I do. The meat is much better there than at a grocery store.

I actually prefer GT to the old IGA, there seems to me as much for food in the corner of the store as IGA had in the entire place not to mention the prices aren't bad.

(Maybe this should be moved to the Saint John page) :banaride:

[mylesmalley]

are you serious about franklin yard?! Damn it...that really makes me mad. I mean I am happy they are doing anything at all with that formerly waisted space...but that would have been awesome! Would have been even more awesome right downtown though. oh well... :(

Too true. Lest we forget, as well, that six story hotel that Bernard Cyr wanted to build by the waterfront. It would have required losing some (not that much, if memory serves) parkland, but after the Mapleton Park 'scandal', it seemed the city put the kibosh on it....

[ErickMontreal]

Too true. Lest we forget, as well, that six story hotel that Bernard Cyr wanted to build by the waterfront. It would have required losing some (not that much, if memory serves) parkland, but after the Mapleton Park 'scandal', it seemed the city put the kibosh on it....

I think thats hotel project (125-rooms) will be included in the convention center project. There is a deal between Ashcroft, Cyr and one of the most prolific developer in Canada : Verdiroc.

[mylesmalley]

I think thats hotel project (125-rooms) will be included in the convention center project. There is a deal between Ashcroft, Cyr and one of the most prolific developer in Canada : Verdiroc.

Ahhhhh Verdiroc........

[ErickMontreal]

Ahhhhh Verdiroc........

Well, this company seem to be unwilling to take any kind of risks in putting money on the table like other developers do in the same context.

[mylesmalley]

I don't know. It just disappoints me how the city / province / developers have had nearly ten years, and they still haven't been able to get their s%#t together on a convention center.

[ErickMontreal]

I don't know. It just disappoints me how the city / province / developers have had nearly ten years, and they still haven't been able to get their s%#t together on a convention center.

Like you said Its really dissapointing... Assumption prososed two years ago a project that included a convention center/courthouse and hotel linked by a pedway to the Blue Cross but the city as well as the government has rejected the plan and they gave a new deadline to Verdiroc. Its a real mess.

[mylesmalley]

I will say. With any luck, the new courthouse will help the area a lot, whenever it gets built. Hopefully projects like the new Assumption building and convention center will come to fruition as well. The city needs to stop thinking big-town, and start thinking growing-city.

I'm actually quite encouraged by Dieppe. They've gone deep into debt, but they've built the beginnings of a very nice little downtown for a city its size.

Who knows what'll happen over the next few years.

[ErickMontreal]

I will say. With any luck, the new courthouse will help the area a lot, whenever it gets built. Hopefully projects like the new Assumption building and convention center will come to fruition as well. The city needs to stop thinking big-town, and start thinking growing-city.

I'm actually quite encouraged by Dieppe. They've gone deep into debt, but they've built the beginnings of a very nice little downtown for a city its size.

Who knows what'll happen over the next few years.

You`re right, the new courthouse ( + extra office) will be great the construction going to start by early 2008 for sure. Furthermore, even if the new Marriott (The Keg) only is 7-stories high, the impact on the street level is quite awesome. Moreover, the Highfield square redevelopment could be surprising too...

[ErickMontreal]

Site readied for new retail complex
Mapleton Power Centre developers have tenants lined up for 90% of its space

HELPBy ROD ALLEN
Times & Transcript Staff

Published Thursday September 6th, 2007

Northwest Moncton's Mapleton Power Centre has yet to see a single brick laid on mortar, yet only 10 per cent of its 300,000 square feet of retail space remains unleased, say the developers.

Patrick Gillespie of Ashford Investments says the project is still scheduled to start building later this fall despite the discovery of a surprise under the heavily treed property earlier this year.

Commuters along busy Wheeler Boulevard might well have noticed the property located directly across Mapleton Road from the Trinity's Power Centre's Costco store changing shape a lot this summer.

Hills and gullies have appeared and disappeared there several times as the developers encountered unexpected challenges with stabilizing the earth.

"We thought we were simply going to flatten the hill but we uncovered a lot of material that was unsuitable for compaction," said Gillespie.

A stand of tall trees fooled the developers, who thought they were dealing with old growth on virgin soil, but as it turned out those trees were relatively new, growing rapidly in silt and other fill moved there years ago by parties unknown.

Some of it had to be trucked away outright and some had to be mixed with other material to make it compactable.

A lot of material was involved, said Gillespie; up to 12 metres (almost 40 feet) of elevation had to be added in one area. Engineering consultant Jacques-Whitford did the soil engineering for the project.

Now the entire site is stable, level to a maximum grade of four per cent and ready for construction.

"We're negotiating with the city right now in terms of the subdivision of the property, completing the development agreement and acquiring the building permits," said Gillespie.

"We want to start building this fall."

There are many high-powered development names associated or affiliated with the project, including Toronto-based Verdiroc, which holds a development option on the so-called 'Beaver Lumber Property,' often described as a likely site for downtown Moncton's long-proposed convention centre.

Gillespie meanwhile was recently named president of Maricor Ashford Ltd., a new company arising from a joint venture agreement between Ashford Investments and Halifax-based Maricor Properties Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Maine & Maritimes Corporation.

Gillespie is still not able to say who Mapleton Power Centre's tenants are.

There are two big tenant representative firms coordinating about half the space and they plan to make a joint announcement for their tenants. The rest are expected to make individual announcements.

However, at least one high-end 'big box' retailer appears to be already confirmed for the project.

Joe Ramia, president of Rank Incorporated which holds the rights to extend The Brick franchise in Atlantic Canada, affirmed the company's interest early this year.

Originally known as The Big Brick Warehouse when the first store opened in Edmonton, Alberta in 1971, company founders and brothers John, Fred and Bill Comrie -- Bill Comrie's son Mike is an NHL hockey player who played with the Ottawa Senators last year -- expanded to Fort McMurray and Calgary in the mid-1970s and grew rapidly in the 1990s.

