Rural Atlantic Canadian Development Thread

[Dmajackson]

I think its about time the lesser populated areas (outside of HRM, Moncton, Saint John, CBRM, St. John's, Fredericton and Corner Brook) of Atlantic Canada have a place for any developments they get.

Some articles from this week:

Four new schools to open this fall

By KRISTEN LIPSCOMBE Education Reporter
Tue. Jul 29 - 4:31 AM

Parents, be at peace.

The province’s four newest public schools are set to swing open their doors to students this school year as planned, the Education Department says.

Both Musquodoboit Rural High School in Middle Musquodoboit and Harmony Heights Elementary School in Salmon River will begin classes this September.

Construction of Truro Elementary School and Winding River Consolidated School in Stewiacke will be completed this fall but opening dates haven’t been set yet, department spokeswoman Nancy Watson said in a recent interview.

She said it’s up to the Chignecto-Central regional school board to decide when the latter two schools will be ready for students. Harmony Heights, Truro Elementary and Winding River Consolidated, also an elementary, are all in the Chignecto-Central region, while Musquodoboit Rural High falls under the jurisdiction of the Halifax regional school board.

"Harmony Heights seems to be on schedule and, to the best of our knowledge, it appears that we will be welcoming students at the beginning of the school year in September," Herb Steeves, director of operational services for the Chignecto-Central board, said late last week.

He added work won’t be done on Truro Elementary and Winding River Consolidated until "late in the fall," which means children likely won’t get into new classrooms until January.

"It’s easier for us to move over the holiday period when the kids aren’t in school, because we still have to take stuff out of the old schools," Mr. Steeves said.

Technically, he said, none of the new schools belong to the Chignecto-Central board because they haven’t yet been turned over by the provincial Infrastructure Renewal Department, which is responsible for building the schools.

Although two of the three new schools in the Chignecto-Central region won’t be ready until halfway through the school year, Mr. Steeves said they’re not behind schedule. In fact, according to the Education Department’s construction list, they’re right on schedule.

A fourth Chignecto-Central school, in Oxford, is scheduled for completion in September 2009 if all goes as planned, Mr. Steeves said. That school will accommodate students from Primary through Grade 12.

The Cape Breton-Victoria regional school board is supposed to get its new Northside Elementary School in North Sydney by September 2009, while French-language board Conseil scolaire acadien provincial should see its new Ecole Secondaire de Halifax by December 2009. Six other schools across the province are scheduled for completion in 2010 or 2011.

These 13 new schools all received cash this year as part of the province’s $44-million school construction commitment in the spring budget

Source: Chronicle Herald

Terrain Group to develop Pictou subdivision

A firm has been chosen to develop Pictou County’s largest subdivision. Terrain Group, with offices in Dartmouth, Moncton, Saint John and Edmonton, has a reputation for being a leader in environmentally conscious subdivision design, says developer Jim Fitt.


Plans to build the 175-lot subdivision were announced in June. It will be located off Park Road, across the street from Trenton Park.


Fitt’s vision for the new subdivision involves technologies that have never been used in Pictou County. Among other innovations, the subdivision will have green corridors meant to provide residential privacy and each home will be built with solar capabilities.

Source: Metro News

[kirjtc2]

Might as well get this rolling...from today's Woodstock Bugle.

McCain's $65-million plant begins production
Published Friday July 25th, 2008
New facility marks the end of an era, as it replaces the company's original potato processing plant
D1
By Jon MacNeill

A new $65-million potato processing plant began production on Tuesday at McCain Foods in Florenceville-Bristol.

The state-of-the-art facility replaced the first factory ever built by the company more than 50 years ago.

The new plant marks the end of an era and the blossoming of another for both McCain Foods and the Northern Carleton families whose roots have grown alongside the company over the years.

Allen Tompkins of Florenceville ran the steam engine that peeled the first potatoes ever processed by McCain Foods back in 1957.

On Tuesday, Allen's eldest son, Leon Tompkins, supervised production as the first fries came off the line at the new plant.

"I plan to stay here till I'm done," said Leon, who started working with McCain Foods while just a young boy.

"My father always said he'd never leave, and he never did," said Leon.

"McCain was more or less his family."

Operations have certainly changed since Allen Tompkins's co-workers hand-peeled potatoes and packed french fries into cartons by hand.

