The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[mike4190]

I hope if they are expanding along Berry Mills there are future plans to make it 4 lanes from Wheeler to the TCH.

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

Berry Mills Road will have to be four laned at some point.........even now, inbound traffic on Berry Mills in the morning can be backed up beyond Horsman Road, and the situation is getting progressively worse as more and more commuters are using Horsman as an escape route from Evergreen/Kingswood rather than commuting inbound on Mountain Road.

As soon as you have some commercial construction on Berry Mills and/or the industrial park expansion, four laning of Berry Mills will be inevitable. In fact, they should be planning for this now.

[Dmajackson]

Hopefully someone can answer this for me;

I'm creating a thread called Your City's Tallest U/C and I'm trying to get every city large and small included so we can see all of the different styles across the country.

So I'm assuming that the Courthouse is the tallest underway in Moncton right now but does anyone know the height and floors?

[mylesmalley]

The courthouse will be 5 floors. Not sure about the height in meters.

There's an apartment building going up in the east end which is allegedly going to be eight floors, but all signs so far are pointing to it being closer to 5.

The Casino hotel is 5 floors as well, and there are a few similarly tall apartment buildings U/C.

[Dmajackson]

Thanks Myles.

For some reason I always thought the courthouse would be taller.

BTW are there any recent photos of it? I check this thread a lot and I haven't seen photos in ages.

[mylesmalley]

The city has a webcam of it, but I haven't seen a good picture of it lately. I haven't been to moncton for several weeks either, so there may be quite a bit of progress.

____

As for Berry Mills Rd. It'll probably be a few years before we see it widened, and when it is, likely only from Horseman to either Edinburg Drive or the Wheeler overpass. That said, with a doubled industrial park, that road will undoubtedly become an important truck route, so some kind of widening will be necessary sooner or later. But bear in mind it took the city years to get to where it's at with Mapleton Road, and Berry Mills is probably four times longer!

[MonctonRad]

Thanks Myles.

For some reason I always thought the courthouse would be taller.

BTW are there any recent photos of it? I check this thread a lot and I haven't seen photos in ages.

The courthouse may be only five stories tall, but it's a tall five stories, probably because of the opulence of the judges chambers.....:haha:

Seriously, the building seems like it is more like seven stories tall and really makes a difference in the feel of downtown when you are driving inbound on Assumption Blvd.

I guess I'll have to buy one of those new digital photography machines, but as I've already confessed to on the thread, I am a Luddite!! :haha:

[mylesmalley]

MonctonRad is at the bleeding edge of technology.
http://post.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2009/01/30/1233357552-old_computer.jpg

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

Hey, I used to own a Commodore 64!!!

Ah yes, a 40 character screen, no internal hard drive, an external cassette tape drive.........now those were the days!!!

Come to think of it, when I took my first computer science course in university, we used punch cards when programming the computer (one card for each line of program). The computer output was by teletype.....not by video monitor..........

God, I'm getting old.......:P

[C_Boy]

We should also bring back the mural paintings on the Main street subway. That used to be a great community event back in the day.

Speaking of the murals... I found this picture tonight. I figured since I was posting this one I should post a few other neat photos that I found.

Main St. Subway

http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/MainStbrige.jpg

The Marvens Building

http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/Marvens.jpg

Pizza Saucer thing on Mountain Rd. I believe it was.

http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/Pizzasaucer.jpg

The mighty Petitcodiac River in Moncton (1931)

http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/River1931.jpg

Credit: Old New Brunswick Photo Group (Facebook)

[C_Boy]

:previous:

I forgot to add this photo as well

Magnetic Hill (1966)
http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/Magnetichill1966.jpg

I like the new signs better


Credit: Old New Brunswick Photo Group (Facebook)

[JimiThing]

Thanks Myles.

BTW are there any recent photos of it? I check this thread a lot and I haven't seen photos in ages.

Some photos from Friday Oct 23


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthouse.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthouse2.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthouse3.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthouse4.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthouse5.jpg

[gehrhardt]

:previous:

Hey, I used to own a Commodore 64!!!

Hey I still have 2. And a VIC-20. They work too (but look like crap on my 50" TV)!!! :haha:

"Please insert disk 4"
"Loading..." :haha:

I didn't grow up in Moncton, but I remember that saucer thing too.

[MonctonRad]

Nice pics JimiThing.......:tup:

I especially like this perspective

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthouse.jpg

It really shows how the courthouse will add visual impact to the downtown when driving inbound on Assomption.

[JimiThing]

I sure hope they relocate the power lines that go along Assumption Blvd. It really ruins the courthouse's frontage onto the street.

[JimiThing]

In this photo with merged Rendering you can really appreciate the work that has been done thus far.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Courthousesd.jpg

[brod3211]

One does anybody know what they are building in riverview, it's says coming soon space station ? What is is ? Also, I've been gone for awhile but back to moncton and is anything happening? I've not seen any new projects since the courthouse.

[JasonL-Moncton]

Also, I've been gone for awhile but back to moncton and is anything happening? I've not seen any new projects since the courthouse.

You've got the $48M Courthouse, a $90M Casino/Hotel complex, and a World track stadium all being built at the same time...I'd say that's pretty good.

JL

[Dmajackson]

Hey for anybody following the new Your City's Tallest U/C thread,

Due to a loophole I didn't really intend to happen Dieppe is allowed to have a building for itself since it is officially a city and not part of Moncton.

It could be a good way to make Greater Moncton look better (unfortunately you guys are tied with Saint John for last place).

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

As JasonL pointed out above, there is significant construction going on in Moncton, it just tends to be all low-rise......just a continuation of a long term trend.

In other news, it appears that they are starting work on the new Codiac Transit bus garage and operations centre. They are doing lots of excavating immediately behind their existing facility on Millenium Blvd. Unfortunately, this new building will be nearly invisible to the public given it's location.

[Dmajackson]

:previous:

As JasonL pointed out above, there is significant construction going on in Moncton, it just tends to be all low-rise......just a continuation of a long term trend.

In other news, it appears that they are starting work on the new Codiac Transit bus garage and operations centre. They are doing lots of excavating immediately behind their existing facility on Millenium Blvd. Unfortunately, this new building will be nearly invisible to the public given it's location.

I agree that low-rise construction is probably better for Moncton right now. Having Dieppe seperate on the list (even for a 5 storey) would help make it look like Moncton is growing at a good pace.

[mylesmalley]

The economics just don't make sense to justify high rise construction in Moncton yet. Land is too cheap and plentiful, and the city is geographically small enough that you can live at the very edge and still be 20 minutes from the city centre in heavy traffic. Until one or both of those factors change, we'll continue to see sprawl and lo-rise, low quality construction.

[mylesmalley]

Looks as though we might have a third new school in the works:

Growing calls for new French school
October 27, 2009 - 4:42 pm
By: News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, N.B. - Francophone parents in Moncton's north end are stepping up their lobbying efforts for a new French school in their end of town.

They released statistics today which revealed that just 72 per cent of French-speaking parents in the area avail themselves of their right to have their children taught in French.

