The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I was over to Chapters at Crystal Palace last night and noticed that they are starting to fence off a portion of the parking lot in preparation for the expansion and renovations to the cinemas. I would say that the new cinema complex will be roughly double the size of the old one.

Any word on how many screens there will be after this expansion? Or will it be the same with just greater seating capacity?

[benvui]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

I guess the biggest drawback to this would be that it wouldn't really address the biggest issue at that interchange - periodic flooding.

Hey, just to poke the bear, but ever since the gates have opened I'm pretty sure the traffic circle has not flooded, and if you remember we have had some pretty significant storms over the past year that in the past would have caused severe flooding there. I've heard it stated that since the river is now wider and deeper it absorbs a lot more of the runoff and therefor flooding should be a less frequent event in that area. Yet another reason for them to open the gates and let the river flow NATURALLY.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

Any word on how many screens there will be after this expansion? Or will it be the same with just greater seating capacity?

I'm pretty sure that it will remain as an eight cinema complex. The pre-existing auditoriums (at least five of them) were pretty small. When they finish, I think all eight auditoriums will be equivalent in size and the facility will be similar to the Trinity Drive Empire Eight Cinemas (except with the new Empire Extra package).

[Sushi Guy]

Good morning everyone.

I have decided to join this forum. I’ve been reading your comments, speculations and scoops for the last several months witch I find very informative and entertaining.

Mylesmalley: I will be attending the "blue sky brainstorming session" this evening and hope to see something interesting. My two cents is that I think they are making a big mistake by building the complex with 9,000 seats. Moncton won’t be able to host the Brier or the IIIHF World Junior Hockey tournament (requires 10,000 seats minimum)…. the only possible place in Atlantic Canada for those major sporting events will still be Halifax!!!

[MonctonRad]

Welcome to the forums Sushi Guy

Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the consultation session tonight but hopefully some other forumers will be (and will report back to us on the proceedings).

If you have been reading the forum, I think you have a good idea what our consensus is.

- 10,000 seats
- located in the core (not on the fringes).
- multi-use facility with integrated retail/restaurants/pubs
- integrated transit hub.
- possible hotel/small convention centre
- open public space or plaza
- architecturally distinctive design, possibly paying homage to the city's railway heritage.

Anyway, I hope you are able to present the points to the people who really matter.

[mylesmalley]

I was at the meeting last night and took part in one of the focus groups afterward. The only really certain thing I was able to take from it from the City's perspective is that it will go downtown. As for a location, they're understandably tight-lipped but they'll be making an announcement in the fall to reveal their chosen site. They've already begun the funding application process, but there's still a fair bit up in the air as far as that goes. Council voted to require that at least a third each of the cost come from the provincial and federal governments. Provincially, we all know the issues. Federally, P3 Canada wont' give more than 25% towards a project. But I guess they're working on it.

As for the actual building... they might have an idea, but last night was entirely about public input. There were certainly some great suggestions regarding ancillary facilities like a large public square, galleries, children's playground, areas for cafes, bistros etc. Thankfully, everyone seemed completely on board with the idea of the property being mixed use - particularly to tie in a large residential component.

The seating numbers tossed around were anything from 9 to 18 thousand. Some suggested no parking at all. Others suggested using the community centers around the city as sites for park-and-ride venues to the downtown facility. There was definitely a desire to see it being green, insofar as even including solar cells on the roof, etc.

All in all, I think it was very positive. At least in the group I was in nobody seemed strongly opposed to it. The city specifically asked for 'blue-sky' ideas. Some of them were particularly out there, but obviously the final project will have to take some and leave others as is practical. I guess my only real criticism would be that the role the city will actually play wasn't really clearly defined to the participants. The city might well own the events center itself, but things like operating onsite cafes and services will have to be sourced to the private sector. Hotels should obviously be operated by professional hoteliers. And the city has no business getting into the leasing or condominium business. That said, most people's attention seemed to be directed towards what else could or should go with it, rather than what the city will actually build for itself.

Just to reiterate my preference. I think an 10-11,000 seat venue is ideal. It's large enough to handle whatever events the city can attract, but small enough to keep costs affordable. One thing I think a lot of people overlook is that a venue that's too big is almost impossible to fill. Nothing kills an atmosphere like a lot of empty stands, especially if it's an important event that would normally be a sell-out. My preference for location would be behind Assomption Place, with East Main and Highfield tied for second. Putting it there would have the biggest impact on the local entertainment scene. If paired with a sizable parking structure, could serve all of downtown, and if done correctly, could become the transportation hub that we've all wanted. The center should be a showpiece that attracts people for more than just hockey games and concerts. At the same time, it needs to have a large private sector component - especially residential.

Anyway, that's my $0.02.

[Sushi Guy]

I was somewhat pleased the way it went yesterday. It’s nice to see that the city wants the participation of all of us early on in the project – At least to listen to our suggestions! The attendees weren’t short of ideas “that’s for sure!” and at the same time a lot of the suggestions resurfaced (outside plaza, cafes/restaurants, museum/art gallery, residential complexes…). The goal is to built, not only a “modern” arena, but to establish a new downtown destination; a Hub in the Hub!