The Brick is now one of the largest furniture and home electronics retailers in Canada with almost 200 stores across the country.

The development has been described earlier as a site intended mainly for 'high end' retail along three main lines -- Sport, fashions and apparel, home furnishings and service stores with a restaurant or two folded into the mix.

Another retailer rumoured to be considering the project is Linens 'n Things, a home decorating giant that features frequently on the Oprah Winfrey Show in the U.S.

[ErickMontreal]

Moncton building permit values rising over last year
Numbers of permits issued running on pace but value 26 per cent ahead of last year

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=32814&size=300x0


By BRENT MAZEROLLE
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday October 6th, 2007
Appeared on page D2

Construction activity in Moncton is on pace with last year, but its value is rising sharply, according to figures released Friday by the City of Moncton.

The total number of building permits issued so far this year has now reached 930, the exact same number of permits issued at this point last year. However, at $104.8 million, the total value of these 930 building permits issued through the January-September period is more than 26 per cent ahead of the $82.7 million issued last year.

"Year-to-date building permit values exceed the 2006 levels in all sectors of the construction industry", said Ben Champoux, a business development specialist with the City of Moncton. The total value of residential building permits was up 4.7 per cent so far this year and institutional and government construction was up 31.8 per cent.

The big story though is in the total value of commercial and industrial permits -- a whopping 63 per cent ahead of last year. "These numbers show that citizens are building more expensive homes, and that investors are building larger commercial and industrial projects, a clear indication of a diversified economy and strong consumer confidence," Champoux said.

September itself saw a falling off of activity over the same period last year. The city issued permits valued at $8.3 million compared to a value that was almost twice that in September 2006, a particularly strong month that included big ticket items like the rebuilding of Maritime Door and Window.

Construction highlights in September 2007 included construction of a 33,000 sq. ft. warehouse on 90 MacNaughton Avenue, valued at $1,485,000, a veterinary clinic on Mapleton Road, valued at $550,000 and construction of the shell and foundation of a 4,500 sq. ft. repair garage on Urquhart avenue, valued at $292,500.

Major renovation projects included interior renovations to convert the former Dooly's on Main Street into a Nubody's Fitness Center, valued at $200,000, work at the Mountain Road Burger King also worth $200,000 and an addition to Cheers Pub worth $100,000.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Metro boasts most workers in province
And Statistics Canada figures show job growth in province second

By Kate Wright
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday October 6th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

OTTAWA - Metro Moncton's ongoing construction boom is helping the city to lead the province in employment growth, a Statistics Canada report found yesterday.

New Brunswick had the second highest rate of job growth across the country so far this year -- second only to Alberta -- and Metro continues to boast the biggest employment base in the province.

There were 74,000 Monctonians working last month, up from 71,000 one year ago.

While month-to-month employment figures give a snapshot of employment trends in the region, year-over-year numbers show the New Brunswick workforce has gained 13,000 workers-- a sign of strong job growth to come.

Samuel LeBreton, senior economist with Service Canada in Fredericton, said while Moncton "struggled" at the beginning of the year to gain employment momentum, the city has added nearly 3,000 people to the workforce since last year.

Major construction projects like the $35-million Molson Canada brewery and a continued rush on new home construction in the hub city has encouraged more Metro Monctonians to join the labour force.

"There's construction, there's lots of activity -- it's really picking up," he said. "Moncton's employment rate is high and continued to do well."

The province continues to reach record levels of employment this year. There were 363,000 New Brunswickers employed last month -- up by 13,000 people from Sept. 2006.

Around 9,000 people entered the workforce since January, which represents a 2.5 per cent increase in employment -- higher than the national average over the same time period.

The unemployment rate rose slightly by 0.5 per cent to 8.2 per cent because 2,300 more people were looking for work since last September.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Metro economy will 'do well no matter what'
Experts say diversified economy, consumer confidence key to Metro's

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday October 6th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Metro Moncton has some experience in its past with the 'R' word, but citizens are apparently not concerned about the sub-prime mortgage crisis in America and increasing whispers that the U.S. might be headed toward a recession.

And while no economy is completely recession proof, several economic voices suggest our local economy, like the fine ships that founded it long ago, is properly balanced to ride out the waves.

First off, several leading Canadian economic reports this week predict Canada's economy will weather the troubles in the U.S., where a mortgage crisis could cost as many as two million people their homes. In fact, they predict the U.S. economy will also continue to grow overall despite the crisis.

A Conference Board of Canada report released Thursday said although some sectors of Canada's economy might be hurt by the troubles south of the border, the economy should grow at a healthy rate of roughly 2.8 per cent in 2008.

"The combination of the strong Canadian dollar and slowing U.S. growth will decrease exports in sectors such as wood products and automobiles, but the Canadian domestic economy remains robust and should offset declines in exports," said Kip Beckman, principal research associate and author of The U.S. Housing Market Meltdown: Implications for Canada.

Toronto-Dominion and CIBC World Markets reports also released this week echo the Conference Board.

Closer to home, City of Moncton business development specialist and respected economist Ben Champoux, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation's former senior market analyst for New Brunswick, was upbeat when asked yesterday about Metro's future.

Pointing to increasingly plentiful employment options and a local economy that has never before been so diversified -- no one sector employs more than 8 per cent of population -- he said, "when the economy's booming everywhere, all urban centres do well. But when the economy slows down at a macro level, people look to urban centres where opportunities exist but where they can still afford to live. Moncton is one of those centres that offers that, and is now in a position to do well no matter what."

The diversification is also key. "Today, the Moncton economy is like a mutual fund. Overall, it continues to grow (even if some sectors suffer reverses)," he said. More important, he added, the growth is "at a rate that's sustainable."