"Our production and packaging functions are highly automated today," said company spokesperson Calla Farn.

She said new technology at the factory will provide greater flexibility and improved efficiency in operations.

Earlier this month, Farn acknowledged the business has suffered from the strong Canadian dollar.

The new plant will run three shifts, five days a week. That's down from four shifts, seven days at week at the old factory.

"We expect it will be running at full capacity, just not initially," said Farn, adding that even at reduced capacity the plant still has the ability to pump out more product than the old factory.

She wouldn't offer specific figures, saying it might affect the company's competitiveness.

Farn also declined to say how many people the $65-million operation would employ in the Town of Florenceville-Bristol.

Around 10 people were laid-off when production stopped at the old plant in mid-May.

Farn said those were "permanent lay-offs."

The plant opened much sooner than expected, said Farn, as it was originally slated to open in the fall.

An official opening ceremony will take place in September.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

I think its about time the lesser populated areas (outside of HRM, Moncton, Saint John, CBRM, St. John's, Fredericton and Corner Brook) of Atlantic Canada have a place for any developments they get.

Good idea Bedford DJ. The only proviso I would offer is that sometimes important projects in the "exurbs" of the major centres (eg Sackville & Shediac for Metro Moncton) might still get discussed in the project thread for the regional city. I'll keep my ear open for anything interesting to include in this thread though.

[Smevo]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Good idea Bedford DJ. The only proviso I would offer is that sometimes important projects in the "exurbs" of the major centres (eg Sackville & Shediac for Metro Moncton) might still get discussed in the project thread for the regional city. I'll keep my ear open for anything interesting to include in this thread though.

Really good idea! As for the "exurbs", I guess they could probably be mentioned in both? They'd be easier to find in this one I assume. It gives me a way to make the "Sydney and area" thread truly Sydney and area rather than the whole island.

I was considering starting a Northern New Brunswick thread a while back, but figure I probably couldn't keep it going. This gives a place to put that stuff on the rare occasion I come across it now.

[Dmajackson]

I do agree that exurban areas should be discussed on both threads since logically it affects both. So to make it clearer how about anything non-suburban, a.k.a "exurban" (For example in HRM anything outside of Waverly-Tantallon-Preston can be discussed here). Because of the shear size of the area covered in this thread some sort of organization, like putting the community name and province before an article, will help figure out where we are talking about...

Lets keep this thread going:

FORT LAWERENCE, NS:

New business for Fort Lawrence
RYAN ROSS
The Amherst Daily News

AMHERST - In a few months, people will be able to put their feet up at a new business in Fort Lawrence.

This fall, The Brick will open a new furniture store to fill the space left empty when Berry's Furniture Plus closed on Fort Lawrence Road.

Brian Purchase, one of the new store's co-owners, said there were issues with the power needed to run the store and it took time resolve them.

"Now that's straightened away and construction has begun."

The company will train most of the staff in New Glasgow and it gives them a big advantage to have employees ready when the store opens, Purchase said.

"That process has already begun."

Purchase said he has been to the store every two weeks as the work progressed and he expects to spend more time there as the opening day gets closer.

"That's going to go to every day for a while."

With the work now underway, the construction is now out of his hands, Purchase said.

"We certainly hope it will be open by late fall."

Purchase said the company is looking forward to coming to Amherst with their new store.

"We're pretty excited about it."

AMHERST, NS:

New jail a step closer
County correctional facility one of three recommended P-3 projects to be explored by province
DARRELL COLE
The Amherst Daily News

AMHERST - A new 50-bed correctional facility to replace the century-old Cumberland Correctional Centre is one of three projects the province is going to develop business plans for as it considers the use of public-private partnerships.

Along with new correctional facilities in Cumberland County and Antigonish, the province is also considering a P-3 arrangement for the twinning of Highway 104 from Sutherland's River to the Canso Causeway and a new radio communications system for police, fire and other first responders.

While it is feasible as a P-3 project, the consultants, Partnerships BC, suggested the two jail projects are small.

"Based on this preliminary assessment, the combined projects may be on the smaller side of what would attract significant market interest as a SIP. However, from a risk transfer perspective, this project is feasible as a SIP or a developer leaseback where the private partner would be responsible for designing, building, financing and maintaining the facilities according to performance specifications provided by (the province)," the consultants say in their 100-page report. "In either case, corrections service would not be provided by a private partner, in keeping with provincial policy."

