The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread - Page 200

MonctonRad · #**3981** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 3:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

^Looks good Budyser

I have one question for a Moctonian. Where is the VIA Rail station downtown? Because I was thinking if you guys really want to attract people to the Wildcats games making a main downtown "square" of sorts could really work out. Having the train station, collesium, bus terminal and ample parking nearby could really kick up some action in that part of town, especially with it being so close to Main Street.

Its just an idea. I know the VIA Rail Station here in Halifax gives the nearby streets a lot of activity.

The VIA station would only be spitting distance from the arena, no more than 100m. The station however only has two passenger trains a day, so the effects on the immediate neighbourhood are negligible.

I am a big proponent of rail transportation however, and I would really like to see resumption of train service between Moncton and Saint John some day. As oil prices eventually rise, this might become viable as would increased pasenger service between Halifax and Moncton.

mylesmalley · #**3982** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 3:29 AM**

Bedford:

The VIA station is directly across from the new Sobeys, which puts it just below the photo above. It would be cool to have a combined bus (local and intercity) and train station, directly connected to a sports complex.

mylesmalley · #**3983** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 3:33 AM**

Welcome Budyser! Looks good. My only comment would be the amount of surface parking. While the city will invariably build a massive parking lot, i'd much sooner see a one or two level structure with an equivalent number of spaces. It would cost quite a bit more, but would allow for a considerable amount of additional development in the area. There's faaaaar too much surface parking downtown.

Dmajackson · #**3984** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 4:32 AM**

If the station is that close there probably wouldn't be much of a point to moving it up the street.

One cool thing I think Moncton really should take advantage of is the large blocks next to the rail tracks. Looking at the size of those blocks the city could easily fit some nice buildings at the street with ample levelled parking in behind. Heck, you could even fit a cycling trail in next to the rail tracks if you tried.

mylesmalley · #**3985** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 5:07 AM**

Oh, there's plenty of room back there... I figure you could probably put a 6 lane highway from one end of downtown to the other and not have to knock down more than a few old houses, if you ust connected all the surface parking lots along the waterfront.

mmmatt · #**3986** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 7:10 AM**

Welcome to the forum Budyser!

I like your ideas, however I am hoping to see at least one parking garage in the final design. Personally I'm still hoping for a more central location such as behind assumption etc to better capitalize on nearby restaurants and hotels.

Check this out, guess what mall is on a list of "Coolest Malls in North America"?? haha...I'll admit it is quite a bit better than before, but its still funny sounding.

http://www.caamagazine.ca/caadvice_articledetail.aspx?ContentId=1110

This goes well with the new slogan though:

credit: champlainplace.com

Jerry556 · #**3987** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 3:01 PM**

why would champlain place be the coolest, there's nothing special about it??? plus its not even close in size compared to the rest on the list??

MonctonRad · #**3988** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 3:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmatt

Check this out, guess what mall is on a list of "Coolest Malls in North America"?? haha...I'll admit it is quite a bit better than before, but its still funny sounding.

http://www.caamagazine.ca/caadvice_articledetail.aspx?ContentId=1110

This goes well with the new slogan though:

credit: champlainplace.com

So, according to CAA Magazine, good old Champlain is one of the six coolest malls in North America, right up there with West Edmonton Mall and the Mall of America!!

What a riot!!

I wonder how much they paid CAA for this free advertising.

The mall does look seriously better now than it did before the renovations and having Crystal Palace as part of the complex is a plus but what a pile of horse manure!

I know we are getting H&M in the spring but unless we also get some seriously upscale retailers (like Abercrombie, Talbots, Banana Republic and Pottery Barn) in the other vacant spaces in the mall too, then that CAA article can only be considered as fluff journalism.

MonctonRad · #**3989** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 3:43 PM**

Two NB companies in the running to build P3 schools
January 31, 2009 - 5:54 am
By: News 91.9 Staff

MONCTON, NB - Six companies have submitted expressions of interest to build new schools in Moncton north and Rexton. Under a public private partnership the selected developer will design, build, finance, operate and maintain both schools.

Supply and Services minister Ed Doherty sasy the submissions will be evaluated by the department before a second-stage request for proposals is issued next month.

The lone Moncton company in the running is Ashford Investments. The only other New Brunswick bid is from Springhill Construction of Fredericton.

Construction on both schools is expected to begin in the late summer of 2009 with completion by the fall of 2010.

mmmatt · #**3990** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 4:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So, according to CAA Magazine, good old Champlain is one of the six coolest malls in North America, right up there with West Edmonton Mall and the Mall of America!!

What a riot!!

I wonder how much they paid CAA for this free advertising.

The mall does look seriously better now than it did before the renovations and having Crystal Palace as part of the complex is a plus but what a pile of horse manure!