District 1 Superintendent Anne-Marie LeBlanc says a new K-8 school would ease overcrowding at St. Henri, Champlain, and Le Mascaret schools.

While most school districts in the province are seeing enrolments decline, District 1, which serves the French populations of Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, is seeing an increasing population.

She says it will also assure Francophones in the city's north end have proper access to education in their mother tongue.

District 1 has set a new north end school as its top priority for the coming year, and will be making its case during a meeting with the education minister next week.

The Department of Education will unveil its capital budget in December.

__________
Throw in the Ryan St school U/C, and the much-lobbied Gunningsville school... some mighty significant education investments should they call come to pass.

[mmmatt]

Colour for the page

Been a while...so Ill add a bit more than usual.

We may see a lot of low rise construction, but at least we have a decent stock of mid rises to keep us going :)
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Wikipedia%20stuff/3b.jpg
Credit: myself

The New Stadium
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/4046391718_4d50a7faf3_b.jpg
credit: Keith Hawkins on Flickr

Towering over Downtown (taken from the 18th floor of Assumption Place)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3467/4001836295_56a7e3c3e7.jpg
credit: DrgnMastr on Flickr

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Wikipedia%20stuff/monctonfrommtn.jpg
Credit: indratarben on Flickr

New and Old
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/3980031067_5d1479c3c5.jpg
credit: DrgnMastr on Flickr

Fall Colours
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2546/4000173660_655a086288_b.jpg.
credit: DrgnMastr on Flickr

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Wikipedia%20stuff/dusk.jpg
Credit: petersawatzk on Flickr

[MonctonRad]

Nice photos mmmatt

I really like how the east bleachers of the stadium are coming together but what is it with the completely random pattern of colours being used for the seating!!!!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/4046391718_4d50a7faf3_b.jpg

I realize that these are the U de M colours but couldn't they have arranged the coloured seats in a linear manner? Is this meant to be artistic? If so, I find the result to be jarring and visually unpleasant!! :yuck:

[mylesmalley]

...I was just thinking how much I liked that gradient-style effect.

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

Perhaps we should solicit opinions from the masses as to whether concrete absolutism or abstract impressionism works better for stadium seating. What does everyone else think?

[JHikka]

Personally I really like the look of those seats. I love the different colours they used.

[mylesmalley]

I think you'd get a thumbs up from Jackson Pollock, if no one else.

[JasonL-Moncton]

Notice that there are still blanks in amongst the blue seats...I bet, that the final result is not as random as it seems now.

Where in the hecl is that third picture in the last 'color' piece by "indratarben" taken from...that perspective is just throwing me off entirely...

[JimiThing]

Notice that there are still blanks in amongst the blue seats...I bet, that the final result is not as random as it seems now.

Where in the hecl is that third picture in the last 'color' piece by "indratarben" taken from...that perspective is just throwing me off entirely...

I don't think some of the seats were left blank, I think that this is the actual final color.

That photo was taken from somewhere around Magnetic Hill.



Also some pictures of the new office building on the corner of Vaughan Harvey & Main.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/VaughanMain2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/VaughanMain.jpg
Credit: Myself Oct23/09

I think it would of made that much more of an impact with the extra floor as proposed.

[pierremoncton]

Another vote in favour of the seats the way they are. I find it looks great.

[StormShadow]

The seat color pattern looks awesome. Good choice not to look like every other stadium. Now, is that the "temporary" side or the permanent side?

[mylesmalley]

Having not seen it in person, it was pretty hard up until now to imagine just how big 20,000 seats is. That's going to be an impressively large stadium when it's all said and done.

[MonctonRad]

The seat color pattern looks awesome. Good choice not to look like every other stadium. Now, is that the "temporary" side or the permanent side?

I give up, I guess I'm firmly in the minority on this issue.......Personally I prefer the hyper realism of Alex Colville over the abstract impressionism of Jackson Pollock but that's just me. The stadium is turning out quite nicely in any event. :tup:

By the way, there are permanent bleachers on both sides of the field. These are the permanent bleachers on the east side. The bleachers on the west side are next to the CEPS and will be a little larger.

The temporary bleachers will be in the corners and in the end zone areas. 20,000 seats, I can't believe it........CFL, here we come!!
:banana: :banana: :banana:

[MonctonRad]

A couple of odds and ends:

They have already put up most of the structural steel for the new Sobey's in Findlay Park. You can tell by the way the building is oriented that the overall site plan is to have the Sobey's as part of a much larger plaza of stores. I wonder what is transpiring in the background here..........I bet that we will see a Canadian Tire built as part of this complex in the near term........the rumours are just too rampant.

They are now working on the third floor of that allegedly eight storey apartment building on Lewisville Road. It actually looks like it might be a somewhat interesting building. I noted today that there is a some structural steel going in where I assume the main entrance to the building will be. Judging from the heighth of this steel, this building will be at least five stories tall.

Finally, brod3211 had a question about a sign announcing a "space station" in Riverview........I saw the sign today on Pine Glen Road, at the back end of Findlay Park. Judging from what is under construction at that site, I would guess that it is nothing more than another "self storage" facility......nothing to get excited about.

[mylesmalley]

Clever name at least.

[Jerry556]

ya the apartment on lewisville rd looks like like a nice and different design, compared to what apartments buildings usually look like around here. Hopefully its its actually eight stories high, but 5 or 6 isint bad.

Those udem seats look like something of a pacman game. lol

[bam63]

A couple of odds and ends:

They have already put up most of the structural steel for the new Sobey's in Findlay Park. You can tell by the way the building is oriented that the overall site plan is to have the Sobey's as part of a much larger plaza of stores. I wonder what is transpiring in the background here..........I bet that we will see a Canadian Tire built as part of this complex in the near term........the rumours are just too rampant.

They are now working on the third floor of that allegedly eight storey apartment building on Lewisville Road. It actually looks like it might be a somewhat interesting building. I noted today that there is a some structural steel going in where I assume the main entrance to the building will be. Judging from the heighth of this steel, this building will be at least five stories tall.

Finally, brod3211 had a question about a sign announcing a "space station" in Riverview........I saw the sign today on Pine Glen Road, at the back end of Findlay Park. Judging from what is under construction at that site, I would guess that it is nothing more than another "self storage" facility......nothing to get excited about.

I was talking to my neighbour who works for enbridge gas,they are now in the process of running a main line into findlay park.He's seen the park layout and described it to me.It shows a Sobeys,Mark's Work Warehouse,Canadian Tire,and another large outlet that he couldn't remember at the time.Oh,he also mentioned that Wal mart is in talks for a large chunk of land between home hardware and gunningville blvd.

[bam63]

[QUOTE=Jerry556;4529164]ya the apartment on lewisville rd looks like like a nice and different design, compared to what apartments buildings usually look like around here. Hopefully its its actually eight stories high, but 5 or 6 isint bad.

Those udem seats look like something of a pacman game. lol[/QUO

That bldg is huge,if it goes to five floors it will be impressive,it's got a nice curve to it and multiple bump outs.

[MonctonRad]

I was talking to my neighbour who works for enbridge gas,they are now in the process of running a main line into findlay park.He's seen the park layout and described it to me.It shows a Sobeys,Mark's Work Warehouse,Canadian Tire,and another large outlet that he couldn't remember at the time.Oh,he also mentioned that Wal mart is in talks for a large chunk of land between home hardware and gunningville blvd.