Year-to-date building permits released by Champoux's office yesterday suggest "citizens are building more expensive homes, and that investors are building larger commercial and industrial projects, a clear indication of a diversified economy and strong consumer confidence."

In its third quarter 2007 report, CMHC forecasts that the average MLS price in New Brunswick will rise by 6.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The average 2007 price for a house in Moncton is forecast to be $138,000, jumping to $142,750 in 2008.

With year-to-date housing starts in Moncton hitting $50 million, it appears the housing market will remain strong.

Though Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation forecasts the level of new home construction will decrease in all provinces except for Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan next year, existing home sales will register their best year on record in 2007. Things will cool a bit in 2008, but it's a matter of jumping from the roof of the penthouse to the roof of the rest of the building. CMHC believes 2008 will see the second highest level on record. In New Brunswick, CMHC says positive labour market conditions will help reduce the net outflow of interprovincial migrants in 2007 and 2008. Nevertheless, rising mortgage carrying costs and more choice in the resale market will result in lower levels of new home construction.

[ErickMontreal]

For those who are able to read french, a article about Moncton by a Quebec-based magazine

http://www.magazinequebecentreprise.com/images/ban_0407moncton.jpg

Moncton
Désire un centre des congrès pour compléter son centre-ville

La lancée de la ville de Moncton se poursuit alors que la municipalité est sans contredit devenue la force motrice du Nouveau-Brunswick. La région du Grand Moncton, principalement les municipalités de Moncton, Dieppe et Riverview, a la plus forte croissance dans les provinces de l'Atlantique. Le maire, Lorne M. Mitton, planche présentement sur différents projets pour concrétiser le rôle de moteur économique de sa ville.

En poste depuis trois ans, Lorne M. Mitton veut mettre fin à la bisbille qui a longtemps marqué les relations entre les trois principales municipalités du Grand Moncton: «Nous avons créé des organismes inter-municipaux pour gérer le système de transport en commun, l'aménagement du territoire, les égouts et l'aqueduc. Notre eau est la meilleure au Canada et c'est pour cette raison que Molson a décidé d'établir chez nous une nouvelle brasserie, sa première en plus de 40 ans dans les Maritimes. Lorsque les trois villes se rencontrent, je tente de m'assurer que nous discutions de nos réalisations avant de traiter de sujets plus litigieux».

Des partenariats publics privés ont permis la réalisation d'un nouveau complexe récréatif multisport comprenant près d'une dizaine de terrains de soccer et autant de terrains de baseball, ainsi qu'un aréna avec quatre glaces. Le budget des opérations de la ville de Moncton est de 72 000 000$ et ses dépenses d'immobilisation se chiffrent à 16 000 000$.

Côté développement résidentiel, où le taux de taxation est de 1,67$ par 100$ d'évaluation, les nouveaux projets continuent de voir le jour à un rythme effréné. Des sommes considérables ont été investies au cours des dernières années afin d'améliorer la circulation. «Les travaux de réfection du pont de Gunningsville, traversant la rivière Petitcodiac et reliant Moncton à Riverview, sont presque terminés. Il s'agissait d'une infrastructure désuète et sa rénovation donne le coup d'envoi au développement du centre-ville en bas de la rue Main. Au cours des prochaines années, d'importants projets verront le jour dans les secteurs des boulevards Vaughan-Harvey et l'Assomption», explique Ben Champoux, spécialiste du développement économique de la municipalité. Plusieurs nouveaux établissements hôteliers ont été construits à Moncton récemment et le maire Mitton croit fermement que sa municipalité est maintenant prête à accueillir un centre des congrès. «Le nouveau complexe multisport avec ses quatre glaces sera l'hôte de nombreux tournois qui devraient occuper nos hôteliers. Mais il est aussi important que nous nous dotions d'un centre des congrès. C'est un élément clé du développement du centre-ville en bas de la Main. C'est un projet prioritaire et nous travaillons présentement à ficeler son financement. Le fait que nous ayons eu deux premiers ministres tant à l'échelle fédérale que provinciale au cours des huit derniers mois ne facilite pas les choses. Mais je suis convaincu que ce projet ne devrait pas tarder, alors que nous entretenons de bonnes relations avec les autres niveaux de gouvernement.» La ville compte également sur d'autres projets comme un port intérieur (inland port) où les entreprises auraient accès à une gamme complète de services de logistique ainsi qu'à l'économie du savoir pour créer des emplois attrayants et contrer les effets d'une population vieillissante.

« L'IC2 Institute, une firme de consultants d'Austin au Texas, nous a aidés à développer une stratégie pour accélérer la croissance d'un knowledge-based center. Ces spécialistes affirment que Moncton est présentement en avant de ce qu'Austin était avant sa fulgurante croissance. Le Moncton Technology Planning Group chapeaute ce projet », ajoute M. Champoux. Avec ses infrastructures de grande ville, son marché de l'habitation le plus abordable au pays et la qualité de vie d'un gros village, la ville de Moncton est devenue un centre urbain et économique de premier plan dont l'influence ne cessera de croître au cours des prochaines années.

[mmmatt]

Lots of great news! :D

Also great news is I'm in Moncton for the weekend!

Some pictures I took today:

Sobeys
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0004.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0029.jpg

Marriott
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0011.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0014.jpg

Blue Cross
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0018.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0020.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0008-1.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0007-1.jpg

Random
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0005.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0006-1.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0022.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0024.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/newer%20Moncton/DSCN0025.jpg

[mylesmalley]

good eye, stu.
you must've been at the corner of vaughan harvey and main at the same time as me ths afternoon. I have to say, I'm not crazy about that Sobeys, but I think it won't look too bad. Its very close to the street, and supposedly will include shop space. If they use a brick facade, it should look fairly downtown-ish by Moncton standards.

