The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[ErickMontreal]

Moncton will put fire station on Botsford St.

Earlier this week, plans received the blessing of the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission

By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday October 26th, 2007
Appeared on page A4

You can, of course, drive a square peg in a round hole, but it gets a bit messy. Similarly, you can place a rectangular fire station on a triangular lot, but the results are about the same.

Nevertheless, that is what the City of Moncton intends to do with a new Botsford Street fire station and this week it got the blessing of the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission to do so, even though it meant violating a host of standards normally required by the city's own municipal plan.

To permit the construction of the new municipal fire station, the city went before the commission this week seeking variances "to remove the requirement for a public entrance facing all streets; to reduce the fenestration ration (the amount of glass required on the facades of a building); to allow parking to be located between the facade of the building and the street; to remove the parking lot buffer requirement; to remove the parking lot screening requirement; to increase the maximum setback; to allow the parking spaces to encroach into the right-of-way; and to allow the building to encroach into the street right-of-way."

In addition to that lengthy wish-list, the commission also had to grant the city the right to have three driveway entrances to make the site viable.

That's not to say the granting of variances to the municipality is unusual. A key reason planning commissions hold public meetings is to decide on projects that might not meet all requirements of municipal by-laws, urban or rural plans, or the Community Planning Act but nevertheless have other merits worthy of consideration.

And Michael Poulton Ph.D., a professor at Dalhousie University's of Architecture and Planning said yesterday he saw nothing untoward in the City of Moncton being granted so much leeway where another applicant might have failed to sway commissioners. "Usually a fire hall trumps all other considerations," Poulton said, suggesting it was the lot's intended use in the common good rather than the influence of the applicant that would carry the day with a planning commission.

While a developer looking to place, say, just another retail building on the site, would perhaps not be granted such a number of variances at one of the gateways to Moncton's downtown (though in fact Sobey's did receive numerous variances to accommodate its new store at Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and Main Street, an intersection considered one of downtown's other gateways. At the time, planning commissioner Dale Briggs objected to that development as "shoving a square peg in a round hole," and "re-zoning by variance").

But when it comes to placing fire trucks instead of frozen food aisles, Dalhousie University's Poulton said the argument that the property at King and Botsford Street was geographically strategic for emergency response would carry a lot of weight.

Without firsthand knowledge of the site, Poulton, who in fact specializes in traffic issues, did not comment on whether the site made sense from a traffic point of view.

There has been criticism of the choice of the site, because of the oddly configured streets in the old East End and the rush hour traffic congestion in the area. Fire trucks on calls will exit onto Botsford near Wheeler Boulevard and return to the drive-through fire hall via King Street. It's a decision Moncton's fire chief has defended several times.

"It would be unfortunate to disqualify that site because of an hour-and-a-half of congestion Monday to Friday," Eric Arsenault told the Times & Transcript earlier this year.

The chief has said when you look at 24 hour, seven days a week operations, the site scores high for other reasons. The city wanted at least one of its fire stations east of the CN main line. The Botsford location places trucks between the Wheeler underpass and the Mountain Road overpass, two of just three places in the city where you don't confront the rail line at a level crossing. The location gives quick access to Wheeler Boulevard but stays south of it because the bulk of the station's calls will be in the downtown.

On the other hand, because it will be expected to back up the McLaughlin Drive fire station, the new station needs to be relatively close to the Sunny Brae, Humphrey, Lewisville and Shediac Road areas as well.

The city's five-year capital works projects spending to widen Botsford from Wheeler to Mountain Road in 2009, which should improve things within a year of the station's opening. However, long delayed Mapleton Road upgrades appear to be the city's current priority and experienced budget watchers know the only constant in capital projections is change. Planning commissioner S. Boyd Anderson also noted this week that council had yet to adopt the widening project.

In the end, the planning commission gave the project the green light, after amending the site plan to replace one of the building's parking spaces to accommodate some plantings.

[mmmatt]

wow...thats a lot of violations haha. Hope they know what they are doing

Heres a cool video from a Boeing 737 taking off from Moncton, it shows some nice views of the city

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=5717294594441043581

[JasonL-Moncton]

Originally Posted by stu_pendousmat2

wow...thats a lot of violations haha. Hope they know what they are doing

Heres a cool video from a Boeing 737 taking off from Moncton, it shows some nice views of the city

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=5717294594441043581

That was cool...really shows how WIDE the 'Petty' used to be!