[mylesmalley]

True enough.

By the way, what kind of fish is that in your avatar? It's HUUUGE!

[MonctonRad]

From today's T&T

Metro dreams big for events centre
Published Friday June 17th, 2011

Monctonians brainstorm ideas for proposed downtown facility at last night's city hall session
BY ALLISON TOOGOOD
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

An Olympic-sized rink. A public art and gallery space. An outdoor theatre. An IMAX theatre. Convention halls. Retail spaces. Botanical gardens. Maybe even a monorail.

These are the things residents want to see in a downtown, multi-purpose metro centre.

Some might be a bit out of reach but those who participated in the city's Blue Sky brainstorming workshop last night at Moncton City Hall were told to dream big and they did just that.

Mayor George LeBlanc kicked the session off by saying that the metro centre, however it may be constructed, will be the "Grand Central Station" of Moncton and a catalyst for the next 40, 50 and 100 years' worth of development.

He also urged the residents to think of the exercise as building one's dream home, whether it includes a man-cave, a walk-in closet or a large patio as the focal features.

Before the group discussions began, LeBlanc gave residents a peek into how he sees the metro centre.

"As we walk up to the entrance of the new centre, past the buskers and all the people out enjoying public spaces around it, we admire the heritage look of our new centre," he said. "As we enter it, we walk by the new sports wall of fame, the new basketball team's schedule, and we look at the posters of all the great acts that have already come and those that are scheduled to come."

The 50 or so participants were split into six groups and were given an hour to talk about all the possibilities of what their metro centre entailed.

The economic viability of the centre as a whole was a top concern from all groups.

The group headed by city facilitator Kevin Silliker said that economic sustainability has to come first - that to be financially viable, the centre must be a tourist attraction and that architecturally, it must fit in with its surroundings.

They also suggested that the centre must be more than a sporting arena, to attract people to come early and stay longer, with different activities, shopping, art galleries, IMAX movie theatre and restaurants within the complex. All the groups agreed that new cafes, eateries, pubs and bars should emerge without intruding on the existing downtown businesses.

Another group echoed the idea, saying that it's not just about the building and the arena, it's about the life and the experience.

Greta Doucet, a speaker and a member of the mayor's seniors' advisory committee, said the entire complex needs to be pedestrian- and senior-friendly.

"People will really want to go and be there if it's accessible," she said. "There needs to be a seniors' shuttle, a small bus system separate from Codiac Transit."

Her group was also hoping for a new concert venue, other than the Capitol Theatre or the Moncton Coliseum.

"We want a place with good acoustics and a state-of-the-art sound system, as the Coliseum doesn't have it and the theatre is a small venue."

Many spoke of the importance of outdoors/green space and environmentally friendly construction to the highest degree.

One group said that they would like to see lots of natural light in the building, with many trees and gardens outdoors and no visible parking.

Doucet, who spoke for the second group, agreed that the building must be green in every way, with solar panels and LED lighting. It was also mentioned that the building should be certified by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)'s highest standard.

The residents say that the architecture of the building should blend modernity with historic features and to get away from any big-box, slab-of-concrete style.

One group mentioned that a higher population density is needed downtown but that new development shouldn't be constructed in the surrounding space of the new centre as there would be disruption, especially if there are various events going on at same time.

The last group truly thought 'the sky's the limit,' when it came to their dreams for the centre. They thought it could include an aquatic centre, with the pool having a giant window looking onto the river, so one feels like they're swimming in the Petitcodiac River. They also thought that the centre could have space for the many non-for-profit groups in the city and could also house a faculty from one of the universities.

Currently, the city is aiming for a 9,000-seat arena as the epicentre of the facility, and its construction is estimated at $100 million. Council endorsed a federal funding submission to P3 Canada, a federal Crown corporation whose mandate is to improve the delivery of public infrastructure by achieving better value, timeliness and accountability to taxpayers, through public-private partnerships. They also sent a traditional tri-partite funding submission, where the financing of the centre would be split between all three levels of government.

At last night's session, council released a potential timeline for the centre, if all funding submissions are accepted and all goes as planned. Council will hear from P3 Canada this fall, will announce its preferred building site and give a public presentation of all the financial information. It will finalize all the forms of funding by late 2011.

In mid-2012, the city will release a request for private-sector partner proposals to design, build, develop and finance the centre and will choose a partner the following year. Construction is to start in the spring of 2013 and is estimated to be completed in early 2015.

[porchmouse]

@mylesmalley @sushi guy - thanks for the great representation last night. I was disappointed that I was not able to attend. Thanks again for sharing all of your information.

[Lrdevlop]

Hello everyone! So I was there too, I only heard positive comments and I think the citizens really wants it! I liked the idea of making focus groups so we could discuss and say what was most important to us. They also gave us a timeline of the progress from 2009 to 2015 (I'll try to post it soon).