[kwajo]

good eye, stu.
you must've been at the corner of vaughan harvey and main at the same time as me ths afternoon. I have to say, I'm not crazy about that Sobeys, but I think it won't look too bad. Its very close to the street, and supposedly will include shop space. If they use a brick facade, it should look fairly downtown-ish by Moncton standards.
The construction photos make it look a lot like the new Sobeys stores that have been built here in St. John's, which have large brick facades that match the nouveau-brick style of Moncton IMO. It'll fit in just fine :)

[mmmatt]

The construction photos make it look a lot like the new Sobeys stores that have been built here in St. John's, which have large brick facades that match the nouveau-brick style of Moncton IMO. It'll fit in just fine :)

Yeah, It will have a nice brick facade, and nice landscaping. I know this because the city threw out the first design (which looks like the usual new sobeys) and they made it better looking with some nice brick patterns and whatnot. Ive seen the drawings up close (they were in the lobby of the building I worked in). Rest assured, it will look good :)

[mylesmalley]

I'm really looking forward to the completion of the new Marriott. I think, with Blue Cross right across the street, it will fit in nicely. I really like that red-brick look that a lot of buildings downtown have. It fills up the end of that block perfectly. I think if another building of similar height/style gets built along the south side of that block, across from the new addition to the Blue Cross building, and maybe one or two more along that stretch of Assumption, it'll give downtown a lot more depth that's really missing at the moment.

[kirjtc2]

The construction photos make it look a lot like the new Sobeys stores that have been built here in St. John's, which have large brick facades that match the nouveau-brick style of Moncton IMO. It'll fit in just fine :)

It's just Sobeys' new store design. All 3 Fredericton locations now have it. I must say, though, that as much as I hate tacky faux brick, it does look a lot better than the boxy green look they had before.

[michael_d40]

It's just Sobeys' new store design. All 3 Fredericton locations now have it. I must say, though, that as much as I hate tacky faux brick, it does look a lot better than the boxy green look they had before.

Yeah... Its nothing spectacular made just for Moncton or anything. They even have the new design in small NS towns like Bridgewater, and Yarmouth.....

[ErickMontreal]

Awesome pics Stu ! Thanks you
__________________________________________________________________


Another prospect of Marriott by Brain Branch.
http://www.branchdesign.com/monctonpixels/P1120734_lester_Street_moncton.jpg

http://monctonpixels.blogspot.com/

[mmmatt]

Yeah... Its nothing spectacular made just for Moncton or anything. They even have the new design in small NS towns like Bridgewater, and Yarmouth.....

This particular Sobeys was specially designed yes. The original design was just the plain facade that they have on all the new sobeys (including one in Dieppe and the newly renovated (2007) one on Mountain rd.). The new design included the storefronts along main st. and also more brick details than the usual store to make it special. It wont be amazingly different than the usual, but it will be different.

[mmmatt]

Awesome pics Stu ! Thanks you
__________________________________________________________________


Another prospect of Marriott by Brain Branch.
http://www.branchdesign.com/monctonpixels/P1120734_lester_Street_moncton.jpg

http://monctonpixels.blogspot.com/

Thanks, just a 5 min walk downtown is all haha.

That picture is nice! playing with the angles of the crane to make an interesting composition, I like it.

[mylesmalley]

Thats about the angle my place in Freddy is at. Ohh... Graham Street....

[ErickMontreal]

New road to close for grand opening
Vaughan Harvey extension will be shut down tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for official ribbon-cutting

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Monday October 8th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

How do you open a roadway?

You close it.

Odd perhaps, but that is exactly what will happen Tuesday morning as the extensions to Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and Assomption Boulevard are the subject of a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the multi-year transportation project.

The City of Moncton is advising motorists the stretch of Vaughan Harvey between Main Street and Assomption Boulevard will be closed to traffic from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. tomorrow to accommodate the ceremony.

Traffic will however continue to flow through Main Street and Assomption Boulevard.

Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton will be joined by Denis Landry, the provincial transportation minister, and Michel Doiron, the regional director general for Transport Canada, Atlantic Region, representing federal minister Lawrence Cannon. Members of the late Vaughan Harvey's family are also expected to attend.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Vaughan Harvey near the intersection of Vaughan Harvey and Assomption Boulevards, followed by a reception at Moncton City Hall, 655 Main St., Moncton.

City of Moncton communications officer Natalie Belliveau said those taking part will park along the closed portion of the roadway. With the ceremonies estimated to take about a half an hour, Belliveau said the city wanted to give those involved half an hour on either end to come and go safely, but said the road may reopen sooner. The city also timed the ceremony so morning rush hour traffic will not be affected. "People who go to work for nine will still be able to get through. As well, Assomption and the Gunningsville Bridge will still be open," Belliveau said.

On the other hand, motorists will no doubt consider the temporary inconvenience preferable to the alternative, which would have been to delay the road opening until dignitaries from all three levels of government could coordinate their schedules to do it officially. The city opened the roadway to traffic on September 26.

The road construction was part of a three-way cost sharing infrastructure plan announced in 2004 by the then provincial Conservative government of Bernard Lord and the then federal government of Jean Chrétien.

The $26-million package also helped fund the road link from the Riverview side of the new bridge to Findlay Boulevard and to extend the Dieppe bypass.

[mmmatt]

Thats about the angle my place in Freddy is at. Ohh... Graham Street....

haha...That street is nuts...The director of security for UNB teaches one of my classes. He said that even though it is mostly students doing bad stuff around there a lot of times non-students go to the street when they know there are parties goin on and do bad stuff (light fires etc) so that people will thing that students are all bad...terrible.

