[Moncton] Sackville Developments

[Taeolas]

So would that make Moncton Gotham City?

Do we have any local Millionaires to be Batman by night?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Nashe

Our very own "Arkham".

The way that the penitentiary broods over the (former) village of Dorchester, this would only seem appropriate.

Originally Posted by Taeolas

So would that make Moncton Gotham City?

Do we have any local Millionaires to be Batman by night?

Maybe we should mount a bat signal on top of the Bell Aliant Tower downtown and find out!

[MonctonRad]

A rendering has been released for the Namaste Indian Bistro which will open in the former Pizza Delight on Mallard Drive:



Opening is planned for the spring of 2025.

Here’s what you can expect:
• Over 75 seats of cozy, modern dining
• A private room for special occasions 🎉
• A summer patio that will seat 30 people 🌞

This is the same Namaste Bistro that was gutted by a fire in Fredericton in May, 2022. They are planning their comeback in Sackville, counting on business from the university community and passers-by on the TCH. They also plan to reopen in Freddy in 2026.

[MonctonRad]

A bit more information regarding the recently approved mental health facility at the Dorchester Penitentiary:

Dorchester’s ‘game changer’ health centre now fully funded, ready for design-build proposals in February
December 20, 2024
Erica Butler, CHMA News
https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/dorcheste...-for-design-build-proposals-in-february/

LeBlanc said that last week the Treasury Board approved the funding, and “the money is safely now in the account of the Correctional Service of Canada.

According to plans announced at a public meeting in Dorchester this past summer, the centre will accommodate multiple levels of security, and have room for up to 155 patients including a small number of women. Officials said the two to three story building would have its own defined, secured, and patrolled perimeter.

Leblanc said the project would bring hundreds of federal jobs to Dorchester.

“The decision is to build it right here behind us,” gesturing in the direction of a piece of land known as ‘the meadow’, to the right of the driveway approaching the penitentiary, along Main Street.

The meadows was formerly used as part of a prison farm in the minimum security Westmoreland Institution. That and all other prison farms in Canada were closed down by the Harper government in about 2010.

So, in summary, a 2-3 storey secure facility built on penitentiary land, but completely separate from the existing penitentiary building. The building will be located on the former prison farm on the north side of Main Street, between the existing building and the village proper. As such,this building will be easily visible to passing traffic.

[MonctonRad]

Mount Allison construction, renovation projects behind schedule, will cost $10M more
Library renovation, construction of new multi-sports facility, addition of parking lot all part of 5-year plan
Victoria Walton · CBC News · Posted: Jan 20, 2025 6:00 AM AST | Last Updated: 3 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns...-library-update-price-timeline-1.7434809

A major project at Sackville's Mount Allison University will not be finished until 2030, a year later than previously announced, and the cost has risen by $10 million.

The renovation of the library, construction of a new multi-sports facility, and the addition of a parking lot are now expected to cost $95 million.

The project will first see a multi-sport complex built to house the library during renovations of the current library building. Once the library is restored, the multi-sports complex will be completed for use as a gym and athletics building.

The original plan was to break ground last summer, with a goal of opening the interim library in 2026 and all construction to be completed by 2029.

"We also … wanted to make sure that we had extra time for the design work. So we spent a little bit more time, particularly on the library piece to make sure the design was exactly what the best undergraduate university in Canada should have as a library."

The project is now set to begin this spring.

I don't think I had previously clued in to the fact that the plan will include an entirely new gymnasium and sports facility to complement the existing Alumni Gymnasium. This is a major project!

I have previously posted renders of the renovated library building. I see the embedded video included with the CBC article includes a render of the new sports facility. I will do a screen capture of that this evening and post it online here.

Between this nearly $100M project, the $800M prison hospital at Dorchester and, the new six storey mixed use building proposed by Lafford, the town of Tantramar will see damned near a billion dollars of construction activity in the next decade (at least).

[MonctonRad]

As promised, here are a couple of renders of the new (additional) gymnasium/sportsplex building to be constructed at Mount Allison University on the east end of the football field, close to the existing Alumni Gymnasium.





This will be a busy part of town. This is only a block from Lafford's approved six storey mixed use apartment building. The construction schedules will overlap.

[MonctonRad]

Little Sackville NB now officially has it's 2nd university campus.

Beal University from Bangor ME has opened a health sciences campus at the Sackville Memorial Hospital for BN nursing education. The official opening ceremony was today.

Sackville now has Mount Allison University and Beal University Canada.