That's what I like to see around here........lots of juicy rumours. :D

Good things seem to come in threes, that would be three Wal-Marts, three Marks and three Canadian Tires in the metro area.
Pretty soon you actually will be able to purchase socks on the south side of the Petitcodiac.

The other "large outlet" might be a Shoppers Drug Mart, the one they have in Riverview is kinda long in the tooth. Shoppers regional HQ and regional distribution centre are in Moncton and they are quite loyal to this community. There are already nine Shoppers in metro, why not make it an even ten.

If all this retail development pans out in the Findlay Park/Gunningsville area........and with a probable new K-8 school in Gunningsville and possibly a new adjacent arena/recreation centre, Riverview might just be able to justify building Bridgedale Blvd. after all.......

[mmmatt]

The colours of the seating look really neat I think. Sorry MonctonRad :P

And I have to agree with Myles, I couldnt really imagine just how massive this stadium will be untill now...20,000 is a TON of seats.

[P Unit]

The colour pattern on the seats is by far my favourite element of the stadium. It's an otherwise pretty uninspiring structure, so the colour really stands out. It is, after all, an entertainment venue, so it should have a bit of spunk.

That new building at Main and Vaughan Harvey is entirely forgettable. A shame, too, considering the intersection's stature as the western gateway to downtown..

Thanks for the pics!

[mylesmalley]

Well, let's be honest. It didn't really have to do much to become the nicest building on the corner. Sobeys isn't exactly winning awards for their monstrosity across the street, and the Terminal Buildings haven't seen any serious love since about 1968.

[P Unit]

There's what I remember to be a nice Mies-esque modernist bank structure a few doors down from that new building on Main. I think it used to be a TD bank branch. I remember being quite fond of it, does anyone have a picture of it?

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

The bank is still there and is still a TD/Canada Trust outlet.

Funny, I wouldn't have thought of Mies van der Rohe until you brought it up, but you are right....

[mylesmalley]

I forgot about that bank. I'm actually rather fond of it as well. And I really like the six-story office building just up Vaughan Harvey at the corner with Gordon Street. I think Royal LePage is in there.

[mmmatt]

:previous:

The bank is still there and is still a TD/Canada Trust outlet.



Its now the base for Architecture 2000, who designed City Hall.

Ive always been fond of this building and it got a decent makeover when A. 2000 moved in.

here is a pic from this summer.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Wikipedia%20stuff/IMG_1533b.jpg
credit: me

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

My bad........When did the bank move out?

[JasonL-Moncton]

:previous:

My bad........When did the bank move out?

2+ years ago... :p

PUnit...thank you! I too think that building on the corner of Main and VH is totally 'uninspired'...it's so drab compared to the original photo.

JL

[BlackYear]

I've always been disappointed in the former TD /current Architecture 2000 building. It's always looked dead. It needs window treatment and some decor out front, like status, benches, flowers, or something to make it look alive.

Simplicity in this case does not always work!

[David_99]

I forgot about that bank. I'm actually rather fond of it as well. And I really like the six-story office building just up Vaughan Harvey at the corner with Gordon Street. I think Royal LePage is in there.

Yup, Hawk Communications is also in there.

[JimiThing]

I like the home of A 2000 however I would tint the windows a bunch of different funky colors to make it even more interesting ;)



I've always enjoyed this building on Main St. We've seen many tenants come
and go. However the tile work has always impressed me. But I've always
wondered, who is the tenant on the second floor with no windows?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/720MainSt.jpg
Credit: myself

[David_99]

But I've always
wondered, who is the tenant on the second floor with no windows?


I believe it's Bristol. There used to be a gaming company in there but they moved across the street a few years ago, above the Tim's.

[SC1986]

id be interested in seeing some pictures of the casinos progress since i last scene it this summer when i came in for the acdc concert

[JimiThing]

id be interested in seeing some pictures of the casinos progress since i last scene it this summer when i came in for the acdc concert

Took this one last week from the Front Mountain Rd. It's quite a ways away. However, it tells the story.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino.jpg
Credit: Myself Oct/09

[Dmajackson]

^You guys going to have a beam with that lighthouse? :haha:

[mylesmalley]

welcome, SC1986!


Bedford_DJ.... I certainly hope not. Working lighthouses are traditionally something you wanted to stay far away from.

[mmmatt]

Moncton a Canadian leader in economic recovery: BMO

N.B. has strongest momentum as national economy improves

Published Thursday October 29th, 2009
GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

Metro Moncton has weathered the recent global storm well and is well-positioned to keep growing as the economy improves, economists with the BMO financial group said yesterday.

Paul Taylor Senior VP and Chief Investment Officer for BMO Harris Investment ,Investment Management Inc. and Douglas Porter , Deputy Chief Economist ,Managing Director Economics BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. say that New Brunswick is leading the way for the country in economic recovery.

"I don't like to call it a bubble, it's more like a protective shell," said Douglas J. Porter, deputy chief economist and managing director of economics for BMO Capital Markets. He was in Moncton with Paul Taylor, senior vice president and chief investment officer for BMO Harris Private Banking, to speak with BMO investors locally about the climate for the future.

"New Brunswick has fared well, better than most other provinces."

Metro Moncton's high employment rate, strong housing market, building boom and influx of workers from other parts of the province -- and around the country -- are strong indicators that the city has been able to weather the storm that has left a trail of closed businesses and lost jobs in Canada and around the world.

"You don't have the big booms, but you don't have the big busts either, because Moncton is not reliant on auto production like some Ontario communities, or on oil and gas like Alberta."

He said projects like the refurbishment of Point Lepreau and construction of the liquefied natural gas terminal have brought a lot of money into the province and other projects are expected to keep the boom going after next year. In Moncton, construction of the new courthouse downtown and the casino on Mountain Road are among the leading projects.

Porter said tax reforms and tax relief included in the provincial budget seem to be working to help keep the economy going.

"I haven't met a tax cut I didn't like," he said, noting that other provinces are taking a different tactic. For example, Quebec is actually raising its sales tax to help pay off the provincial debt.

Porter said a recent study done by BMO indicates that New Brunswick has the strongest momentum of economic recovery. The study looked at indicators like building permits, housing starts, employment, retail sales, wholesale activity, manufacturing and exports to create an index that shows New Brunswick is leading the pack.

"New Brunswick is the best muddy horse in a muddy horse race."

Overall, Porter and Taylor said the Canadian economy is showing good signs of recovery but some business sectors will continue to struggle.

They are advising investors to maintain a balanced portfolio leaning heavily on Canadian equities.

[mmmatt]

Donald Avenue housing project temporarily delayed

Planning commission sends Sunny Brae development plan back for revision

Published Thursday October 29th, 2009
By Yvon Gauvin
Times & Transcript staff

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=389745&size=500x0
An excavator prepares a lot to build an apartment building on Somerset Drive in Moncton’s Sunny Brae neighbourhood. The demolition of homes and the proliferation of apartment buildings and rooming houses has residents upset about the disappearing character of their neighbourhood, near the Université de Moncton.