Jason

[mylesmalley]

Boy, this forum has been dead lately...

[mmmatt]

A worker on the new Marriott Residence Inn on Main Street in Moncton works on the scaffolding used to finish the facade yesterday.

[mmmatt]

Airport CEO says Metro is losing out on international flights due to customs staffing

By Kate Wright
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Monday October 29th, 2007

OTTAWA - Despite months of waiting and pleas from airport officials, a review of border security staffing at the region's airport has yet to appear -- something the city's airport chief is growing anxious over.


A multi-month review of the Canada Border Service Agency to determine if more customs staff are needed in the province's growing airports was supposed to be tabled in the House of Commons earlier this fall.

Greater Moncton International Airport CEO Rob Robichaud says the holdup is "unacceptable" and the airport can't afford to wait much longer.

"Every day that goes by is a day that we have to market our airport with one hand tied behind our back," he said.

The Canada Border Services Agency only provides a limited number of customs officers from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The agency hasn't increased its customs staff -- even though the airport has increased its flight traffic.

The customs agency will still send officers to check luggage and passports until midnight on overtime, but said it doesn't have enough officers Other flights arriving after midnight have to be diverted to another airport and in the Maritime provinces, only Halifax has enough officers to staff after midnight.

Robichaud is concerned the upcoming sun destination season will be impacted by the airport's inability to lure international flights. Last year, the airport lost three flights that had to be diverted to Halifax to receive customs service after midnight.

"What's to say that couldn't happen again," he said. "The more that happens, the more we get a reputation of not being a reliable airport." In an email, public safety spokeswoman Melisa Leclerc would only say the review was scheduled for release in the fall.

She would not say when an announcement would be made.Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Brian Murphy said the airport has been put at a market disadvantage and is having an impact on the city's economic growth.

He said he has concerns about the way the file has been handled by Day.

"The languid way he answers questions shows he's certainly not firing on this cylinder," he said.

"He's given his assurance in House that they were working on a review and there would be an answer, but we've been given no word whatsoever."Robichaud said if an answer doesn't come soon, the airport is prepared to launch public awareness campaigns to put pressure on the government to make a decision.

[mmmatt]

Some pics from a weekend visit.

New Lawtons:





Nice fall colours:

[acrew79]

New garden centre under construction
Grand opening of Green Village store expected in May

By Yvon Gauvin
Times & Transcript staff
Published Tuesday October 30th, 2007


Something big is sprouting out of the ground on Lewisville Road in Moncton.
Workers are putting footings in the ground for a 48,000-square-foot garden centre, likely the largest in the Maritimes and expected to open in March.
Fredericton-based Green Village Home and Garden is opening its second retail centre, this one in Moncton, and making it its flagship for a burgeoning franchise business, says company owner Andy Buyting.
Next year also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the founding of the family business in Fredericton, and the culmination of a long family history of retail and gardening in the capital. The Fredericton store is already considered a premiere garden centre. The Moncton location will be similar in size but will offer a new look, he said, and will likely surpass the Fredericton centre in sales by 2009.

Buyting said the company chose Moncton for its first expansion because of its central location, its reputation as a retail centre, its business-friendly attitude and growth. He was looking for a location with high visibility, good access and large enough to accommodate the building plans.
The company began searching for a property in Moncton last winter. Work on clearing the land began three weeks ago with the enclosed area to be up by December.

At the peak season, from April to late summer, the company plans to employ up to 60 full- and part-time employees, offering plants and shrubs as well as home and garden amenities and a gift shop.
The plan calls for close to 300 feet of frontage with glass covering much of the store front and modern climate control inside. The roof over the covered garden centre can be retracted with the push of a button.
There won't be a nursery to grow the bedding plants, trees and shrubs as in Fredericton. The company will rely instead on local suppliers for most of their needs, said Buyting..

An additional feature is the 35,000-square-foot roof, which will collect rain water to irrigate the plants. The new centre will complement most existing garden centres, for example those outside big box stores, by offering a greater selection of larger plants, more exotic and hard to find items and a greater array of garden supplies and materials,
The store will offer specialized, expert service and products for those interested in moving up to the next level.
Buyting intends to partner with a Metro landscaping company, rather than start his own landscaping operation as in Fredericton.
The grand opening of the new Moncton centre, located near the Taylor Ford dealership, is scheduled for May.