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Murray Scott said he has asked Partnerships BC to do a business case for the three projects.

"They'll look at all the aspects of financing and search out the best options to move these projects ahead," Scott said, adding he expects the process will take about six months. "We'll make a decision on which way we want to go and then we'll take it to cabinet."

Both jails are part of a system with an extensive bed shortage, they fail to meet present fire and life safety requirements with the majority of bed space configured in dormitory format.

The Cumberland and Antigonish facilities both have inadequate sightlines for corrections officers to observe inmate living areas and are located in downtown areas without adequate buffer zones.

"Both of those are the last remnants of the century-old jails in the province. There's a real need for addition beds in Nova Scotia and real need to replace both those jails," Scott said.

It's estimated a new Cumberland County facility would cost about $15 million in 2007 dollars and be 38,000 square feet in size

SACKVILLE, NB:

Town ironing out details for proposed RCMP station
Public meeting planned for fall
CHRIS LABLANC
The Sackville Tribune Post

The town of Sackville is a step closer towards having a new public safety building which will house both the local RCMP detachment and the Sackville Fire Department.
Barry Carroll, CAO for the town of Sackville, said during town council’s regular monthly meeting on July 14 that there are still a number of points left to iron out, but that progress is being made.
“We’re moving closer to where the town can hire an architect and an engineer to move forward,” he said.
Renovations were recently completed on the existing municipal RCMP buildings to help meet basic health, safety, and fire codes, including door and lock changes, smoke detectors, garage door changes, and generator upgrades.
The location of the new public safety building is at 33 Main Street, just across from Moneris Solutions. Demolition of the house on that lot is expected to begin sometime in September.
The town has also purchased the lot next door, but Mayor Pat Estabrooks said recently the occupants of that house will remain there for at least another year, as part of an agreement with the town.
As well, she said the town considered moving the house on 33 Main St., but that it would be too difficult to move.
However, it is still under consideration whether or not the second house will be moved.
“That house is in very good condition,” she said. “I can see that moving quite easily.”
Estabrooks added that she hopes council will one day reveal how much was spent on purchasing the two properties.
A public meeting is currently scheduled for sometime in September to bring the public up to speed on the project.

[Dmajackson]

Can I request that this thread be a "sticky" since it is a projects thread in Atlantic Canada?

[kirjtc2]

MIRAMICHI, NB:

http://miramichileader.canadaeast.co...article/371205

Council gives go-ahead:Transit system by fall
Published Friday August 1st, 2008
A1
by Darcey McLaughlin

People in Miramichi will soon have a new way to get around town. The city has given final approval for the creation of a public transit system.

City economics development officer Jeff MacTavish said he is hoping to have the system running by fall.

The approval came at a special Finance and Administration Committee meeting Tuesday night. It was ratified at a special council meeting the same night.

Coun. Derek Burchill said the system is being launched at a time when people are looking for alternative ways to get around.

"I know this has been in the works for a while now … it seems that in this day of high cost of travel and aging population and so on, that there very well may be quite a need for the system. I understand the cost to the city to operate it first year would be one cent on the tax rate, which is around $100,000," he said. "And I also understand at any given point in time we can opt out of it," he said.

The city has received capital funding from the province and has funding available from several other sources. The system will also depend heavily on revenue from advertising, which Coun. Rupert Bernard said could eliminate any costs to the city .

"It appears as though the $95,000 cost to the city in the first year of operation may very well be called a worst case scenario," Bernard said. "It is also my understanding that funding will also be provided to erect some bus shelters and benches and there is a significant amount of projected advertising revenue as a result of those ... If 71 per cent of all the ads are sold, it would be a $36,000 surplus. I actually believe we'll end up somewhere in the middle."

Coun. Robert Trevors said he thinks the service is important, but he's concerned about the cost in the future.

"The numbers, the figures and the partners that we have right now are probably the reason I'm going to support this motion, because we want to really strive at getting citizens of this city, and hopefully the developers of this city, the opportunity to attract new business, new customers," he said. "I know in two years time that we'll be sitting here discussing this, because I'm really concerned about the cost after that."

Meeting chair Mike McCoombs also raised concerns over cost.