Residents of Moncton's Sunny Brae area opposed to new multiple-unit housing projects in their neighbourhood got a brief reprieve last night when the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission tabled a request from a Moncton developer to build on Donald Avenue.

The reprieve may be short-lived, however.

The commission tabled a request from Ricky Côté to allow construction of a three-storey, eight-unit housing development based on technicality.

The proposal sets aside one parking space for each unit, but needs a ninth space for handicapped parking, as required under existing bylaws. The development plan before the commission didn't allow for the extra parking space, so the commission sent the plan back to the developer to redesign.

Most of the approximately 60 people present at the commission regular meeting in city hall were there to voice concerns about multiple housing projects in the Sunny Brae area. A citizen's committee struck by residents has already met with Moncton City Council regarding the issue and is involved in the city's review of municipal residential bylaws. The area is made up primarily of single-family dwellings, many of them older homes. Residents are upset by the prospects of increased traffic, security concerns and the overall impact on the neighbourhood such developments will have. The hope last night was that the commission will delay the project until the review is complete.

Several commissioners pointed out that the commission was there to decide terms and conditions according to the law, not evaluate citizens' concerns.

It's a political issue and we're not a political body, said commissioner Dale Briggs. Briggs made the motion to table and was seconded by commissioner Andrew Graham.

_______________________________________________________________

*[Message to Nimbys: anything is better than a muddy hole :P]*
_______________________________________________________________

Also tabled last night was a four-storey, 48 unit apartment building to be built behind the Pizza Delight and Doolys businesses at 1313/1315 Mountain Rd.

The proposal by Les Promenades Cyr sought commission approval since there is already one main building on the property. An objection was raised by homeowner Paul Goguen whose rear property would be adjacent to the housing complex.

Briggs said the commission's hands were tied since the project also met with building requirements and zoning.

However, the issue of traffic and access was raised by commissioner Kelsey Bingham, who noted that vehicles entering and leaving the housing complex would have to drive by an entrance/exit at Doolys and there could be a security issue there.

The intervention prompted the motion to table for further consideration with only one nay vote. Board chairwoman Lynn Murray presided over the meeting.

[MonctonRad]

I've always enjoyed this building on Main St. We've seen many tenants come
and go. However the tile work has always impressed me. But I've always
wondered, who is the tenant on the second floor with no windows?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/720MainSt.jpg
Credit: myself

Some information regarding this building......

Explosion Mural

Date of construction: 1962 Rubin’s Ltd Mural, entitled “Explosion”, remains one of the largest pieces of ceramic work of this type in eastern Canada. The Rubin brothers commissioned this mural by Quebec (via Barcelona) artist Jordi Bonet in 1962 for the façade of their newly renovated department store, Rubin’s Ltd. Bonet’s works attracted the attention of contemporaries such as Salvador Dali. The mural has remained an essential element of the streetscape of Main Street since its unveiling.

I believe that this mural has recently received a heritage designation and cannot be modified or destroyed.

[JimiThing]

Great information, Makes me enjoy it even more. I'm also glad to hear that it has received a Heritage Designation.

[gehrhardt]

Does anyone have any idea what is being build next to the former ABC location on the Salisbury rd? There's quite a big concrete pad down already.

It's on the "city" side of the former ABC, if that helps.

[JimiThing]

Does anyone have any idea what is being build next to the former ABC location on the Salisbury rd? There's quite a big concrete pad down already.

It's on the "city" side of the former ABC, if that helps.

Rumors are that it is going to be church of some sort. Not sure for which
religion or even if they would call it a church, However it will be Religious
structure.

[MonctonRad]

That new three storey federal office building on Weldon, close to Main is now complete. They have just recently landscaped the property and paved the parking lot. It looks like some civil servants have already moved in.....

Does anyone know which federal department has moved in here?

[Helladog]

Deciphered as don't sell NB Power...the resst is kinda gloomy...

Some information regarding this building......

Explosion Mural

Date of construction: 1962 Rubin’s Ltd Mural, entitled “Explosion”, remains one of the largest pieces of ceramic work of this type in eastern Canada. The Rubin brothers commissioned this mural by Quebec (via Barcelona) artist Jordi Bonet in 1962 for the façade of their newly renovated department store, Rubin’s Ltd. Bonet’s works attracted the attention of contemporaries such as Salvador Dali. The mural has remained an essential element of the streetscape of Main Street since its unveiling.

I believe that this mural has recently received a heritage designation and cannot be modified or destroyed.

[mylesmalley]

I guess art is in the eye of the beholder. I've loved that thing since I was a little kid. It used to make me think of artificial crab meat.

And you're right. We're foolish to be considering selling NB Power.

[Sony500]

I don't necessarily agree with selling NB Power, and I do not support Shawn Graham, but its about time someone did something with NB Power. I know I sound like I am agruing with myself, but our utility company is not going anywhere except futher in debt. People say what kind of rates are we going to have after the 5 year freeze? I would say the same rates as NB Power would be up to in that time. I don't know what the answer is, but something is being done to improve it, is it going to work? Who knows.

[SC1986]

when is the next provincal election for newbrunswick should be interesting to see what people think of this deal...alot of money though

[MonctonRad]

Copperfield visits Copperfield
Published Monday November 2nd, 2009

Moncton mentalist gets to meet his idol

Kevin Robart - who has entertained Moncton area audiences as an illusionist and now a mentalist -- saw a dream of a lifetime come true, yesterday.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=391720&size=500x0
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
David Copperfield, right, is photographed with local mentalist and corporate magician Kevin Robart on Copperfield Lane Saturday.

He not only met and talked with world-renowned illusionist David Copperfield, but had his picture taken with him in Moncton in front of the sign denoting Copperfield Lane.

But it is no accident that Moncton just happened to have a street with the same name as the famed illusionist.

When he moved into the Pinehurst subdivision behind the Moncton Coliseum about 15 years ago, Kevin said they were just building the street and it had not been named yet. In fact, he said his house was the first one built on the street and is located on the corner of Copperfield Lane and Camrose Street where the picture was taken.

At the time, he approached the developer of the subdivision and asked him if they could name the street after his illusionist idol. The developer liked the idea and they were eventually able to get the name approved by Moncton city council.

He never imagined that some day he would have his picture taken under the street sign with Copperfield, himself, he said.

When he learned recently that Copperfield would be performing in the Moncton Coliseum on Saturday, Kevin said he made attempts through various channels to see if he could get him to have the picture taken with him.

Yesterday morning, Kelly Cain, director of tourism for the City of Moncton, called to say Copperfield wanted to meet with him.

Sitting in a McDonald's on Mountain Road and eating a burger and talking about magic with David Copperfield was pretty unique, he said.

He noted the famous illusionist was very down-to-earth and was wearing a back cap, jeans and sneakers.

Kevin said he was completely agreeable to the picture, so they headed up after the meal to have it taken in front of the street sign.

"He (Copperfield) laughed out loud when he saw the street sign with his name on it. He was very pleased with it."