[acrew79]

I dont know if this is " bi-law" still stands .. or if im pulling this one out of my ass .. but .. a " million" years ago when the NBTel Tower was built, and the ASsumption building shortly there-after .. wasnt/isnt there a law put in place by the City that No building taller than 200ft ( 20 Stories ) can be built within city limits.. do to its interference with the TOWER SIGNALS..

yes i know this tower isnt really used much as a tower anymore.. rather a high point to add satelite receivers.. ( since they can be added to anyhting tall) .. I belive this by-law still exists..

explaining the reasoning to maybe why we cannot have a tall buiilding in moncton..

can someone verify with someone to see if this by-law still exisits?

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by acrew79

can someone verify with someone to see if this by-law still exisits?

not too sure about that but if it still exists Im sure if someone proposed a 25 story building downtown the city would disregard it as its no longer relevant...

Also...welcome to the forum!

[mmmatt]

And also great news about the new garden center...should be nice!

[mmmatt]

here is the garden center U/C

(photo T&T)

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by stu_pendousmat2

here is the garden center U/C

(photo T&T)

Excellent news. It'll really add to that part of town.

[JasonL-Moncton]

The garden center is going in an area of town that I've thought has been neglected for a long time...nice to see.

[mmmatt]

T&T
Published Thursday November 1st, 2007
Appeared on page a3

Main Street was a little congested yesterday as a large crane was moved in to hoist workers from Hansens Signs who were erecting a pair of large signs on the side of the TD Bank building



[anybody know what these signs say?]

[mmmatt]

New centre is one of only 22 in the country

Times & Transcript staff
Published Wednesday October 31st, 2007
Appeared on page C2

Researching Statistics Canada's myriad of information from its data banks on just about any topic just got a whole lot easier for post graduates and professional researchers in the region.

A Statistics Canada Research Data Centre was officially opened at the Université de Moncton's Champlain Library, Moncton campus, yesterday with several officials on hand including Gustave J. Goldmann of Ottawa, program manager for the research centre's social and demographic statistics branch,

The centre, of which there are 22 across Canada, provides easy access to Statistics Canada information and findings for use by researchers.

Before the centres, the only way to access the data itself was to travel to Ottawa and the Statistics Canada bureau, said Goldmann.

The new centre doesn't mean that anyone can get access to the data. They must have approval first of their project proposal from a committee under the auspices of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Statistics Canada. Nor can the data itself be copied for removal from the centre, only the results, said Dr. Soheil Chennouf, the analyst who will look over the work before it leaves the centre to ensure no confidential information is contained.

No names are identified on the data to protect confidentiality but there is concern that an individual could be identified through the data, said Chennouf.

Goldmann said security is paramount, adding that none of the data itself is transmitted over the Internet as a further precaution, but copies are kept at the various centres under secure facilities.

The UdeM centre was approved through the partnership of the university, the Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy and Public Administration, the Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, the Centre de recherche et de développement en éducation, the Consortium national de formation en santé, the Quebec Community Groups Network, the Réseau de dévelopment économique et d'employabilité and the Société Santé en français.

Examples of the type of research that might be undertaken at the centre would be comparing rural health with urban health for a particular age group, said Goldmann.

The goals here are to make the data available to more researchers, help train the next generation of quantitative researchers and help better inform the public on social policy debate, he said.

A lot of very good research is happening on Canadian society, he said. The centres have logged as much as 1,700 researches since the program began in 2000.

Topics have included children and early childhood development, education and health and immigration, for example how well the new residents are adapting to their surroundings and how well they do in their chosen occupation, he said.

[mmmatt]

Over 100 workers from across Atlantic Canada to share best practices

Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday November 2nd, 2007
Appeared on page A3

Over 100 representatives from public works sectors all across New Brunswick and the Maritimes are currently in Moncton for the Atlantic Public Works conference.

Don Morehouse, director of engineering operations for the City of Moncton's public works department, says bringing in members from all around the Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) will be beneficial to the city.

"Public works really affects people's daily lives," Morehouse said. "This conference is a great opportunity for our public works staff to highlight their successes and learn from some of the best practices in other municipalities."