[mylesmalley]

haha...That street is nuts...The director of security for UNB teaches one of my classes. He said that even though it is mostly students doing bad stuff around there a lot of times non-students go to the street when they know there are parties goin on and do bad stuff (light fires etc) so that people will thing that students are all bad...terrible.

you'd be amazed

[ErickMontreal]

Update

I passed through Mapleton earlier this morning I noticed the digging for the first plaza has started. Along The Bricks, I heard Jacob, Linens 'n Things, Jack Astor's, Town Shoes and La vie en rose could be within possible tenants. Moreover, not far ahead Mapleton complex, the foundations of the Hampton Inn are completed. A Gas station as well as strip mall are included in that project.

[ErickMontreal]

Labour Market Review: July/August 2007

Manufacturing

Moncton - Phoenix SPI is getting a $500,000 investment through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to expand its operations. Phoenix SPI, which manufactures aluminum and steel signs, employs 20 full-time employees. This expansion will allow the company to hire new staff, meet the growing demands for its products and enable it to explore potential export markets.

Community

Moncton - Moncton will receive more than $2.66 million in federal funding for public transit system improvements under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on Public Transit. The funding supports a five-year capital investment plan in which Codiac Transit will buy eight wheelchair-accessible, low-emission buses and an airport shuttle bus. Codiac Transit, which serves the communities of Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview, also plans to build five new bus shelters. This includes shelters at the Université de Moncton and Dieppe City Hall that will serve as solar-powered demonstration sites. Four 'intermodal' transit stations, which will be designed to incorporate active transportation features and accommodate other public transportation modes - including taxis, intercity and tour coaches as well as airport shuttles - are also planned.

Labour Force Tables

The labour market improved in August 2007 in Southeast New Brunswick. Employment went up. The unemployment rate decreased because there were fewer unemployed people.

Compared to August 2006, the Moncton labour market improved slightly in August 2007. Employment rose and the employment rate was up slightly. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate fell.

Full report

http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/nb/moncton/lmi/lmbaugust07.shtml

[ErickMontreal]

Colliers International Report

Moncton Market Report - 2Q 2007
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moncton continues its development boom, with all sectors of real estate adding new construction this period. A three-storey office building came on-stream in the Emmerson Business Park and a two-storey office building in Dieppe. Industrial development topped 240,000 square feet. Hotel development is also strong with a new Holiday Inn Express opening in Dieppe, the Marriott well underway in downtown Moncton, and Hampton Inn going up in the retail section of Mapleton Road. Retail development continues in the Wheeler Boulevard-Mapleton Road area, expanding the Trinity Power Centre along Wheeler. Vacancy rates have risen temporarily due to all the new construction. Most of the new space was built on spec, a trend that will fade out in 2007 as the vacancy rate has moved back over the ten percent mark. Owner-occupied industrial construction remains the premiere choice for Moncton. Rental rates are also creeping up slowly due to the new construction. There is a spread of almost $2 per square foot between net rental rates for older industrial space vs new. For a complete copy of this informative report, please click the icon below.


Full report
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/ccgrd.nsf/publish/69483043C5654A1A85257369004AE58B/$File/M_2Q07.pdf

[mylesmalley]

Good news all around then. I know a lot of people find them drab, but I actually like the look of the Emerson Business Park. It has a very modern look to it, especially with the new Y just across the road. Hopefully, they'll start work on the remaining buildings soon.

[ErickMontreal]

Good news all around then. I know a lot of people find them drab, but I actually like the look of the Emerson Business Park. It has a very modern look to it, especially with the new Y just across the road. Hopefully, they'll start work on the remaining buildings soon.

I like this building too, Moncton needs modern buildings. However, I`m upset by the vacancy rate mainly downtown, this rate could break up project such as Assumption tower. On the other hand, the report point out the fact the current vacancy rate will fall back around 10 % by the year of the year.

A major project like Assumption tower could attract some other tenants to leave their current space... "Built it and they will come"

[ErickMontreal]

Metro tops province in new home construction
Of 2,249 homes built this year in N.B.'s seven cities, 1,093 are in Metro Moncton

By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Wednesday October 10th, 2007
Appeared on page A1

Metro Moncton's red-hot housing market is outpacing other regional centres such as Halifax and St. John's, as well as the declining national trend.

The 12 per cent increase in single housing starts so far this year offers a glaring contrast to the national numbers which are set at minus 5 per cent as of the end of September.

At 3 per cent growth, Halifax has remained stagnant thus far thus year compared to 2006, and, St. John's, with a 10 per cent increase, and Fredericton with a 6.5 per cent increase, are also playing catch-up.

Claude Gautreau, senior analyst with the Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation, says a strong local economy and Moncton's unique position as a growing urban centre in New Brunswick, are two of the major factors that continue to stimulate the Metro market.

"If you have 200 or 300 families moving in every year, that is going to stimulate the housing market," said Gautreau.

"That is the main differentiating factor in Moncton that doesn't exist in Halifax or Saint John."

Metro Moncton's continued growth is bolstered by a strong month of September, with 267 single housing unit starts, compared to 180 last year, and 315 multiple units over 234 units last year.

Metro's 582 total housing unit starts lead New Brunswick's urban centres. Fredericton follows at 281 starts, then Saint John with 165 starts.

Gautreau said that while September's jump should not be viewed as anything other than a fluctuation, it does indicate the health of Metro's economy.

"It's just a mild fluctuation but it indicates that the economy is doing well here because people are moving here and housing is staying strong."

Metro's 1,093 housing starts as of the end of September represented half of the 2,249 starts recorded in New Brunswick's seven urban centres.

Led by Metro Moncton, Atlantic Canada's housing market seems to be showing its resilience in the face of the national decline, says Gautreau.

"Compared to the national trend, which is in a mild decline, you could say it is doing quite well here in Greater Moncton," he said.

"Other centres in the region are performing quite similarly. We are seeing a year where this year it is doing well compared to last year."

Gautreau says he doesn't expect Metro Moncton or Atlantic Canada's housing markets to be damaged by the problems plaguing the beleaguered U.S. market because of the major differences between the Canadian and American mortgage markets.