Like Myles said, some things came up many times, like the look of the inside and the outside, LEED certified, hidden parking (underground parking or parking garage), transportation hub, verry high roof and much more... I also mentionned to my group that 10 000 seats is a minimum and that we should not have too many restaurants in it which could affect other local businesses (as discussed here). We certainly do not want to empty our downtown by creating a downtown within the center. But public space/plaza inside and outside, hall of fame, multimedia projection shows, a community center and an art gallery/museum, of course atleast one restaurant (just not too many ) are certainly good ideas. They asked us what we would like to see around the center; condos and offices were in the most popular suggestions, and most of the groups suggested to start building in height (definitely a good idea ) and someone suggested to build only 3 story buildings................. yeah, . Anyways, I think the city and residents gets it!

[Lrdevlop]

And as I promised, here's the timeline!



*documents are from the City of Moncton

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

Just to reiterate my preference. I think an 10-11,000 seat venue is ideal. It's large enough to handle whatever events the city can attract, but small enough to keep costs affordable. One thing I think a lot of people overlook is that a venue that's too big is almost impossible to fill. Nothing kills an atmosphere like a lot of empty stands, especially if it's an important event that would normally be a sell-out. My preference for location would be behind Assomption Place, with East Main and Highfield tied for second. Putting it there would have the biggest impact on the local entertainment scene. If paired with a sizable parking structure, could serve all of downtown, and if done correctly, could become the transportation hub that we've all wanted. The center should be a showpiece that attracts people for more than just hockey games and concerts. At the same time, it needs to have a large private sector component - especially residential.

I have great sympathy for the idea of locating the events centre behind Assomption Place. This is the true core of the city. That one (large) city block already contains the Assomption complex (including the Delta Beausejour Hotel) and the new provincial courthouse. Both the Blue Cross Centre and the City Hall complex as well as the Marriott Hotel are nearby. Throw in the events centre and this gives the core the density necessary to stimulate future growth and development. There already are many pubs and restaurants on the surrounding streets and with the Riverfront Park on the other side of Assomption Boulevard, there already is a large adjacent public space. This location would seem ideal.

I have several concerns with this location however.

1 - I think traffic access to this site would be more restricted than at Highfield.
2 - Parking would also be a major issue (although there are nearby vacant lands that could be developed into parking garages).
3 - The Assomption site is a lot smaller than Highfield, so I think it would be a lot harder to fit all the things into the complex that people seem to want. The Highfield site is more versatile and could more easily allow development of other amenities such as a hotel with convention space, IMAX, cultural facilities, transit hub, parking and integrated retail/restaurant components.

As I have said however, I am quite torn on the issue and if the Assomption Lands are ultimately chosen over Highfield Square, I won't be too distressed. I just don't want it built on East Main Street. That would do nothing for the core and traffic access issues would be a lot worse than at Highfield. It would be the worst of both worlds.

[David_99]

Maybe I missed this but if it were to be built on East Main, is there any idea of what land that might be? Any guesses?

[MonctonRad]

I have no inside information but I am thinking of the land on Main Street between Mountain Road and the Staples store.

A second possibility could be where that old car dealership used to be (where Boardertech is now).

The second location would be a more acceptable option as it is closer to the core and only a couple of blocks from city hall.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

[mylesmalley]

They said between Harper adn King.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

They said between Harper adn King.

And they were worried about a drive thru bank causing traffic problems on Main? That corner is tight as it is! Also, I thought that's where the new Apt complex was going.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by David_99

And they were worried about a drive thru bank causing traffic problems on Main? That corner is tight as it is! Also, I thought that's where the new Apt complex was going.

That's why I was so intrigued that Robichaud seems to be moving forward on his property on Dominion Street rather than his property on Harper Lane.....

There may be something afoot here.

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

That's why I was so intrigued that Robichaud seems to be moving forward on his property on Dominion Street rather than his property on Harper Lane.....

There may be something afoot here.

I'm guessing the Dominion project is your standard 4 story wood construction, therefore the price tag is probably more affordable for Robichaud.

The East end project is perhaps a 8-10 story project with underground parking, main floor retail and condo units above. Therefore the price tag is obviously much much higher.

I just can't see a 10,000 seat arena anywhere near East end. That doesn't make any sense what so ever.

As far as I'm concern, there's only 2 locations. Behind Delta Beausejour or Highfield Square.

[pierremoncton]

Originally Posted by Budyser

I just can't see a 10,000 seat arena anywhere near East end. That doesn't make any sense what so ever.

As far as I'm concern, there's only 2 locations. Behind Delta Beausejour or Highfield Square.

I don't have a preference myself, but East Main means easy access to and from: Dieppe (Champlain St), Northwest Moncton (Wheeler Blvd), Shediac (Hwy 15), Riverview (Assomption Blvd), the police station. And I don't think traffic congestion would be less in other potential locations.

If it's built between King and Harper, it means there's still space for Robichaud's condos (between Harper and Staples), plus all that desolate prime space finally gets filled up. That leaves the downtown core free for other projects. All that downtown parking space is underused, but King-Staples is not used at all, so it may be better to leave those downtown parking lots alone for now and replace them slowly as new development comes along. Moncton is growing, but we won't run out of space anytime soon.