"It's a little concerning we're taking on new endeavors here when we're not sure where we're going in the next year or so and what services we may have to curtail. The other thing is, we're going to have to look at our budgetary process very closely … because we're not sure exactly what we have to spend with," he said.

Coun. Joan Cripps raised concerns about the schedule, the number of buses and the placement of bus stops and said careful consideration must be given to those details. However, overall, she said, she is in favour of the system because it will be a benefit to seniors.

Coun. Michael (Tanker) Malley agreed with Cripps that seniors will benefit from the system.

"This is a worthwhile venture. It provides a service to our citizens, our seniors especially who are tied to their homes, who would like to get out to the malls and get to the doctor's appointment. Also to our citizens in general where we see the high cost of fuel rising each and every day and it's going to continue to rise," he said. "I've talked to a lot of our seniors and they're telling me it's long overdue."

But, Malley warned, it is up to the citizens to ensure the system is a success.

"You either use it, or lose it," Malley said.

While the primary reason for the service is to help people move around, Burchill told council, there are other benefits to having the system.

"There are a number of corporations and companies out there that will consider different municipalities to invest in and one of the qualifications is whether the city or municipality has a transit system. [There is one company] we're aware of that may come here with as many as 600 employees, but if we don't have a transit system, we wouldn't be in the running for it," he said.

The transit system will operate separately from the city and employees will not become union members. Plans call for a staff consisting of a manager, an administrative assistant, four full-time drivers and four part-time drivers.

[Architype]

I guess this might fit in generally with the development topic:

Gander Airport to become carbon neutral
Transportation
The Telegram

Gander's airport has won the distinction of being the first carbon neutral airport in North America.

The Gander International Airport Authority and its tenant companies are implementing a carbon emissions reduction program involving infrastructure and employee initiatives. The rest of the airport's carbon emissions will be offset by the purchase of credits from a climate consulting business.

The airport has set a goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 33 per cent by 2008. The airport has consulted an engineer to suggest a next-generation energy system that will reduce emissions and costs.

The airport has also formed a green committee to implement green practices at the airport.

Article here:
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=158806&sc=82

[PostModernPrometheus]

Good call...there's tons of stuff going on in towns all over atl. canada...

the expanding US / NB border crossing & new bridge at St. Stephen / Calais and the improved highway infrastucture on both sides of the border should help promote better business ties between new england and atl. canada...






Travel The rerouting of Highway 1 poses new challenges - and new opportunities
B9Mary-Ellen Saunders
Telegraph-Journal
ST. STEPHEN - The twinning of Highway 1 is racing ahead of the construction schedules for the third border crossing and international bridge, says Alan Kerr, district transportation engineer for the Department of Transportation.


Instead of waiting for the border crossing from St. Stephen to Calais, Maine, to be ready, Kerr said a portion of the highway will be opened.

The new portion of Highway 1 from Church Street in St. Stephen to Waweig will be open this fall. Kerr said there will be a detour through Church Street and signs leading traffic from the old border crossings on to the new highway.

The detour around the St. Andrews exit will continue until the new highway is opened. Kerr said portions of Union and Hawthorne Streets in St. Stephen are also closed.


full link:

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.c...article/378995

[kirjtc2]

Could wind-farm project drive boom in northern N.B.?
Published Thursday August 14th, 2008
D1
By MATT MCCANN
Canadaeast News Service

SAINT JOHN - Two proposed wind farms in northern New Brunswick could become an extension of the southern energy hub, says one expert.

Shear Wind Inc. announced Tuesday it's studying two sites in the province, one in Benjamin River near Campbellton, and another at Mann Siding, between Campbellton and Grand Falls.

Both projects, which could bring $2 billion into the province, would begin as 150-megawatt farms with the potential to expand up to 500 megawatts each.

The estimated cost of both projects is $585 million.

"It's good that they're targeting the north," said Anne Hebert, executive director of the Conseil Economique Nouveau Brunswick. "You hear about projects coming in, but they usually end up coming to the south."

But Hebert said there needs to be a partnership so that northern communities can get something out of the project, either through jobs or money flowing back into the community.

"At first glance, of course, it could be a great thing," she said. "But who's going to benefit from it the most? Where is the dollar going to go?