And Metro's unique position in New Brunswick should help protect the region's market as well.

"Greater Moncton is unique in the province of New Brunswick because it still has in-migration, which means people are moving here," said Gautreau.

"The local economy is doing well, people are moving into the area. It is stimulating demand for housing."
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Vaughan Harvey's dream reaches fruition
Family members attend official opening of Moncton's new north-south corridor

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=34134&size=300x0

Brent Mazerolle
Published Wednesday October 10th, 2007
Appeared on page A3

Myrna MacDonald says her father Vaughan Harvey would have been so proud of the roadway she and other members of her family saw officially opened yesterday.

MacDonald was joined by two of Harvey's granddaughters and a great grandson as representatives of three levels of government officially opened the Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and Assomption Boulevard bypass project.

At 10 o'clock yesterday morning, Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton, New Brunswick Transportation Minister Denis Landry and Transport Canada Atlantic regional director general Michel Doiron cut a purple ribbon held by two City of Moncton workers who have lived and breathed the road project for several years -- Jack MacDonald, general manager of the city's engineering department, and Stéphane Thibodeau, the city's parking and transportation coordinator.

At a ceremony afterward at Moncton's city hall, Mitton paid tribute to Harvey for having the vision of using a former railroad right of way for a north-south road corridor and championing the idea. Noting Vaughan Harvey also served the community as a councillor and volunteer firefighter for 23 years, the mayor said "today his namesake boulevard becomes a cornerstone for progress."

MacDonald suggested it was her father's day job as a railroad worker that gave him the idea.

"He went up and down there in a trolley all the time," she said.

The rail line used to connect CN shops in the Albert Street area to the CN shops that stood until the 1980s where the Emmerson Technology Park and the CN Sportsplex lands are today.

When the railway removed the line, it seemed logical to Vaughan Harvey that a road could go in its place.

She said it was at the heart of her father's dream that people in the West End and Albert County would have faster road access to The Moncton Hospital.

Harvey's daughter said another former Moncton city councillor, Cy Spear, should also be remembered.

Spear, an engineer, quickly saw the potential of the idea and got on board as well.

The transportation link does indeed get people to and from the hospital faster, but with the new bridge and Assomption Boulevard extension, it is also poised to aid development of Moncton's downtown.

Daniel Allain, the general manager of Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville Inc., said DMCI has championed the project for many years because it would add to people's positive experiences with downtown.

"It's all about access," Allain said.

Acknowledging Assomption Boulevard especially might encourage Albert County residents to bypass downtown and head for stores in Dieppe, he said DMCI nevertheless believes the resulting better traffic flow on Main Street will remove some of the negative connotations people from across the region have about downtown.

As well, Allain said the road network "opens up land for development that couldn't be developed before."

Transportation Minister Landry, speaking in French, suggested there would be a $100 million spin-off from the project over the next two decades in terms of things like times savings, reduction of greenhouse gases as vehicles spend less time idling in traffic, reduced vehicle costs, and reduced vehicle accidents.

[ErickMontreal]

Opinion letter
New developments don't fit into downtown vision

TOOL HELP
Published Wednesday October 10th, 2007
Appeared on page D8

To The Editor:

I am addressing Mayor Mitton, Moncton councillors, Downtown Moncton-Centreville Inc., and Sobeys group. The following not only outlines my concerns with regard to the construction of the new Sobeys building on the corner of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and Main Street, but also questions our city's/DMCI's long term city center development vision.

First and foremost, I must stress that I am extremely pleased that such an establishment is being constructed in the downtown area. Being a downtown resident, I welcome the opportunity to be able to do my grocery shopping without having to rely on a vehicle and a 15 minute drive through traffic. A simple walk will do, and for that I am grateful.

However, I do have concerns with the building design and the general management of the corner lot on which it is being built. It appears that Sobeys, DMCI, city planners and City Council have agreed to build a conventional suburban type store in the heart of Moncton's designated downtown district.

The chosen layout not only focuses solely on automobile accessibility (as evident by the hundreds of parking spaces between the entrance and the Vaughan Harvey/Main Street corner), but its design also dissuades any future development of that corner. Similar to a medieval castle surrounded by a moat, the parties involved have allowed the Sobeys structure to be surrounded with concrete, thus isolating itself as the sole business on the most important available lot in the downtown core.

In other words: no possibility of business development spin-off whatsoever.

Just in case this letter comes across as mindless drivel, let me refer you to the Roger's building on Westmorland Street and the Business Depot on Main Street. Both suburban style builds. Both stand alone, one level buildings. Both surrounded by parking. No green space. No other commerce to be seen. Both in our downtown.

With the advent of the new Sobeys building, are we to assume that downtown Moncton's "architectural" trifecta is now complete?

To the Sobeys Group, Mr. Mitton, city planners, and more importantly, DMCI, the questions become:

1. How does this building design fit into DMCI's vision of the city's downtown development?

2. Why allow this type of build when it was clearly evident during last year's public forums on the future development of our city's core that such designs hamper our city's ability to attract residential and business expansion opportunities?

3. I, as a resident, must apply for permits and comply with our city's zoning laws and regulations when renovating my home. This being stated, can someone explain how Sobeys was able to get the "go-ahead"? (See our city's CBD-1 zoning bylaw).

4. Why did the city not impose proper green spaces? And by green space, I don't mean meaningless patches of grass and a couple of shrubs, but rather greenery that establishes boundaries, creates meaningful and attractive spaces within the lot and are an integral part of the overall urban design?

5. Can the parties involved elaborate on the economic benefits of allowing such a building to be erected in our downtown?

I'm not an economist by any stretch of the imagination, but seeing that there are no height restrictions in the city's aforementioned zoning bylaw, wouldn't there be an increase in tax revenues in city coffers if additional office or residential spaces were built on top of the grocery store?