Personal notes.......I was at the performance, Copperfield was tremendous, although he failed in his greatest attempted illusion.......try as he could, he just couldn't make Shawn Graham disappear, oh well.

Deepak Chopra is going to be at the Coliseum this week too.......I wonder if there is a street named after him in metro too. :haha:

[C_Boy]

A1 By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Tuesday November 3rd, 2009

http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/Bus.jpg

Codiac Transit needs to reduce the number of transfers and better time the ones it requires of passengers, create a central downtown bus terminal, reconsider whether the Highfield Square hub for buses is too far from the heart of downtown, reorganize routes so that buses arrive at the same place at the same time every hour, work towards being fully accessible one route at a time, create a universal pass system that university and college students will pay as part of their tuition, simplify its schedules and, of course, increase the frequency of buses on specific routes.

Codiac Transit had its review last night in front of city council and a series of changes were recommended. What Codiac should not do is raise its rates without first improving service.

Those were some of the recommendations presented to Moncton City Council last night by Heinz Schweinbenz of Dillon Consulting, the firm hired by the City of Moncton to review the transit system and grow ridership in a manageable way.

The study came out of the 2009 budget session, when councillors expressed concerns about rising costs and low ridership. Dillon Consulting was hired in July to do the study, which involved the participation of more than 1,500 members of the public.

"That public consultation, for a city the size of Moncton, was one of the biggest responses we've seen in a long time," Schweinbenz told council. "It (transit) is top of mind for a lot of people, including your constituents."

And if it's a truism that people with a beef are more likely to want to be heard, that was true of the bus study.

"Loud and clear in all of the surveys is that they were dissatisfied with the service," the consultant said. "By that I mean frequency of buses, service hours and the transfer issue."

He said people generally were happy with the fares and he was struck by how many of the respondents really liked the drivers. That was borne out by his firsthand observations, Schweinbenz said. "I was amazed at the number of drivers who knew their customers by first name and vice-versa."

He also said Codiac Transit leads the nation among the bus systems of its peer group of similar sized cities in having the lowest operating cost per revenue vehicle hour.

"I'm actually amazed at this and I have to compliment the Codiac Transit staff," he said. "It is the lowest in all of Canada. Therefore, from an efficiency point of view, you're delivering the service at the least cost to the system."

However, he said while Codiac Transit has proven efficient, it hasn't proved effective.

A key concern identified in the Dillon report is the transit system's governance structure. While the City of Moncton hired Dillon to look at Moncton largely in isolation, the consultants say looking at the system metropolitan wide is the answer.

"The overall route structure evolved in response to the political limitations and operating restrictions of providing service in three municipalities and not passenger convenience," the study notes.

"The governance model that's in place today is not working and needs to be addressed with your partners in Dieppe and Riverview," Schweinbenz said.

In the short term, the consultants recommend revising bus routes 1 and 2, to avoid duplication of Express service on Mountain Road, and to route 5 to reduce overall travel time and better serve the Université de Moncton. Adoption of an extended, 90-minute transfer policy, increasing staffing and expediting driver recruitment, and speeding the vehicle replacement plan to make the fleet 100 per cent accessible were all recommended.

Dillon Consulting said other routing modifications that need further exploration potentially as part of a comprehensive Codiac Transit study should include extending the existing Mountain Road service west to the Casino opening June 2010 and extending east into Dieppe to the Moncton International Airport.

The service should operate as a seamless system between Moncton and Dieppe.

Codiac should also explore the opportunity to turn the modified Route 5 between the Elmwood Drive area and downtown into a third Express Service, minus its current trip to Champlain Place.

Instead, it would shuttle back and forth between downtown Moncton and Elmwood/McLaughlin Road, taking in the Université de Moncton along the way. All routes should converge at a centrally located downtown terminal, including the existing Express Service along Mountain Road, the report said.

Council voted to receive the report and direct staff to return to council with recommendations in response to the report's findings.




As we all knew before this report, there are some good things but a lot needs to be done. I really hope this is taken seriously and worked on as soon as possible.

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

We have brought up the idea of a downtown transit terminal here in the forum ourselves. I still like the idea of partially enclosing it to keep riders out of the elements and perhaps including it in the design for a new downtown arena........it just makes sense. :tup:

[MonctonRad]

Construction starts on north-end school
Published Tuesday November 3rd, 2009
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

Two public-private projects for new schools, one in north-end Moncton and the other in Rexton, that were issued to a single firm at the same time has saved time and money, Premier Shawn Graham says. But after he hoisted the first shovelful of earth at the official launch of construction of the new north-end Moncton school yesterday, Graham wouldn't go so far as to suggest even greater savings can be had by building two schools under the same roof -- one English, one French -- to save even more taxpayer money.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=392438&size=800x0
GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
This is an artist's concept of what the new $24-million school being built on Ryan Street will look like.

Graham said his government is "always open to new ideas" when it was suggested to him that even more savings might be had by combining English and French schools under one roof where there is a need for schools in both languages. When pressed, however, on whether his government would actually build such a structure, he said the question was "premature."

New English schools for Moncton north and Rexton are being constructed under a public-private partnership with developer Brunswick Learning Centres, with both projects part of the same partnership. Moncton's new school is in the same general area where French-speaking parents and the French-language District 1 School Board are asking for a new school of their own to alleviate overcrowding at three French elementary schools across Moncton.

Graham couldn't promise French-speaking parents that a new school of their own was in their immediate future.

"We recognize that (it's) the number-one request of the school district," the premier said of a new French school in what has become the fastest growing residential area of Moncton, with many newcomers' being mother-tongue French.

"We have to evaluate all of these projects first, all across the province."

A decision will be made at budget time, he said.

In an interview, Graham said with the extra time it would have taken to examine whether it would be a good idea to build two new schools under one roof with instruction in both official languages but separate from each other, it could have delayed the new north-end school, which has long been badly needed.

The $24-million Kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school, on Ryan Road near Magnetic Hill, will host 650 students and create 200 construction jobs at a time when both jobs and new schools are badly needed, Graham pointed out.

District 2 Superintendent Karen Branscombe said the neighbourhood has grown so much and the school has been needed for so long that some of the parents who lobbied hard for it no longer have children of an age that will allow them to take advantage of it.

District Education Council chairman Harry Doyle, a former educator, called it "a great day to celebrate education in New Brunswick," while Moncton North MLA Michael Murphy, who is also Minister of Justice and Attorney General, hailed the new school as another key to better education and to preparing students for their futures.

The school will cover 10,219 sq. metres (110,000 sq. feet) and include 27 classrooms, a literacy support room, a resource centre, a technology education room, a cafeteria and kitchen, a science room, two gymnasiums, two music rooms, two visual arts rooms, two resource teaching rooms; and three team teaching rooms.

As part of the government's Green Buildings Program, the school has been designed to achieve a silver rating under the Principles of Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, a rating system used to measure green building performance in Canada.

Personal note - This is an architecturally uninspired cookie cutter institutional type building that is demoralizingly similar in design to the new provincial jail in Shediac. That being said, it is high time that this school is built. The need for this school in the north end existed ten years ago.