"Is it going to go mainly to a company that comes from outside, or is there going to be community involvement?"

The economic development in the south is a cycle that perpetuates itself, she said. Good roads and four-lane highways mean it's easier to get goods in and out, and that kind of solid infrastructure is attractive to companies.

Hebert said a wind farm in the area would help the north, hopefully by having firms working as suppliers, service providers, maintenance crews or construction crews.

"Not just windmills," she said, "but value-added, so we have an industry that supports it."

However, Yves Gagnon, the K.C. Irving chair in sustainable development at the Universite de Moncton, said a wind farm typically doesn't create a lot of jobs.

There are initial construction jobs when it's built, he said, but the turbine, which represents about 75 per cent of the cost, will probably be purchased from outside of Canada.

The other 25 per cent would be local expenses, but Gagnon said only a few dozen jobs would be created.

"When you look at the big picture of the cash flow of wind farms, the money is quite small," he said. "The most significant proportion of money is in the profit generated by the wind farm, and therefore the owners of the wind farm.

"The benefit is through land-lease agreements, fees paid to landowners to put the turbine on their land. Or to government if the wind turbines are installed on Crown land."

That is, if the project moves from proposal to reality. For that to happen, two major obstacles need to be overcome.

"One is getting a contract for people to purchase the electricity," said Gagnon. "Then there's a barrier to bring that electricity to the consumer, because of the limitation of transmission lines from New Brunswick to New England, and that's a real problem right now."

Though Energy Minister Jack Keir has previously acknowledged bottlenecks and legal irritants in New England, he remained confident New Brunswick could compete in the New England market.

[Dmajackson]

Amherst, NS:

Tidal turbines expected to be in by fall ‘09
Minas Basin Pulp and Power provides update on developments

PARRSBORO
ANDREW WAGSTAFF
The Amherst Citizen

This area’s most promising energy resource - the tide - could help keep another of the area’s most precious resources - its youth - according to representatives of Minas Basin Pulp and Power.

John Woods, vice-president of the company’s energy department, was one of several representatives speaking to a packed house at the Parrsboro legion on Thursday night, July 24, during an information session to update those interested in the development of an in stream tidal power test site nearby.

“This is the reason why young people won’t have to leave here anymore for the tar sands in Alberta,” Woods told the crowd of about 125 people.

The company is still working on its environmental impact assessment before selecting the exact locations for the turbine, although consultant and marine geologist Gordon Fader confirmed that the sites will be in the Minas Channel, most likely in the area between Cape Sharp and Black Rock.

The company is also waiting on some equipment, mainly transmission cable to bring the power to land, but hopes to have the turbines in the water by fall of 2009, according to Woods. He said they are dealing with two different suppliers.

“We don’t know yet where the site is, and without that we don’t know how much cable we need,” he explained. “Without that we can’t even get the company to talk to us because they are so busy. Until we know what we want they won’t talk to us, but we think we’re going to have that answer in the next six weeks.”

The presentation included detailed graphic images of the ocean floor in the Minas Basin, explaining why the site selection process needs to be painstaking and cautious, due to factors such as geology, topography and currents.

Oceanographer Simon Melrose spoke of the only other test site of its kind in Europe, which he said has already created spin-offs in the local community, as young people have gained employment through studying and designing the technology.

While stopping short of confirming that it would be located in Parrsboro, they said that a tidal power site here would likely come with an educational interpretive centre that would be of great tourism benefit for the area. Woods likened it to the wind generating facility in North Cape, P.E.I., which he said draws 30-40,000 visitors every year.

“The facility could be either right on the shore, or it could be in Halifax,” said Woods. “We think it should go right on the shore. We’re now starting to look at landfall, and our view is to have it on the water’s edge, so, when people come, it’s all right there.”

Fader described the Bay of Fundy as the “mother lode of tidal energy in the world,” and said the energy collected in their test turbine to be installed will run ashore to the substation in Parrsboro.

Having studied the Bay of Fundy for the past 30 years, Fader spoke with excitement about how far they have come, and where the future lies.

“Now we have the knowledge and information that will allow us to understand exactly what is going on there with geology, currents, and biology, so we can make the right decisions,” he said. “We still have a lot more to do, but this is a glimpse at where we sit in the geological world.”