Lastly, I'll provide a possible solution, albeit a late one, to city council/planners: In between concessions, making deals, and surrendering our available downtown land resources to box-store builders, please take the time to Google the Sobeys grocery store in the old Cecil Hotel on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. It's a 20 second exercise which can provide an alternative to our lamentable downtown tunnel vision.

Matthieu Leger,

Moncton

[ErickMontreal]

:: Moncton - Main Street by Brian Branch ::
http://www.branchdesign.com/monctonpixels/P1120945_jetlines.jpg

http://monctonpixels.blogspot.com/

[mylesmalley]

It looks like people are finally starting to speak out about downtown. I can only imagine what kind of concrete-monstrosity is going to be built on the newly-accessible land west of Vaughan Harvey. If they put another strip mall there....

Changing gears. That's a really a really neat pic, HalifaxMtl666. I especially like the vapour trails.

[ErickMontreal]

It looks like people are finally starting to speak out about downtown. I can only imagine what kind of concrete-monstrosity is going to be built on the newly-accessible land west of Vaughan Harvey. If they put another strip mall there....

Changing gears. That's a really a really neat pic, HalifaxMtl666. I especially like the vapour trails.


I`m all the way agree with you. Well, at the end of the day, I am quite disappointing. Just across Terminal tower, I could imagine a 3-stories market square/shopping/office that included a 7-9 stories condo/hotel complex on the top. The complex could has been linked to the land west of Vaughan Harvey by a pedway to a 8-12 stories condos/apartments tower... Oh I forgot Moncton is not ready for that...

[ErickMontreal]

dp

[westcoast604]

The surface parking can easily be re-developed when market conditions warrant it. A new street could be created in front of the Sobey's. I see this design as a temporary one for the lot as a whole. Im sure it will be subdivided in the future.

[ErickMontreal]

Moncton city

Some renderings that could be adapted to the Assumption , Vaughn Harvey , Main, Robinson, Westmorland as well as Lutz street that could help changing the current suburban trend in the downtown core. The size of the projects have been selected as much as possible for the Moncton market.

:: Convention center project / Casino:: Assumption/Westmorland
http://www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us/CityCenter/projects/images/Convention_Center.jpg

http://www.novapartners.com/mhirc/img/MHIRC_Rendering.jpg

http://www.fawilhelm.com/Portfolio%5CM2rendering_sm.jpg

http://www.washingtonian.com/block_dbimages/5413/Bldg_K_WALOFT_040907.jpg

http://www.residenceinnohare.com/images/apg_1165898969.jpg


:: Multi-use complex :: Wheeler Blvd/ Main street corner

1 ::
http://griffinco.objectwareinc.com/Portals/8/RenderingBig.jpg
2 ::
http://bullcityrising.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/retail_rendering_lakeview.gif
3 ::
http://www.beverlyconnection.com/images/render_cbwest_tab.gif
4 ::

:: Condo/Appartments :: Main/ Assumption/ Vaughn Harvey / Robinson

1 ::
http://www.denver-cityscape.com/images/universitylofts828rendering.jpg
2 ::
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1588/untitled1wl1.jpg
3 ::
http://static.zooomr.com/images/268503b2161e082381f566bfe5ae9ad3ca47a441.jpg
4 ::
http://www.johnlumea.com/images/gen_theol_seminary_1.jpg
5 ::
http://nothingtosayhere.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/905_juniper.jpg
6 ::
http://nothingtosayhere.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/onyx.jpg
7 ::
http://www.cityrealty.com/graphics/uploads/1147209671_varick100.gif
8 ::
http://www.ccdc.com/images/propertyImages/17th%20&%20G%20(Intracorp).jpg
9 ::
http://polisnyc.files.wordpress.com/2006/09/glass.jpg

[ErickMontreal]

The surface parking can easily be re-developed when market conditions warrant it. A new street could be created in front of the Sobey's. I see this design as a temporary one for the lot as a whole. Im sure it will be subdivided in the future.

Well, I hope you`re right

[westcoast604]

You beat me to it. I was going to say - in addition to what I already said - it would have been nice if they could have developed the property more along the lines of this building in Vancouver - The Rise. It is on the fringe of downtown and includes a major grocery store, winners, homesense, many smaller retail outlets, and condos.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7497/risemq2.jpg

[ErickMontreal]

You beat me to it. I was going to say - in addition to what I already said - it would have been nice if they could have developed the property more along the lines of this building in Vancouver - The Rise. It is on the fringe of downtown and includes a major grocery store, winners, homesense, many smaller retail outlets, and condos.

This is exactly what Moncton need on the Wheeler and Main street corner !:tup:. We should send our renderings to the Moncton planning district commission.

[westcoast604]

Im thinking that would be better suited for the Vaughn Harvey & Main corner. Wheeler seems too far out of the core for such an intense development (by Moncton standards)

[ErickMontreal]

Im thinking that would be better suited for the Vaughn Harvey & Main corner. Wheeler seems too far out of the core for such an intense development (by Moncton standards)

You`re right, I dont have the right street name I`ll do the change so we talking about the same corner.

[someone123]

That Sobeys should be temporary but probably won't be. There are urban Sobeys locations in other parts of the country but in Atlantic Canada it's nothing but cookie cutter, and once the building is there it's very hard to make a business case to get rid of the parking.

Vancouver has lots of hybrid developments with grocery stores but it has tight development controls and very high housing prices.

That housing market article ("Metro tops province in new home construction") is extremely misleading. The change in construction says little or nothing about the actual construction rates. The other mistake that they make is that they seem to be mixing Q3 (3 months) totals with September only. See:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2007/09/c9384.html
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2007/09/c9485.html
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2007/09/c9342.html

Actually, the more I look at the data the more errors I see. Moncton's up only 1% YTD from 2006 while Saint John is up by 12%.

