The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[bingun]

🌳 Urban Tree Project Update – City of Saint John 🌳

Thanks in part to the Government of Canada’s Natural Infrastructure Fund, the City of Saint John is planting over 1,100 trees across the municipality! This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen our natural infrastructure, improve access to green spaces, and boost climate resilience.
🌱 Project Highlights:
💰 $774,180 in federal funding through the Natural Infrastructure Fund
🌲 1,100+ trees to be planted across Saint John
🌎 Supports climate adaptation, biodiversity, and cleaner air
🤝 City contributing $193,545 to the project
This investment reflects our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future. Whether you're walking through a park or enjoying shade on a sunny day, these trees will make a lasting impact on our community 🌞🌿

I saw this on Facebook the other day, and the comments are a disaster, unsurprisingly. Everyone seems to think you can plant trees for $50 a piece.

So far, I've noticed that they've replaced some of the trees in poor health along Water Street, and they've also replaced some of the empty spots outside the police station on Union Street. I also heard they planted trees on Main Street West, although I haven't seen those myself.

I am not sure if the trees planted as part of the Charlotte Street reconstruction or Main Street project would fall under this.

Has anyone noticed anywhere else that the these new trees have landed?

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by bingun

I saw this on Facebook the other day, and the comments are a disaster, unsurprisingly. Everyone seems to think you can plant trees for $50 a piece.

So far, I've noticed that they've replaced some of the trees in poor health along Water Street, and they've also replaced some of the empty spots outside the police station on Union Street. I also heard they planted trees on Main Street West, although I haven't seen those myself.

I am not sure if the trees planted as part of the Charlotte Street reconstruction or Main Street project would fall under this.

Has anyone noticed anywhere else that the these new trees have landed?

Very much into the idea of adding trees along the side walks.
When you're walking around anywhere outside of a few streets in uptown, if it's hot and sunny, you really feel that concrete pushing the heat back out to you.

I think of streets like King Street East, Prince William that have some really nice atmospheres in part due to the trees.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Very much into the idea of adding trees along the side walks.
When you're walking around anywhere outside of a few streets in uptown, if it's hot and sunny, you really feel that concrete pushing the heat back out to you.

I think of streets like King Street East, Prince William that have some really nice atmospheres in part due to the trees.

I agree 100%. Funding for urban tree planting and maintenance is public money well spent.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Pretty sure these trees are federally funded too? The outrage in the comment section wasn’t entirely surprising, lol.

[cdnguys]

Mercedes Benz dealership building on Rothesay Ave sold. Be interesting to see what business goes in there

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by sailor734

I agree 100%. Funding for urban tree planting and maintenance is public money well spent.

We're also talking about very mature trees. Good luck finding a tree that size for less than a few hundred dollars, and that's before you get into the machinery required to move, plant, and then maintain them. Some of these people have clearly not been to a nursery in the last 40-50 years.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Mercedes Benz dealership building on Rothesay Ave sold. Be interesting to see what business goes in there

The real estate company that sold it mentioned in their post on LinkedIn that they are "looking forward to the re-purposing of this building".

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

We're also talking about very mature trees. Good luck finding a tree that size for less than a few hundred dollars, and that's before you get into the machinery required to move, plant, and then maintain them. Some of these people have clearly not been to a nursery in the last 40-50 years.

How old are the trees they're planting as part of this effort? At least 5 I assume. I'm iffy on 3-year-old saplings taking on snowbanks, salt, and more human factors with ease.

I hope some are allocated for the various places along Princess/Charlotte/Duke where we've currently got stumps.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

How old are the trees they're planting as part of this effort? At least 5 I assume. I'm iffy on 3-year-old saplings taking on snowbanks, salt, and more human factors with ease.

I hope some are allocated for the various places along Princess/Charlotte/Duke where we've currently got stumps.

They've got to be 5 year at least, most of them are ~10 feet tall

[bingun]

Do we know if the city employs or consults with arborists as part of tree planting efforts like this, or are they making it up as they go along? I would hate to see many of these trees die due to poor decisions.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by bingun

Do we know if the city employs or consults with arborists as part of tree planting efforts like this, or are they making it up as they go along? I would hate to see many of these trees die due to poor decisions.

Their biggest threat is snow plow operators mowing them over. Watched one years ago mow over 3 by St Macs - kept on going couldn’t give a shit

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by bingun

Do we know if the city employs or consults with arborists as part of tree planting efforts like this, or are they making it up as they go along? I would hate to see many of these trees die due to poor decisions.

The city has a number of trained arborists on staff, I know one of them personally and they do great work.

[bingun]

City approves funding for second roundabout

https://tj.news/saint-john-south/city-approves-funding-for-second-roundabout

SAINT JOHN – Partial funding for the city’s second roundabout has been approved by council and will be built on Loch Lomond Road at the Route 111 Arterial near the airport to the tune of $200,000.

A council report shows that the funding is actually coming from the budget for the city’s first roundabout, which the city will start construction on at the end of the month. The low bid for the Sandy Point Road/Foster Thurston Boulevard roundabout meant city staff could take that $200,000 from the first roundabout and put it into the second one.

Right now the project is in the design stages, according to public works director Tim O’Reilly, and construction will not begin until next year. O’Reilly said nothing has been decided yet but the Loch Lomond Road roundabout could be a two-lane structure as opposed to the one-lane roundabout that will be on Sandy Point Road.

Although there are safety concerns on Loch Lomond Road, it was also about future development, with the nearby Saint John Airport planning an expansion in the near future.

The proposed roundabout will also include an additional entrance to the airport, according to the report, and will improve access for both public and commercial traffic. As Route 111 is considered a provincial highway, approximately 45 per cent of the design fees will be covered through the Provincial-Municipal Highway Partnership (PMHP) program. The actual amount covered by the PMHP will be dependent on the completed design and engineers’ estimates. For the PMHP program, all design work must be completed and funding claims submitted no later than March 31 of next year.

[cdnguys]

[cdnguys]

[cdnguys]

[bingun]

That's great to see; it feels like it's been three or four years since that was approved.

[sailor734]

It'll have a killer view of the mudflats.

[nwalbert]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Really fantastic in-fill project!

[bingun]

Originally Posted by sailor734

It'll have a killer view of the mudflats.

There are a few buildings down that way with nice architecture (290 Crown, for example); it's too bad about the rest of the area. I always think it's ripe for infill, though, or even demolishing some buildings in poor condition.

They'll get a front row seat as they raise the causeway, which will inevitably take multiple years.