Also, I don't know where the T&T got the idea that francophone residents in the north end might be interested in sharing this building........I imagine that the paper is trying to be deliberately inflammatory in order to generate debate. If there is anything that has been learned in this province over the course of the last 40 years, it is that the francophone population wishes very much to be "seperate but equal". A joint school would be a politically unacceptable option. The T&T should just get over it and accept that there is a need for a seperate french school in the north end as well.

[mylesmalley]

Actually, it doesn't look as bad as I was expecting it to.

[MonctonRad]

Council freezes Sunny Brae development
Published Tuesday November 3rd, 2009

Moncton council votes to remove clause allowing construction of multi-unit buildings near UdeM
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

Residents of Sunny Brae, who feel besieged by the proliferation of apartment buildings, rooming houses and the problems they say such high-density housing causes on their tree-lined streets, received cause for hope last night.

Entrepreneurs, who say they have invested considerable time and money buying up properties, demolishing rundown houses and drafting plans to re-develop the lots, all within the existing zoning laws of the City of Moncton, received cause for worry about their investments last night.

Both groups had gone to the Moncton city council chamber to hear the council deliberate on two related matters.

One was a motion to amend the city's R2-U zone to remove a clause allowing the construction of buildings ranging from four to eight units.

The other was to adopt a resolution putting a moratorium on applications for new projects involving multiple unit residential developments of four to eight units in the R-2U.

Both came out of recommendations from the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission following its meeting last Wednesday night, as a result of a number of conflicting pressures on the northeast Moncton neighbourhood near the Université de Moncton.

Back in September, Mayor George LeBlanc struck a committee of citizens, developers, planning commission staff and city staff to conduct a plan review process. However, announcement of the committee's work led to a flood of development applications from developers concerned the door was about to close on their plans, leading the commission to suggest the character of the neighbourhood would be forever altered before the mayor's committee would have a chance to come up with a best course of action.

All of this engendered two hours of lively debate, that included developers threatening legal action and private homeowners heckling one of the developers for suggesting a dangerous city-wide precedent would be set in the name of addressing what he termed the "small" problem of Sunny Brae residents feeling their quality of life is threatened.

In the end, council voted to amend the R2-U zone, subject to the set process for zoning changes complete with opportunities for further public input. A public hearing will be held at the December 7 meeting of Moncton city council.

It was a narrow vote, with ward councillors Paulette Thériault and Steven Boyce joined by Pierre Boudreau, Paul Pellerin and Mayor George LeBlanc voting for the amendment.

Councillors Brian Hicks, Daniel Bourgeois, Nancy Hoar and René Pepsi Landry voted against it, all of them emphasizing it was the precedent that might be set rather than the merits of Sunny Brae residents' concerns.

"I don't believe in changing the rules halfway through the game," Landry said.

Once that motion passed, the vote on the moratorium saw Boudreau, Bourgeois, Boyce, LeBlanc, Pellerin and Thériault vote to impose one. Hicks, Hoar and Landry registered nay votes.

Councillor-at-large Kathryn Barnes was absent and Deputy Mayor Merrill Henderson declared a conflict as chairman of the plan review committee trying to impartially bring the people on both sides of the table to some sort of consensus in coming months.

Personal note - I am a little torn on this issue.......normally I am an arch foe of NIMBYism, but Sunny Brae is an interesting old neighbourhood and is a little reminiscent of the west end in Halifax.

I can understand why long term residents of the area could be upset with conversion of older residences to multi-unit apartments and with the construction of new smaller apartment buildings. This could certainly have some effect on property values in the area and perhaps the neighbourhood is not as quiet as it once was but Moncton is a growing city and more central areas of the city will have to become more dense in the future.

I can see both sides of the issue. Change can be difficult. A moratorium however is probably not the answer..........perhaps extra scrutiny is necessary when it comes to future applications to modify existing structures or to build new apartments.

[MonctonRad]

Actually, it doesn't look as bad as I was expecting it to.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=392438&size=800x0

New Ryan Street School - cost $24M, public private partnership.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=387100&size=600x0

New provincial jail in Shediac - cost $40M, 100% publically funded project

Kinda makes you wonder where the provinces priorities are......

I agree Myles, the school could look worse but the province is only doing what is necessary and nothing more.....

Here's hoping that if a new Gunningsville school is built in east Riverview, that it will include a few extras. In particular, I like the town's idea of building an adjacent recreation centre and rink. That would certainly help in making this proposed school a community focal point rather than simply a place to warehouse children.

[mylesmalley]

to be fair, the jail is quite a bit larger than the school, and probably requires significantly more materials. It takes a lot of reinforced concrete to build a 90-cell jail split over three levels. Not to mention the province is splitting the cost of the new road going to it, along with infrastructure.

[mylesmalley]

Frankly, unless all these people have been living there since before the school was built in the 1960s, they should neither be surprised or upset to see students moving into an area adjacent to a university.

Caveat emptor, my friends.

[JimiThing]

Update pics of Casino for November

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino4.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino5.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/tibrcr/Casino6.jpg
Credit: Myself Nov/09

[mmmatt]

Actually, it doesn't look as bad as I was expecting it to.

agreed :) while it may be prefab, Ive seen much worse in town i.e. AOL/Exxon call center style :P

anyways...on another note I thought I would post this pic as it really shows nicely the effect of the new courthouse on our skyline

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2754/4056356401_1e517a3670_b.jpg
credit: Mr.ShutterBug on Flickr

[mmmatt]

Update pics of Casino for November



Great pics! I really love the way this looks coming in on the highway. This and the new Hampton have really done a lot for our "highway image".

[mylesmalley]

Great shots, Jim, and nice find, Matt!

Now all we need is a nice 10 story condo between the courthouse and the Blue Cross Extension.

[gehrhardt]

What has happened to school design lately? During the 80's, new schools had a bit of character. (See Hampton Middle school) Now they're very industrial boxes that wouldn't look out of place in a business park. Boooring. In my opinion, adding a splash of orange to the entrance of a building doesn't "jazz it up". It looks like the designer was just plain lazy.

Sometime around the early 90's things changed.

[SC1986]

the casino is looking good too bad it couldnt of been built downtown like halifax would of looked nice

[BlackYear]

I heard on news919 radio this afternoon on my way to work that, the Greater Moncton Airport Authority CEO came down today and ordered a complete STOP to the highway 15 overpass entrance to the airport. The CEO is looking at a way to shut down this project. WTF?

The Moncton Mayor was on the phone being interviewed by news919. I only heard bits & pieces, but apparently the Dieppe and Moncton Mayors are saying WTF as well.

Can't wait to read all about this tomorrow!

[mylesmalley]

There's no mention of it on their website. As far as I know, there aren't any concrete plans to do it any time soon anyway.

Are you sure it was the bridge? Could he have been referring to the extension of Aviation Avenue to expand the Dieppe Industrial Park instead? If that's the case, that's rather concerning...


EDIT:

I really can't see it being about the proposed overpass. I've personally heard Rob Robichaud speak about how important it is to the city. The airport conducted a study not long ago as well that strongly supported it's construction.

[BlackYear]

I'm not exactly sure now. Like I said, I only caught bits & pieces. It had something to do with a road. I assume it was the overpass.