The public works team in Moncton is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of streets, sidewalks, traffic lights, lampposts, water systems and sewers.

In addition, Morehouse says they are also responsible for street cleaning and snow removal of approximately 800 kilometres of city streets, curbside waste collection from 21,219 properties every week, sidewalk snow removal and sanding of 185 kilometres of sidewalk, and much more.

Planned topics for the conference include applications of the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Act and standards, pavement conditions assessment by means of high-speed data collection and road and salt usage best practices.

The conference also heard from renowned human resource specialist Pierre Battah on retention and engagement of employees.

Moncton Mayor Lorne Mitton was on hand to give opening remarks to the assembled guests yesterday and credited the public works department for all the work they do to make the city a success.

"Conferences like this one encourage an exchange of knowledge and ideas and are contributing factors to Moncton's innovative spirit," he said.

The three-day conference concludes today.

[mmmatt]

Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday November 2nd, 2007
Appeared on page C2

Atlantic Mazda is on the move.

The Morton Avenue automobile dealer will open in a new larger facility on Aviation Avenue in Dieppe next spring.

The steel is up and the building should be closed in this month. Atlantic Mazda dealer principal John Smith said he and his staff hoped to make the move in March for an April 1 opening at the new dealership.

"The building will be two-and-a-half times larger and the lot will be five times larger," Smith said, adding the drive-by traffic along Veterans Highway (Route 15) also made the new location desirable.

Atlantic Mazda leases its current location and there's no word what will become of that property in April.



Construction continues on the new Atlantic Mazda building going up on Aviation Avenue in Dieppe.

[mmmatt]

Times & Transcript
Published Friday November 2nd, 2007
Appeared on page C2

After 14 months, diners at the Highfield Square food court will again have the option to eat a sub for lunch -- or an authentic Montreal smoked meat sandwich or paninis for that matter.

The former Ed's Subs in the Terraces food court reopens Monday under new ownership as CD Subs.

Soups and salads will also be offered and prices are lunchtime competitive, with the smoked seat sandwich, for instance retailing at $4.99.

The Ed's Subs was one of three separate businesses in the food court shut down in August 2006 after the franchisee of all three ran into financial difficulties.

The other take-outs, Healthy Bites and a Pizza Delight franchise, remain vacant. Two other businesses in the mall owned by the same businessman were also shut down at the time.

[mmmatt]

New Brunswick trade mission lands in Boston Sunday

By Jesse Robichaud
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Friday November 2nd, 2007
Appeared on page C2

Undeterred by the effects of the strong Canadian dollar on imports to the United States, several Metro Moncton entrepreneurs are busy today making last minute preparations for their role in what will be Team Canada Atlantic's largest ever trade mission south of the border.

Local businesspeople will join dozens of counterparts from across the Maritimes and Canada in Boston from Sunday until Tuesday in the hopes of making new contacts and closing deals.

Premier Shawn Graham will follow the business leaders to Boston and will lend a hand in selling the province's brightest business prospects to the province's most important export market.

Last year, the province exported about $1.2 billion in products and services to Massachusetts alone.

Mike Timani, owner of Fancy Pokket -- a Moncton-based manufacturer of fresh baked goods -- wants in on that market.

Timani says he is heading to Boston looking to land some major deals.

And with a 32,000-sq.-ft production facility filled with state of the art equipment, he says the company can meet the demands of the densely populated market.

"We are prepared for larger deals. We are ready for that, and people who are going on these trade missions have to be ready, because you are not talking about a small area."

Fancy Pokket will be participating in the "Taste of Atlantic Canada" food promotion on Monday at the Boston Marriott Quincy Hotel. The highly publicized event is expected to attract up to 1,000 New England businesspeople.

Wayne McKay will be busy in Boston selling the services of his firm, Menu Tools, a Riverview-based company that provides cost-control tools and training for restaurant operators.

While Menu Tools isn't the only firm to such products, it is the only company in North America that offers web-based and fully supported tools to help restaurant calculate the profit margins they are serving up on their menu.

McKay has even registered the company in restaurant associations in Massachusetts and New York state in order to make sure no similar product had popped up in those lucrative markets.

Timani says trade missions are crucial to breaking into the large, tough U.S. market.