[ErickMontreal]

Actually, the more I look at the data the more errors I see. Moncton's up only 1% YTD from 2006 while Saint John is up by 12%.

You`re right, but on the other hand Moncton has the lead on unit number over SJ by far

[mmmatt]

Wow! September was great for housing starts in Moncton. We went up 16% whereas SJ was down 40%

You are right about the article though...makes you wonder where that info came from.

[mmmatt]

Good job on finding those renders....oh if only we could be so lucky.

It seems like atlantic canada (with a few exceptions) always gets the rear end of building designs, but it would be nice to see anything like that in moncton.

[mylesmalley]

Good job on finding those renders....oh if only we could be so lucky.

It seems like atlantic canada (with a few exceptions) always gets the rear end of building designs, but it would be nice to see anything like that in moncton.

This is Moncton. None of those buildings will ever be built for the simple reason that they contain no vinyl siding! :P

[mylesmalley]

I should add though, I really like the look of some of those places, and they'd fit beautifully along the waterfront where the giant parking lots are now.

[ErickMontreal]

This is Moncton. None of those buildings will ever be built for the simple reason that they contain no vinyl siding! :P

hahahhahahahahahha

You should add that none of these buildings will ever be built for the simple reason that they have more than 2 stories !:cheers:

[mylesmalley]

hahahhahahahahahha

I should add that none of these buildings will ever be built for the simple reason that they have more than 2 stories !:cheers:

Sigh.... or a thousand surface parking spaces...each.

[ErickMontreal]

Sigh.... or a thousand surface parking spaces...each.

Indeed, Sight. Well, we should develop a project!... The name could be "Anti-parking surface tower" or" More than 2 stories building ".

[mylesmalley]

To be fair, I think things are going to turn around down there in the next few years. The Mariott is filling up a lot of that huge gap. The extension to the Blue Cross building helps a lot down there too, and is neither vinyl, nor 2 stories. When they get around to building the courthouse, which will hopefully be in the next year or so, and that goddamn convention center, I think downtown will improve dramatically.

[ErickMontreal]

A friend of mine is a architect student, when I come back home for christmas I`ll try with him to make a appartment building on the table... maybe one day the project will get underground.

[mylesmalley]

I think a nice ten story condo between Foundry and Assumption, on the same block as the Mariott, and maybe one or two more further down the waterfront would be fantastic.

[ErickMontreal]

To be fair, I think things are going to turn around down there in the next few years. The Mariott is filling up a lot of that huge gap. The extension to the Blue Cross building helps a lot down there too, and is neither vinyl, nor 2 stories. When they get around to building the courthouse, which will hopefully be in the next year or so, and that goddamn convention center, I think downtown will improve dramatically.

You`re right, the last 10 years has seen Moncton place, city hall , BNC building, Marriott, Sobeys, the Executive suite, Condo along Assumption, Blue cross extension, Atlantic Lottery building restoration and many appartments between Main street and St-George. Like you said, we have to be consequent.

Next few years : Convention center/casino, Courthouse ans maybe a new arena.

[ErickMontreal]

I think a nice ten story condo between Foundry and Assumption, on the same block as the Mariott, and maybe one or two more further down the waterfront would be fantastic.

Absolutely, we suppose about the prime spot you pointed out above and maybe something around Robinson or Lutz as the land is more cheaper than Assumption and mechanic corner.

[ErickMontreal]

Electronic advertising system.

http://www.electronicads.ca

The company has a fency screen in the Sears parking lot in Moncton, they claim to be the first electronic system in Atlantic specifically designed to advertise services and products as well.

[kirjtc2]

Ugh...aren't there a bazillion of those things on the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto? Can't stand those things. Then again, I can't even stand those billboards in Halifax that flip back and forth between different ads.

[ErickMontreal]

http://www.moncton.org/graphics/logos/wifi-logo.jpg

Take your laptop for a ride—Free WiFi on Express bus route

October 10, 2007

Moncton – Codiac Transit, in partnership with the City of Moncton is pleased to offer free wireless Internet on it’s new Express bus route As part of a pilot project, all 4 buses on the Express Route are equipped with onboard broadband Internet. The buses will be marked with lime green WiFi signage. “ We are the first municipality in Canada to deploy public broadband Internet on public transit. ” exclaims the City of Moncton’s Director of Information Systems, Dan Babineau. “ After offering free wireless Internet in our downtown, wireless buses were the next logical step.

This kind of worldclass service really puts us on the map, and shows how progressive our City really is. WiFi buses are yet another example of the City of Moncton’s commitment to innovation in technology.” This innovative service, which utilizes a mobile Internet connection powered by Red Ball Internet of Moncton, will be offered for free and is available to anyone who has WiFi enabled technology. “These services reflect the change in demographic and the wide acceptance that technology now enjoys in people's every day lives.” says John Allain, General Manager of Codiac Transit. “Travelling on a bus can be productive time whether you are reading a newspaper, organizing your daily calendar or e-mailing friends.” In the long run the project could be more than a public mobile WiFi access point— it could be used for security purposes, as well as for GPS tracking of buses and other City fleet vehicles.

“Eventually, buses will be equipped with a GPS unit and we will map it on our website,” says Dan Babineau. “ In addition to showing people where their bus is in real-time, this will help Codiac Transit in monitoring bus activity electronically at their operations centre.” Babineau expects this service to be in place within the next few months.

[ErickMontreal]

Ugh...aren't there a bazillion of those things on the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto? Can't stand those things. Then again, I can't even stand those billboards in Halifax that flip back and forth between different ads.

Well, there are those kind of things everywhere in that country. It was just a new thing in Atlantic. Moreover, there are some backlits posters in Main street too and I really don`t see whats wrong with that. I think pub penetration is a indicator when the time is come to see if a market is viable.