Maine-based Beal University has opened a Canadian campus at Sackville Memorial Hospital. At an official launch on Monday were, left to right: Horizon Health president Margaret Melanson, Tantramar Deputy Mayor Matt Estabrooks, DeWalt and Health Minister John Dornan. (Pierre Fournier/CBC)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nursing-program-sackville-beal-1.7442812

[sailor734]

Another nursing school is great to see.

[jonny golden]

Beal University from Bangor ME has opened a health sciences campus at the Sackville Memorial Hospital for BN nursing education.

So what effect, if any, do you think this would have on UNB expanding their presence in Moncton?

[KnoxfordGuy]

Did they take up hospital space for this?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by KnoxfordGuy

Did they take up hospital space for this?

Yes. A wing that had previously been closed.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

So what effect, if any, do you think this would have on UNB expanding their presence in Moncton?

Should have no effect.

Any UNB expansion in Moncton remains purely theoretical at this point.

[MonctonRad]

Free tuition up for grabs as Mount A celebrates 25th top ranking
Mount Allison announces major giveaway contest after 25th time being named top Canadian undergraduate university
Author of the article:Sarah Seeley
Published Feb 12, 2025 • Last updated 14 hours ago • 3 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/free-tuition-up-for-grabs-as-mount-a-celebrates-25th-top-ranking (paywall)

Maclean’s put out its annual university rankings, and Mount Allison has received the top spot for undergraduate universities. The university has received the honour 25 times since it first topped the list in 1992.

Along with placing first overall in the primarily undergraduate category, Mount Allison ranked first in faculty awards, and library expenses, and finished second in student awards and operating budget. The university has a population of about 2,300 students with more than 50 academic programs and degrees in arts, science, commerce, fine arts, and music.

Mount A named the best undergraduate university in Canada 25 out of the last 33 years. That's quite a record!

[sailor734]

Also nice to see that 3 of the top 5 undergraduate schools were here in the Maritimes. (St Mary's #3 nationally and Acadia at #4)

[MonctonRad]

New Fire Hall to be built in Dorchester this year
https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/dorcheste...ce-tag-could-go-up-due-to-us-tariff-war/





This is a $4.6M project for the town of Tantramar (which includes Sackville and Dorchester). This seems ambitious, and is not too much different in size than the main fire station in Sackville, but, it should be remembered that this station will also serve Dorchester Penitentiary, so, will need to be large enough to service this substantial facility.

The current plan includes room for three bays, each able to accommodate two trucks. There is workshop and storage space, as well as a training area and kitchen facility. There’s also chief and deputy chief office space, and an area for municipal office use.

An on-schedule project is especially good news this time around, because in addition to committing to the new fire hall, Tantramar has also ordered a new pumper truck for the Dorchester Fire Department, and the $920,000 truck, expected to arrive in 2026, will not fit into the current 77-year-old Dorchester Fire Hall.

[MonctonRad]

Mount A library will track tides, honour indigenous heritage
Author of the article: Payge Woodard
Published Apr 06, 2025 • Last updated 20 hours ago • 1 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/mount-a-library-will-track-tides-honour-indigenous-heritage {paywall)

A multi-million-dollar upgrade to Mount Allison University’s library will honour the unceded territory the school sits on.

The R.P. Bell Library renewal project will include a Mi’kmaq star motif inspired by quillwork on the atrium ceiling, Mi’kmaq ornamental etching and light fixtures inspired by traditional basketry.

The library will include a tide tracker in the atrium.

[MonctonRad]

Paid parking coming to Mount A campus in January 2025
April 11, 2025
Erica Butler
https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/paid-parking-coming-to-mount-a-campus-in-january-2025/

Mount Allison is implementing paid parking on its campus starting in January 2026. The move comes just as the university prepares to pave the Lansdowne Field in downtown Sackville and convert it to a 154-space parking lot.

The new paid parking system will be enforced 24/7, says the university, including weekends, and means only permit holders will be allowed to park in university lots.

Image showing location of temporary library facility/new sports complex and adjacent parking lots (to be built)

[MonctonRad]

They have now started construction on the new sportsplex building/temporary library at Mount Allison University:

[AGGUS]

I wonder if they will name it "Allison Gardens" as a call back to the rink that once was on the exact same site?

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

They have now started construction on the new sportsplex building/temporary library at Mount Allison University:

[MonctonRad]

Several houses on York Street, across from Convocation Hall are in the process of being demolished to make way for the planned seven storey mixed use apartment building being constructed by Lafford Developments.

I presume this means that construction will get under way this summer. Lafford does not fool around!


The buildings that are currently being torn down.


Facsimile of what Lafford is planning. An actual rendering has still not been made public.