News919 called the Airport Authority and they declined all requests for an on air interview.

Apparently this was breaking news this afternoon. I'm sure there will be more to this in tomorrow's news.

[C_Boy]

:previous:

Could very well be for the extension of Aviation ave. The airport is looking into extending a runway and perhaps the road extension would quash the possibility of the runway extension?

[BlackYear]

What does this road have anything to do with expanding the runway? Why not expand the runway at the other end, in the wooded area. Both runways have plenty of room for expansion.

[C_Boy]

What does this road have anything to do with expanding the runway? Why not expand the runway at the other end, in the wooded area. Both runways have plenty of room for expansion.

Like I mentioned before, runways are very tricky because of the crosswinds. You can't just put one wherever you want. Just because you have a lot of runways doesint mean you can use them all anytime. I know for a fact that one runway at the airport is barely used compared to the other one due to the winds. I am pretty sure the East to West runway (The one almost parralel with Champlain) is the one used the most but I cant confirm that. If it is the other runway, Aviation Av extension would very much have to do with that.

You never know, it is just a thought. We will just have to wait and see.

[gehrhardt]

Published Thursday November 5th, 2009
A1
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

Heavy machinery was at work off the end of Aviation Avenue yesterday.

That has upset Dieppe Mayor Jean LeBlanc, who suggests the move was retaliation for the city prioritizing an improved Dieppe Boulevard/Harrisville Boulevard overpass ahead of an overpass to improve how motorists exit the airport.

Currently, people arriving at the airport and headed into the metropolitan area either have to tour an industrial area or make a counter-intuitive turn to the east on Highway 15 and use the interchange with Highway 2, the Trans-Canada Highway, to get turned back around.

"I don't appreciate Rob's approach," LeBlanc said yesterday, adding that the City of Dieppe does consider a new airport overpass over Veterans Highway a priority too, just not their main one.

"Everybody agrees that we have to have a proper one. It's not if, it's when there should be an overpass," LeBlanc said.

However, Robichaud said he acted Monday because the legal work behind the road extension and a proposed land swap have not been completed, though he acknowledged he was dismayed to learn Dieppe's mayor recently sent a letter to Premier Shawn Graham saying an improved Harrisville Boulevard overpass was council's first wish.

Robichaud said that is a two-fold problem for the airport in that it only serves the interests of Dieppe, and because adding capacity to the Harrisville interchange diminishes the chance provincial and federal funding partners would agree to funding a nearby airport overpass afterward.

That issue aside, Robichaud says he is acting to prevent the Aviation Avenue work because a memorandum of understanding signed back in 2006 has yet to be formalized with a written contract.

"It's been three years. That seems an inordinate length of time," Robichaud said. The memorandum came about after the airport agreed to work with Dieppe's economic development office in securing Transport Canada's blessing to turn airport lands over to Dieppe for development.

LeBlanc said yesterday the memorandum was essentially a contract with all necessary details but for "the Queen's signature." Robichaud said he nevertheless wants to see a formal signed contract, has been asking for that for a long time, and was dissatisfied with the one legal document he got Friday, which he described as only addressing maintenance of Aviation Avenue. And at that, he argued the document presented to the airport Friday didn't accurately reflect the caveats agreed to in the 2006 memorandum.

LeBlanc further argued Robichaud was not acting with the approval of the airport authority on Monday, but Robichaud said it was his duty to act quickly and at his discretion when he saw legal problems with the work starting. Robichaud said he had been in contact with his political masters at the authority, and no doubt this will dominate discussion when that body meets today.

Further, Robichaud said, "this land is still federal government land. We're basically guardians of it." Anyone who wants to develop on federal land must have a facility alteration permit, and Robichaud said his staff can find no record of such a permit being issued.

"I'd dearly love to get this resolved, but it has to be based on mutual trust and an ethical basis," Robichaud said.

"The clock is running and the contractors are charging us for that," Dieppe's mayor said, arguing Robichaud had no legal authority to try and stop the contractors from working.

With all that said, the contractors were back doing some work in the area yesterday. However, it appears the issues between the parties are still some way from being resolved.

[mylesmalley]

Well. That's just unacceptable. Robichaud makes a good point about an overpass being a tougher sell with an improved Dieppe Blvd, but this is hardly the way to argue his point. The city isn't the only group with a vested and financial interest in seeing that road go through.

[MonctonRad]

Sounds like Ron Robichaud is making his last stand, just like Custer at Little Big Horn. He must be pretty frustrated with the situation to be pulling a stunt like this. Too bad they couldn't have sat down together to try and settle this in private.

For what it's worth, I agree with mayor LeBlanc.......A widened Harrisville Blvd. overpass is more important.

Perhaps if Robichaud recieved some assurances that the airport overpass will be approved in the future this whole situation would go away.......

[pierremoncton]

That issue aside, Robichaud says he is acting to prevent the Aviation Avenue work because a memorandum of understanding signed back in 2006 has yet to be formalized with a written contract.

"It's been three years. That seems an inordinate length of time," Robichaud said. The memorandum came about after the airport agreed to work with Dieppe's economic development office in securing Transport Canada's blessing to turn airport lands over to Dieppe for development.

LeBlanc said yesterday the memorandum was essentially a contract with all necessary details but for "the Queen's signature." Robichaud said he nevertheless wants to see a formal signed contract, has been asking for that for a long time, and was dissatisfied with the one legal document he got Friday, which he described as only addressing maintenance of Aviation Avenue. And at that, he argued the document presented to the airport Friday didn't accurately reflect the caveats agreed to in the 2006 memorandum.


If this is true (which wouldn't surprise me at all), then I have no sympathy for Dieppe. There are rules and I'd expect them to find loopholes to get their own way if something didn't suit them. Both overpasses will get done sometime anyway -- let them learn their lesson by wasting money on contractors twiddling their thumbs.

[JasonL-Moncton]

Personally I see a better entrance/exit at the airport a MUCH larger priority than anything Dieppe may need as the airport serves all of southeastern NB and parts of northern NS...Dieppe is the smaller pea in that pod as far as I'm concerned.

JL

[mylesmalley]

It's easy to say that Dieppe should learn their lesson, but as I said, they're not the only ones riding on this road going in. The city has been actively going after companies to sell the land that is being opened up. Not to mention the fact that three levels of government have made a pretty significant financial contribution.

[MonctonRad]

Interesting observation......

I noticed today that since all the leaves are gone from the trees, you can see the new Track & Field Stadium rising above all the other campus buildings at U de M when you are driving eastbound on Connaught. Also, they have just finished erecting the first lighting tower for the stadium.

Things are really starting to take shape!! :tup:

[MonctonRad]

Air clears on Aviation Avenue
Published Friday November 6th, 2009

City of Dieppe, Greater Moncton International Airport say they're ready to move on
times & transcript staff

It appears tempers have eased over a planned extension of Aviation Avenue in Dieppe. A meeting between officials from the City of Dieppe and the Greater Moncton International Airport was held yesterday, with both parties reporting in a joint statement that a "positive and productive" meeting "enabled both parties to clarify certain elements relating to the Aviation Avenue construction project."