I know we are getting H&M in the spring but unless we also get some seriously upscale retailers (like Abercrombie, Talbots, Banana Republic and Pottery Barn) in the other vacant spaces in the mall too, then that CAA article can only be considered as fluff journalism.

hahaha, quite true, it is certainly fluff. However it is great advertising for the mall and likewise for the area, so its not all bad

Also regarding the mall, according to the floor plan La Vie En Rose will be setting up shop in the former space of RW&CO before they moved down the hall.

mmmatt · #**3991** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 4:57 PM**

Colour for the page (this time from Panoramio)

From the roof of Razor Creative

credit: richgould on panoramio
View Large: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/10026750.jpg

From the roof of Razor Creative

credit: richgould on panoramio
View Large: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/10026786.jpg

From the roof of City Hall (obv. a bit dated with the BK sign, but its still neat. The above shots were taken from the roof of the pink building, which is not brown haha)

credit: XeRoX2k2 on panoramio
View Large: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11441208.jpg

mmmatt · #**3992** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 6:53 PM**

Boredom at work...

Ive just been browsing around looking at some arenas going up of a similar size to what Moncton is thinking of...here are some of them:

Lucas County Arena, Toledo, OH

Capacity: 10,000
Cost: $105 Million USD

Citizens Bank Arena, Ontario, CA

Capicity: 11,000
Cost: $130 Million USD

JQH Arena - Missouri State University

Capicity: 11,000
Cost: $67 Million USD

I honestly think that we should shoot for a 10,000 seater maximum. We have 7,000 seats now and that does us well for the majority of events...so I would say with 10,000 that gives us room to grow for at least 20 years. Anything more would be pushing it.

mylesmalley · #**3993** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 7:08 PM**

I hope they don't propose some ghastly dome thing.

MonctonRad · #**3994** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 9:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmatt

I honestly think that we should shoot for a 10,000 seater maximum. We have 7,000 seats now and that does us well for the majority of events...so I would say with 10,000 that gives us room to grow for at least 20 years. Anything more would be pushing it.

I think most people on this forum think the new downtown arena should have seating between 10,000 and 12,000. Anything more than this would be excessive.

I wish the T&T would stop talking about a facility in the 15-20,000 range. That is clearly too large for our market. It's not like we're bidding for an NHL team for cripes sake!

Those arenas in your post look quite nice. Clearly a new downtown arena doesn't have to look like a windowless box.

MonctonRad · #**3995** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 9:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmatt

hahaha, quite true, it is certainly fluff. However it is great advertising for the mall and likewise for the area, so its not all bad

Also regarding the mall, according to the floor plan La Vie En Rose will be setting up shop in the former space of RW&CO before they moved down the hall.

I was in the mall this afternoon. It looks like the new store will be a combo store like GAP/GAP KIDS and MEXX/MEXX KIDS.

The signage on the drywall around the construction site talks about La Vie en Rose (lingerie) and La Vie en Rose - AQUA (swimwear).

mmmatt · #**3996** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I was in the mall this afternoon. It looks like the new store will be a combo store like GAP/GAP KIDS and MEXX/MEXX KIDS.

The signage on the drywall around the construction site talks about La Vie en Rose (lingerie) and La Vie en Rose - AQUA (swimwear).

Sounds neat!

I wonder if this is this the 1st La Vie En Rose in Atlantic Canada or just NB? Im sure Erick could answer haha.

Wishblade · #**3997** Posted **Jan 31, 2009, 11:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmatt

Sounds neat!

I wonder if this is this the 1st La Vie En Rose in Atlantic Canada or just NB? Im sure Erick could answer haha.

Sorry, there's one in Halifax already, but I think thats it.

mylesmalley · #**3998** Posted **Feb 1, 2009, 12:29 AM**

4000 posts, eh...

I'm with you on the stadium size, MonctonRad. Seems the Transcript has a soft spot for embelleshments when it comes to guessing how big stuff will be. I know it's been said before, but I still find it funny how needlessly pessimistic the Telegraph can be, and how stupidly ridiculous the Transcript often is.

Jerry556 · #**3999** Posted **Feb 1, 2009, 4:06 AM**

Champlain mall is useless now a days, its all clothing stores, thats about it.
ya 20.000 for the center would def be overkill, am shur in some cases it could be used, but i say 12000-13000 would be a good size. Does anybody know if they finalized things for the ashford office building on Vaughn Harvey(construction starting anytime soon??)??

mmmatt · #**4000** Posted **Feb 1, 2009, 6:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wishblade

Sorry, there's one in Halifax already, but I think thats it.

Ahh thanks, no need to be sorry, just curious is all, that's usually the way it goes.