Several questions from the crowd were answered, including whether or not the bottom conditions will remain the same for where the turbines will be located, the noise and vibrations that could be created by the turbines, and the effects ice in the winter might have on them.

All factors are being studied carefully but are not expected to become major problems, the audience was told.

“This facility will be the best in the world,” he said. “Hold on, because ocean energy is a large resource, larger than wind, and you’re sitting on the largest resource in the world. There is a lot of potential here, and I can’t overestimate it.”

Parrsboro Mayor Doug Robinson said he was pleased with the turnout at the event, which was hosted by the town and the Parrsboro and District Board of Trade.

“It certainly shows both the town and the board of trade, and the company, the interest that we have in what they are doing,” he said. “I think, somewhat like a player on stage, sometimes it’s the feedback from the audience that makes the entertainment that much better.”

[PostModernPrometheus]

^

great to see the momentum with tidal energy. . . so much untaped potential in the bay of fundy. . . hopefully NB forges ahead with it's own tidal projects as well

[Dmajackson]

Ingonish, NS:

Proposed federal building in Ingonish on hold

By The Canadian Press
Sat. Aug 16 - 4:46 AM

INGONISH — A federal government building that was expected to house offices for Parks Canada, RCMP and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Ingonish is over budget and won’t be built this year, so now it’s back to the drawing board, says a senior official with Parks Canada.

Tim Reynolds, superintendent for the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, told the Cape Breton Post on Thursday the multimillion-dollar project went to tender in late June.

But when contractors bid on the work the lowest tender received by Parks Canada would have forced the project into red ink.

"The tender received was over the estimated price that we thought it would be," Reynolds said. "(It) would have made the cost of the project higher than Parks Canada’s spending authority."

Parks Canada’s spending authority is capped at $10 million. Anything above that would require going through another Treasury Board of Canada review process — an exercise that would further delay the much-needed building that would include a new visitor’s centre and new offices for the three agencies involved

[Dmajackson]

Chester, NS;

Century-old tower could be rebuilt
Landmark Chester structure provided seaside views before it fell into disrepair
By RENEE STEVENS
Mon. Aug 18 - 4:45 AM

CHESTER — The Chester Trust is hoping that people will be able to enjoy the view of yachts and sailboats in their village next summer the same way Alfred Ross Lightfoot did in 1904.

Mr. Lightfoot built Lightfoot Tower on what is now the property of the Zoe Valle Library in an era when people sometimes built things just for fun, said librarian Glen MacLeod.

"It’s a whimsical and fun piece of Chester’s history," Mr. MacLeod said of the tower, which Mr. Lightfoot used as a getaway to watch boat races in Mahone Bay while his wife hosted garden parties and teas.

"There were once five of these towers around the village and this is the only one left."

After Mr. Lightfoot died in 1911, the tower fell into disrepair. It was refurbished in 1983 by the Chester Municipal Heritage Society but has since deteriorated to the point where it has been off limits to the public for over five years.

Members of the library’s board of directors contacted the trust earlier this summer about restoring the landmark and Suzi Fraser, a trust board member who is heading up the restoration initiative, said they were immediately on board.

"I have meetings scheduled with architects, engineers and fundraising experts to give me guidance, but before we have even asked for a cent, we have already received around $10,000 in donations," she said. "So obviously it’s a worthwhile cause.

"I used to go there every day when I was a kid, so I would love for the fundraising to be big and quick so by next spring we are already physically working on it."

The trust won’t know how much it will cost to restore the structure until it is assessed and work tenders are sent out, but Ms. Fraser expects it will be under $100,000.

"There’s not a lot of heritage left in Chester and people really want to go up in the tower, so we want to make that happen and we will," she said.

Mr. MacLeod said rebuilding the tower is important because Chester doesn’t have many historic sites that the public can visit. Most of the village is privately owned.

"Everyone stops and asks about the tower and, for me, it’s really sad having to explain to people every day that they can look at it, but they can’t go up because it’s no longer safe."

[MonctonRad]

MTA building makeover focuses on students

Mount Allison Student Centre will have official grand opening Sept. 27

BY NICK MOORE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

Mount Allison's Trueman House may look the same on the outside, but changes made inside have shaken the 63-year-old building to its core. For starters, the building is now being called the Mount Allison University Student Centre. A change in title is just the beginning.


What used to be a men's dormitory now houses the school's admissions office, the university bookstore, a student health centre, a physical fitness complex, student council administrative offices, the school newspaper and campus radio station, an international student centre, a student cafe and a pub.

Located on the York Street part of Mt. A's campus, the 700,000 square-foot (6,500 square-metre) building's renovations began in 2005 and when completed in less than a month's time, the cost will total about $14.4 million. Some of the costs were covered by university fundraisers. The provincial government also chipped in $3 million for the project.

The centre is already operating with just a few finishing touches to be made before its official opening on Sept. 27, during Sackville's Homecoming Days.

"It's kind of like the ultimate recycling project," sayd Laura Dillman Ripley, spokeswoman for the university, with regard to the building's transformation.

In fact, recycling, and to a larger extent the environment, were major considerations taken while revamping the building.

A new multi-storey atrium has been constructed in the centre of the building to introduce natural daylight into its core while administrative lighting has been switched over to an energy efficient fluorescent source. Daylight sensors and motion sensors have been installed to provide automatic control of lighting in areas which aren't continuously occupied such as washrooms, service rooms and closets.

Also, all plumbing inside the building is now of the low flow type. As an alternative to using potable water, a rainwater collection system will harvest rainwater for use with urinals and toilets.

The building's environmental plan, in addition to the centralization of student services, have made the university's student administrative council president a fan of the new set up.

"I think it's fantastic because we have so many services now in just one building," says Michael Currie. "Our hope this year is to make it the social hub of Mount Allison."

Personal note - I was really torn as to whether to post this in the Moncton thread or here. If Sackville was 10 minutes closer to Moncton it would be considered a suburb. Mount Allison is about as distant from downtown Moncton as Halifax Stanfield Airport is from downtown Halifax.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

MTA building makeover focuses on students

Mount Allison Student Centre will have official grand opening Sept. 27

BY NICK MOORE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

Mount Allison's Trueman House may look the same on the outside, but changes made inside have shaken the 63-year-old building to its core. For starters, the building is now being called the Mount Allison University Student Centre. A change in title is just the beginning.


What used to be a men's dormitory now houses the school's admissions office, the university bookstore, a student health centre, a physical fitness complex, student council administrative offices, the school newspaper and campus radio station, an international student centre, a student cafe and a pub.

Located on the York Street part of Mt. A's campus, the 700,000 square-foot (6,500 square-metre) building's renovations began in 2005 and when completed in less than a month's time, the cost will total about $14.4 million. Some of the costs were covered by university fundraisers. The provincial government also chipped in $3 million for the project.
[/I]

great news! I'm completely biased, as I'm an alumnus of Mt A (1998); this is a tremendous investment in a small, but vibrant and repeatedly nationally (and internationally) recognized institution....right here in NB

[PostModernPrometheus]

Saw a news story today that Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy (population, if I recall correctly around 3000 people) was just handed over $250,000 from the gas tax revenue recently.


i have often wondered if there are any wind turbine projects in the works for the fundy isles . . . more exposed to the ocean in my mind = more predictable winds. . . i know at least for grand manan there was talk of a wind farm at one time, but i'm not sure where that project currently stands. . . .

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

Saw a news story today that Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy (population, if I recall correctly around 3000 people) was just handed over $250,000 from the gas tax revenue recently.


i have often wondered if there are any wind turbine projects in the works for the fundy isles . . . more exposed to the ocean in my mind = more predictable winds. . . i know at least for grand manan there was talk of a wind farm at one time, but i'm not sure where that project currently stands. . . .

They have done some site prep for that Grand Manan wind farm, and the company owns about 1000 acres or something out near Dark Harbour, but the project got derailed because the American company that they were going to sell the energy to was under investigation by the Auditor General. I believe the project is still due to be completed, but with the delays who knows how long it will take. Unfortunately, all the power from the wind farm is intended to be sold directly to the US, instead of first satisfying the power needs of the island itself, which could have gone a long way to helping the island become more self-sufficient.

[MonctonRad]

N.B. Liquor to close Salisbury agency store

Liquor corp. uses out clause in 10-year deal, to build new corporate outlet at highway intersection

By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

SALISBURY - Alcool NB Liquor will yank its agency store out of downtown Salisbury in favour of a corporate outlet to open in May at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 2) and the Old Fredericton Road (Highway 112) on the village's northern outskirts.

The move comes about four years after public outrage scuttled ANBL's earlier attempt to do the same thing. The Crown corporation also signed a new 10-year contract with the current agency store less than four years ago but is using an "out" clause to bail on the deal.

"We put our life's savings into this and they're going to bankrupt me if I can't come to some agreement with them," Albert Rogers, owner of The Right Stop with his wife Kim, lamented yesterday.

Rogers didn't want to say too much at this point for fear of making the situation even worse.

ANBL spokeswoman Nora Lacey says the move is a done deal. The contract to build a new 7,500 square foot store (by comparison, the new Vaughan Harvey Boulevard store is about 11,000 square feet) has already been awarded and once it opens on or before May 31, the strongest drink available at The Right Stop will be chocolate milk.

The new store will be located beside the Ultramar service station, right at what Lacey calls "the busiest intersection in New Brunswick."

That's the main reason for the new location, she says, as the store will capture the attention of the thousands of vehicles that pass by the location every day far better than The Right Stop ever could, since it is located several kilometres off the highway in the heart of the village.

With sales of $2.5 million last year, Rogers' store was the top-producing agency store in the province and one of the very first agency stores. The liquor agency's guidelines say that once a store reaches $2.6 million in sales, that community could be better served by a corporate outlet and Lacey argues a company store would actually be less expensive, despite the fact agency stores don't cost the corporation for unionized staff, warehouse space, a building and more.

"But we pay commission to the agent based on his sales," Lacey says, noting that with sales that high, the corner store cannot offer the level of service that is being demanded by customers.

"This community now has a need for a larger store with more products and enhanced service," she said.

The provincial government has demanded that ANBL increase profits and keep its expenses-to-sales ratio at about 11.5 per cent, which it has and which is something no other government liquor corporation has managed to achieve.

The corporation also notes that experience has shown that moving stores like Salisbury's from the downtown core to the TCH has resulted in a boost in sales. Other stores they've moved to nearby major highways include their stores in Sackville, Perth, Oromocto and Woodstock.

Salisbury-area residents responded with renewed outrage when they learn the news.

"Don't they care that this guy and the previous owner built up their sales to number one in the province and not the liquor corporation," Gerry Wright says. "We already told them four years ago; we want our agency store in the village. We don't want to drive half-way to hell just to get to the store."

Others decried the decrease in service that a corporate store entails, with its shorter operating hours and holiday closures.

"Rogers' store was open every day," area resident Tim Roach said. "So now if we get unexpected company on a holiday, we have to drive all the way to Petitcodiac or Hillsborough."

Other residents say the intersection is indeed the busiest in the province -- far too busy to add a full-scale liquor store to the plethora of gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, ice cream vendors, an RV dealership and, most recently, a hotel, and they demand that the intersection be upgraded.

Petitcodiac MLA Wally Stiles couldn't be reached yesterday but in an odd twist, it was Stiles, as a Tory MLA, who came under fire in 2004 when the corporation tried to close the agency store, since the provincial government decides where ANBL's capital spending will take place. Stiles has since switched to the Liberal party and residents here draw a parallel with the fact that now that the Liberals govern the province, along comes a renewed plan to attack The Right Stop's perch atop ANBL's approximately 70 agency stores.

Mayor Terry Keating also could not be reached yesterday. However, in 2004 he and his council voiced their approval of the idea of a new liquor store on the village's northern outskirts, saying it would create good paying jobs and boost the village's tax base.

Lacey says the new store will likely feature between 1,200 and 1,600 products, far more than The Right Stop can handle, with ample parking, about quadruple the space of the agency store and far better customer service. That and its busy location will serve to boost business and recoup any added expenses, and more, that are associated with a corporate store as opposed to a non-unionized mom-and-pop agency store, Lacey says, although now firm figures are available on sales and profits estimates for a new store.

The corporation was able to get out of the remaining six years of its lease with The Right Stop thanks to a mutual "out clause" which allows either party to bail out of the agreement for any reason within 90 days.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Further to Kawjo's last post -

there's an interesting 6+ minute audio news article on:

www.cbc.ca/nb

re: the US company "First Wind" that is proposing to put a 13 wind turbine farm in Dark Harbour on Grand Manan (with proposal to add another 50) . . .