The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

I'm a little unclear on the whole thing-- the UNB-led Health and Social Innovation Centre building is underway, but is it technically part of Phase 1, or is it not really? And, is this second, theoretical Digital Health and Technology building still part of Phase 1 or is it the beginning of Phase 2? I thought the whole project was an ONB-Lark-UNBSJ partnership. It's all being built between the Regional and campus, right?

Very unclear. Seems to have legs but I'd like to know exactly what's it supposed to consist of. Is each phase a building?

All great questions that should have been addressed better in the announcements or on their website. Let's just hope they are better at medicine and research than they are at communications

[DyAm00394]

Green Party proposes plans to improve Saint John’s financial situation.

“The Green Party has presented a tax plan it says will help Saint John’s financial situation.

Leader David — and finance critic Kevin Arseneau said there proposing a change to allow industrial property tax rates to exceed the current limit of 1.7 times the residential rate while creating more property tax classes.

— hopes this will ensure that all types of properties are paying their fair share.

“Municipal council and staff have made it clear that the provincial government must remove the barriers that Saint John faces to collecting a fair share of tax revenue from large corporations,” said —.

“The Liberals and Conservatives may not be listening, but as Greens, we believe that decisions should be made locally. It’s time for the provincial government to get out of the way.”

The Green Party says currently one property tax rate applies to all non-residential property owners in Saint John, from a barber shop to the oil refinery.

“Enough is enough, for years Liberal and Conservative governments have talked about fixing Saint John’s financing issues without taking any action to fix the root problems,” said Arseneau.

“It is time to give the City of Saint John the power it needs to ensure all property owners are taxed fairly.”

https://www.country94.ca/2023/11/30/gree...improve-saint-johns-financial-situation/

[cdnguys]

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[DyAm00394]

Some new renderings of the outdoor spaces for the new international French private school opening at Market Square.

[darkharbour]

I'm really excited about the french school and all of the new international students and staff that will be Uptown and taking advantage of underutilized spaces.

The only sad part is seeing how fast it is moving from announcement to opening - I wish the South End school that some of us started advocating toward over 10 years ago would have moved this fast

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by sailor734

All good points. The Ashburn/Rothesay Road seems logical......probably the kiss of death when it comes to city decision making.

One other benefit would be that raising that intersection by as little as a foot or two would help fix flooding issues there.

Ashburn/Rothesay I think would be the one that would benefit the most from a round-about. However it looks like at least 3 businesses would have to be shuttered altogether, and the impact on so many more by shutting down that intersection completely for months would be insanely expensive and disruptive for traffic. And you'd end up that cars leaving the roundabout would be turning immediately into remaining business and still being stopped due to train traffic, so from a safety aspect there are some flaws to a roundabout. I think rerouting Ashburn onto Retail directly through the mobile home sales property and getting rid of a light is what will happen in the end.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

Ashburn/Rothesay I think would be the one that would benefit the most from a round-about. However it looks like at least 3 businesses would have to be shuttered altogether, and the impact on so many more by shutting down that intersection completely for months would be insanely expensive and disruptive for traffic. And you'd end up that cars leaving the roundabout would be turning immediately into remaining business and still being stopped due to train traffic, so from a safety aspect there are some flaws to a roundabout. I think rerouting Ashburn onto Retail directly through the mobile home sales property and getting rid of a light is what will happen in the end.

This sounds like you are describing Rothesay Avenue and Ashburn Lake Road, not the Rothesay Road and Ashburn Road intersection (terribly confusing name semantics, admittedly). There are barely any buildings or businesses right at the Ashburn/Rothesay intersection they are considering replacing with a roundabout.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

This sounds like you are describing Rothesay Avenue and Ashburn Lake Road, not the Rothesay Road and Ashburn Road intersection (terribly confusing name semantics, admittedly). There are barely any buildings or businesses right at the Ashburn/Rothesay intersection they are considering replacing with a roundabout.

And, Rothesay/Ashburn intersection IS getting realigned with lights to remove the double light section through the mobile home site. No other businesses will be impacted.

The proposed roundabout is most of the way down the page here, very blurry though. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/saint-john-considers-roundabouts-1.6343625

It only impacts a vacant lot to the east, which it provides access to, and one of two driveways of the 3 Drury Cove (a single-family home) property.

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

This sounds like you are describing Rothesay Avenue and Ashburn Lake Road, not the Rothesay Road and Ashburn Road intersection (terribly confusing name semantics, admittedly). There are barely any buildings or businesses right at the Ashburn/Rothesay intersection they are considering replacing with a roundabout.

Gotcha, thanks!

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

Gotcha, thanks!

I get that Ashburn is the correct name but I've always thought of that as the Rothesay Rd/Drury Cove intersection.

I agree it would be a good candidate as an "introduction to roundabouts" for SJ drivers. Especially as it's a T rather than a 4 way.....might keep things a little simpler to start. Same with Sandy Point/Foster Thurston.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by sailor734

I get that Ashburn is the correct name but I've always thought of that as the Rothesay Rd/Drury Cove intersection.

I agree it would be a good candidate as an "introduction to roundabouts" for SJ drivers. Especially as it's a T rather than a 4 way.....might keep things a little simpler to start. Same with Sandy Point/Foster Thurston.

We DO have at least one: Champlain Heights! It's been there forever, but people keep reporting SJ has none.

Apparently there's also a very tiny goofy one in Millidgeville, per a CBC commenter, but I couldn't spot it.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

We DO have at least one: Champlain Heights! It's been there forever, but people keep reporting SJ has none.

Apparently there's also a very tiny goofy one in Millidgeville, per a CBC commenter, but I couldn't spot it.

Really? I've lived in Millidgeville for many years, I'm not aware of it.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Some new renderings of the outdoor spaces for the new international French private school opening at Market Square.

They've added a 3rd new rendering:

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Really? I've lived in Millidgeville for many years, I'm not aware of it.

Could they be referring to that idiotic thing on Cedarwood?

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

Could they be referring to that idiotic thing on Cedarwood?

That must be it, the driveway coming off it was so stupid even the CBC commenters noticed it. Hilarious. I especially love the lonely sidewalk.

But yeah that's technically two roundabouts.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

That must be it, the driveway coming off it was so stupid even the CBC commenters noticed it. Hilarious. I especially love the lonely sidewalk.

But yeah that's technically two roundabouts.

The turning circle for the plow at the end of Bedell Ave has a little island in the middle and two driveways coming off it. That could be another one.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

Could they be referring to that idiotic thing on Cedarwood?

Just took a look at that thing. They put a truck apron on a traffic calming circle, that totally negates the traffic calming because prudent drivers will obey it while the idiots driving pickups can do whatever they want.

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Just took a look at that thing. They put a truck apron on a traffic calming circle, that totally negates the traffic calming because prudent drivers will obey it while the idiots driving pickups can do whatever they want.

The radius is so tight it's impossible not to drive on the apron for a lot of vehicles. Towing our 12 foot work trailer behind the truck for example. I think the radius is even too tight for our extended wheelbase vans. It must be real fun for moving trucks.

[cdnguys]

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[cdnguys]

*** 8 new homes (4 semi-detached buildings) are being built across the street from The Arlington. The foundation is poured for 4 of the homes.

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