The construction work is now going ahead. Earlier this week, airport CEO Rob Robichaud halted work by a construction contractor who had been hired by the City of Dieppe to start the road work, a move that had both Robichaud and Dieppe Mayor Jean LeBlanc arguing over interpretations of a three-year-old memorandum of understanding between the parties. Also at issue was disagreement of the relative priorities of three projects in the airport area. The City of Dieppe sees extension of the avenue and improvements to the overpass linking Dieppe Boulevard and Moncton's Harrisville Boulevard as the priorities. The airport authority wants an overpass exit from the airport that will allow travellers to drive directly into Metro Moncton.

As part of yesterday's resolution, a committee will be formed to study accessibility and circulation needs for the airport and the city. The 1.8 kilometre (1.1 mile) extension of Aviation Avenue will open up 150 acres of prime industrial land.

"I am very pleased that this meeting led to a resolution of certain misunderstandings between the Greater Moncton International Airport and the City of Dieppe," LeBlanc said in the statement.

Robichaud said "the meeting between the airport and the city was very productive and we are very pleased with the results achieved.

"We now wish to continue moving forward on a positive note with one of our most important partners in the region, the City of Dieppe and its development corporation," Robichaud said.

Personal note - Sounds like everyone has kissed and made up........or at least there is some serious sweeping under the carpet going on right now. :haha:

As far as I'm concerned, an overpass at the airport exit should have been built at the same time that the new terminal building was constructed. The fact that it wasn't certainly complicates things, as does that weird at grade railway crossing over War Veterans Highway in front of the terminal. The cost to build a functional interchange I'm sure would be quite high.

In the meantime, the Harrisville/Dieppe Blvd. interchange over War Veterans Highway is becoming very busy, especially now that it serves as a connector between the Caledonia Industrial Park/TCH area and the Dieppe Industrial Park/Uptown Dieppe area. This area is only going to continue to grow, and will in time rival the explosive growth in northwest Moncton. Widening of this overpass bridge should take precedence over the airport interchange.

[MonctonRad]

Delegates speak highly of Moncton's track plans
Published Saturday November 7th, 2009

IAAF reps from Monaco, Austria finish two days of meetings with organizing committee of 2010 meet
By Cole Hobson
Times & Transcript Staff

It might have been snowing in Metro yesterday, but that didn't derail the full-speed-ahead planning and preparation for the Moncton 2010 IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships.

The local organizing committee met with senior staff from the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) and from Athletics Canada over the past couple days in order to visit the still under-construction stadium on the Université de Moncton campus and to assess the planning progress, ahead of the event, which will take place July 19-25.

"It's snowing. Fingers crossed not in July," joked Yannis Nikolaou, who is the communications manager for the IAAF.

Nikolaou lives in Monaco, is a former journalist and national level track athlete in Greece and was head of media organization for the Athens Olympics in 2004. He was joined in Moncton by Olaf Brockmann, who is a sports journalist at Austria's largest daily newspaper and acts as a delegate for IAAF.

Both men were quite pleased with what they had seen in Moncton.

"Myself, I'm really impressed with how the work is going on eight, nine months before the World Championships," Brockmann said. "The stadium will be very good ... it is planned really fantastic so far ... In this stadium, it's very, very good. It's well-organized, well-planned ...I'm really pleased about this in this stadium."

The men were in the Hub City primarily to assess the plans and preparations for the over 150 members of the media who are expected to come to the city for the event. Both men agreed things are shaping up nicely and that not only will the media be treated to a first-class experience, but the entire event seems like it will be a success.

"Normally when we go to a site visit to meet the organizers ... we start from scratch and we're trying to go to a level which is acceptable," Nikolaou said. "Here, when we arrived and we had the first meeting, at the end of the day I said to myself and to Olaf, 'OK, here we are starting from a very high level because they have an (organizing) team.'

"Normally, the first question is, 'They don't have a team, they are only two or three. What should we do now?' Here, they have a team. The second thing is that I have a feeling, after all these meetings, that it's a good team."

Linda Schofield, who is the event's general manager of marketing, said she is happy for the positive feedback and believes their meetings have been very beneficial.

"Since it's the largest sporting event that will ever be held in Atlantic Canada, we need to prepare well in advance, so they were here to review the operational plan ... ," she said. "It's very important to go over all the details. It's a great partnership; that's how we view the work we've done."

As passionately as he spoke about the strides he had seen with media services planning, Nikolaou spoke even more strongly about the event as a whole and how special it will be.

"I would like to highlight that this is a very big event. It's World Junior Championships and, unfortunately, in Canada maybe you cannot understand how big it is because our sport athletics or track and field in Canada, is not so popular like hockey or football," he said.

"It's the whole world. It's a real world championships. You will be host to almost 170 to 180, maybe more, countries and 2,000 athletes from everywhere. From Argentina, Samoa, from New Zealand, from China, from everything."

Nikolaou added that the event will also be a great chance to see a potential superstar of the future.

"You will have the chance to see real, believe me, some future Olympic champions," he said. "We should not forget that many great athletes, like Usain Bolt ...Olympic champions, world record holders, world champions, they started their career from this event."

While Moncton isn't a track and field hot spot compared to other areas of the globe where IAAF holds events, Mathieu Gentès of Athletics Canada is confident this event can go a long way toward helping change that.

"We don't see it as a disadvantage, we just see it as we have to put more plans into place marketing wise and promotion wise with the host organizing committee," he said. "But the opportunity, is this event provides a) a legacy for Atlantic Canada for track and field, but b) it provides us a chance to showcase the sport in Canada for six or seven days.

"If we do our plans correctly and execute correctly and (spectators) have a great time, they watch it on (TV), they love the show that is being put on, we're going to get more fans, we're going to get more people putting their kids into track and field. It's just an opportunity for us, that's all it is."

[MonctonRad]

Mansbridge named Mount Allison University chancellor
Last Updated: Monday, November 9, 2009 | 1:41 PM AT
CBC News

The CBC's Peter Mansbridge will become the next chancellor of Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.

Mansbridge, anchor of CBC News The National and chief correspondent for the network, will be formally installed as the small liberal arts university's chancellor in May and will hold the position until December 2013.

Mansbridge will be the ceremonial head of Mount Allison, presiding over convocations, conferring all degrees and acting as an ambassador for the university.

Robert Campbell, the president of Mount Allison, said Mansbridge is a solid choice for chancellor because he is a leader in his profession and he'll be able to spread the word about the university to a wider audience.

Mansbridge said he won't be giving up his day job as host of The National, the CBC's flagship news program, to take on the position. But he said he is looking forward to strengthening the relationship that he started with Mount Allison when he participated in a speakers series in the 1980s.

Mansbridge will replace Nova Scotia businessman John Bragg, who is retiring as chancellor.

Mansbridge was among 35 Canadians who were invested with the Order of Canada in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Nov. 5. He was made an officer of the order — the second rank — in recognition of "achievement and merit of a high degree."

Interesting.......I think this will be a good choice.

BTW - Mt. A. just recently was reaffirmed in the MacLean's Magazine rankings as the top undergraduate university in Canada......for the 13th time. :tup: