Official Fredericton, NB projects thread

[corda]

Double post

[corda]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Heard on CBC Radio this AM that one of the reasons that factored into council's decision to buy this property is that the Hells Angels were interested in purchasing it.

Hells Angels?? Well, no one can say city council isn't being proactive keeping undesired groups out of town.

[corda]

Project could see Doak Road grow by 1,000 units
Published Thursday July 14th, 2011
East end | Housing to be located near industrial and commercial area
A1By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
[email protected]

Fredericton city council has approved a housing development that will open the doorway on Doak Road to what could ultimately be 1,000 new residential units in the east end of the city.

Chippin's Ltd. received third reading from council for a rezoning from commercial and service industrial zone to residential to permit housing to be built at 310-320 Doak Rd.

The real-estate developer also got approval for higher density R-5 and R-6 zones that would allow apartment construction.

The proposal drew objections from neighbours and from Bird Holdings Ltd.

Bird Holdings, which has property on Alison Boulevard, expressed concern about introducing housing in an area that's predominantly industrial, commercial and office properties.

Neighbours are concerned about traffic increases, both during and after construction, and the lack of a playgound in the park, although the developer is proposing to keep a natural wetland as a green space with a walking trail around it.

As well, neighbours questioned where commercial should end and residential begins. The lack of public transit was also raised.

"In that area, at some point in time, the plan is that we see will see residential on both sides of Doak Road.

"The question is where will that transition be from commercial to residential, and this particular plan says it will start on this particular property and I don't have a problem with that," said Lincoln area Coun. Scott McConaghy.

"One of the concerns that came up is that it would somehow be an island of residential within commercial. Initially that's probably true, because this is the first part of a development that will probably see over 1,000 units down in that area. At some point, something has to be first, and from my point of view, this is not a bad fit."

As for the lack of playground space, McConaghy said, land adjoining the Chippin's property is also earmarked for residential, and that area will contain a park.

"Across the back will also be residential," McConaghy said. "What actually draws bus service to a community or an area is development."

He said this is the beginning of a complex and well-planned out development in the area.

Coun. Jordan Graham said the bigger vision for the east end is more residential.

"What we're working on here is the catalyst that's going to be driving the Doak Road forward," Graham said. "The residential and commercial transition has to occur somewhere if we don't want the deadly loss of property where we're just creating a buffer and we don't have any interest in making our developers do that."

Ward 8 Coun. Tony Whalen, who represents the Skyline Acres area, said the lack of sidewalks, bus service and street lights, will be addressed once the population increases.

Alex Forbes, assistant director of development services, said due to the environmental constraints on the property - two streams flank it, along with a wetland area - the developer had to change the focus from commercial to residential.

"The developer's rationale is that the proposed residential lots that front onto Alison Boulevard are flanked on either side by two streams that buffer the residential lots from the adjacent commercial and industrial development," Forbes said in a report to council. "If the lots fronting onto Alison were developed for commercial purposes, a buffer would have to be created ... where the residential lots on the future street connection to Alison Boulevard meet the commercial lots."

Forbes said it would be more difficult to create a hard buffer between the commercial and residential uses, rather than using the 30-metre natural buffer.

"The other factor influencing this proposal relates to the fact that the residential development to the south of Alison Boulevard requires a second access point."

Traffic signals at Doak Road and Alison Boulevard aren't needed at this point, according to engineers.

Engineers aren't concerned that a residential subdivision will have access from a truck route.

Developer Arnold Chippin has agreed to try to keep truck traffic coming and going from Alison Boulevard during the construction phases.

Coun. Stephen Kelly said he was reassured about the residential development inside the bigger commercial zone once he heard back from staff.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/front/article/1423511

[Freddypop]

Sports facility | Fredericton's community services director says northside turf field and $21.6-M complex are on track

A3 By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN

[email protected]

Construction of the $21.6-million Grant*Harvey Centre in Scotiabank Park South is moving along on schedule, says community services director Wayne Tallon.

The city hall department head briefed city councillors on the status of city projects recently.

Structural steel is up on both sides of the Olympic oval at Grant*Harvey, Tallon said.

The base for the pre-cast bleacher sections has been installed. Work is occurring on the St. Thomas University men's and women's hockey programs, the dressing rooms and team offices.

"Things are moving along very nicely," Tallon said.

At the Johnston Avenue outdoor recreation park - where the city is managing the construction of the project initiated by co-funded by Business Fredericton North with that organization's partners and contributors - the base has been established and the piping is laid for what will eventually become a chilled outdoor ice rink in the winter.

The surface is being prepped for the concrete slab, Tallon said.

That project is on schedule.

At Scotiabank Park North, a new artificial turf field work is on schedule. The base has been installed for the field and the parking lot has been prepared for paving.

Scotiabank donated $1.5 million to the city in exchange for naming rights at both its northside and southside sports facilities.

"We're into the final stages and final layer of the (gravel) crusher dust," Tallon said.

"The turf contractor should be there in the next week and a half or two starting to put the turf down, so we're pretty excited about that. We're on schedule for late August, and we will be well ready for the Under-18 National Men's and Women's Soccer Championships."

Fencing is going up, and the electrical for the field lighting is being installed, he said.

Tallon said repairs to Willie O'Ree Place at Scotiabank Park North are also in the final stages.

He said with recent rainstorms, it has become clear that the repairs have been completed properly because the building is dry and shows no sign of leaks.

The building was repaired under warranty after roof and siding leaks were detected in places.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/1423821

[Taeolas]

Lots of activity on the OldTCH side of Bishop drive I noticed. mainly filling in the lots by the looks of it. Any ideas what's going in there?

[cl812]

Noticed yesterday that construction has begun on the Forest Hill Tower II.

[cl812]

Five sites identified as possible location for city pool
Published Saturday July 16th, 2011
Splash | FHS, UNB, Willie O'Ree among places on list
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
[email protected]

Five sites will be scouted as possible locations for a second indoor swimming pool as part of a 10-month feasibility study on the need, scale and costs of a proposed building.

The possible sites include the Grant*Harvey Centre at Scotiabank Park South; Fredericton High School; which has plumbing roughed in because at one time an indoor pool was considered for that location; on the University of New Brunswick campus as a replacement for the Sir Max Aitken Pool when the University of New Brunswick-owned facility is closed; adjacent to Willie O'Ree Place at Scotiabank Park North; and a location at the Kingswood entertainment facility.

Wayne Tallon, community services director for the city, briefed the city's community services committee Thursday about the planning for the study.

Earlier this year, city council awarded the contract for the study to dmA Planning and Management Services Inc. for $79,992.

Tallon said a meeting was held with the consultant June 29 to finalize the work schedule for the study.

"The reason for the length of the process is that we want to make sure we're able to contact, communicate and consult with as many people as we can - stakeholders and user groups - and we want to respect the fact that people are on vacation during July and August," Tallon said.

For that reason, public consultations won't start until September.

"In the meantime, the consultant will be talking with folks from the university, the YMCA, the government departments and so forth," Tallon said.

The project will be divided into three phases - the needs and feasibility, the facility concept, and then funding and implementation.

"That will bring us to the end of May of 2012 before we have a final report to council," he said.

A city hall steering committee with representatives from various city departments has been formed.

A member from the recreation advisory committee formed when local service districts and the Village of New Maryland voted to help fund the city's two new arenas to avoid non-resident user fees has been chosen to sit on it as well.

City recreation manager Michelle Horncastle will chair the committee.

Tallon said the consultant has an architect on staff who will be creating concept drawings and options for a final proposal.

Interest groups who want the city to build a second indoor facility won't be asked to sit on the steering committee, but the consultant will be meeting with all those interested parties, he said.

Coun. Stephen Kelly wanted to know if the indoor pool project is a candidate for a public-private partnership.

Tallon said he believes an indoor pool will need public and private supporters.

Public swimming facilities are always built by municipalities because there's no profit to be made by the private sector.

Tallon said apart from construction costs of an indoor pool, it's the ongoing operating costs that have to be considered.

The consultant has been asked to cost both capital and operating expenses for such a facility.

UNB is expecting to close the aging Sir Max Aitken Pool, possibly as soon as 2014, and that will leave a number of its users looking for space, since UNB has no plans to build a replacement pool.

The Fredericton Aquanaut Swim Team, the Fredericton Synchronized Swimming Club, the Fredericton Diving Club, the Masters Swim Team, the Silver Dolphins Senior Group and more will be without a facility to train and host competitions when the UNB pool closes.

The YMCA's new facility includes a 25-metre, four-lane pool, but members of a Capital Region Aquatic Facility Team said that's inadequate for the regional needs of swimmers.

The facility team is an interest group formed to lobby the city for a second indoor, public-use pool.

The city owns and manages an indoor pool alongside Nashwaaksis Middle School.

It's used for swimming lessons and recreational swimming, and has a water slide and hot tub.

User demand at that pool continues to grow annually.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/1424105

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Lots of activity on the OldTCH side of Bishop drive I noticed. mainly filling in the lots by the looks of it. Any ideas what's going in there?

I had asked that question awhile back but with no reply. There are two lots on Bishop that are currently in play but no idea what is going at either.

[Freddypop]

I hear they are building a "Sam Snead's Restaurant" at Kingswood. It will be opening soon. If it is the same quality as the one in Orlando then this will be a fine restaurant and worth the occasional drive out there.

http://www.samsneadstavern.com/

[cj6286]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Lots of activity on the OldTCH side of Bishop drive I noticed. mainly filling in the lots by the looks of it. Any ideas what's going in there?

I read somewhere in an article they plan on building another hotel to drum up competition.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by cj6286

I read somewhere in an article they plan on building another hotel to drum up competition.

Lots look too small to handle a hotel. Would need two adjacent lots like the Best Western and Amsterdam Inn used

[cj6286]

There's a demo crew currently outside of the TRA building on Queen

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by cj6286

There's a demo crew currently outside of the TRA building on Queen

Noticed that as well. Glad to see that building go. The condo proposal is up for 1st & 2nd reading at City Council on July 25. Hope the demo will mean that construction will begin later this year

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by cj6286

There's a demo crew currently outside of the TRA building on Queen

Building is about 1/3 demolished. Glad to see that thing go...

[cl812]

Ta-ta, TRA building
Published Thursday July 21st, 2011
A5
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
[email protected]

A derelict grocery store on Queen Street is being torn down as the developers await final approval from city council on their proposal to replace the TRA wholesale grocery store with a five-storey, 32-unit apartment building.


Out with the old: Seen through the barricade, bulldozers tear apart the TRA Cash and Carry building to make way for a five-storey, 32-unit apartment building on Queen Street.

Demolition equipment and operators began the task Wednesday of ripping down the building.

Alex Forbes, assistant director of development services with the city, confirmed Wednesday that a demolition permit has been issued for the old grocery store.

"They're within their means to take it down," Forbes said.

A building permit for the apartment development can't be issued by the city until the project gets final approval from city council.

First and second reading of the bylaw changes necessary to permit the structure go forward to city council July 25. Third reading will follow in two weeks time.

The city has to grant a height variance to allow the 16.6-metre high apartment building.

The municipal plan calls for a maximum height of 12 metres in the downtown, but exceptions have been made in the past.

For instance, the TD Tower in Fredericton is seven storeys or 21 metres high. The city's five-storey parking garage nearby is 15.5 metres high.

Because the city's downtown west end is subject to spring flooding, the developers at The Plaza - formerly Plazacorp Retail Properties Ltd. - have decided that the street-level floor of the new apartment development will be devoted to covered parking with the first level of apartment buildings atop the parking garage.

There will be 26 parking stalls at street level with 14 outdoor parking spots at the rare of the building.

The property is held in the name of TC Land Holdings Inc. Calls made to the developer Wednesday by The Daily Gleaner weren't returned.

Downtown Fredericton Inc. has already applauded the development plan, saying it wants to see more residential development in the downtown.

The TRA Cash and Carry wholesale grocery store has been closed for several years. Vandals have smashed out windows and trashed its exterior with graffiti. Most of the windows in the building have plywood over them.

Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside has complained about the unsightliness on the city's main southside downtown street and has called for action.

At the planning advisory committee meeting in April, the height variation was supported by committee members, who also liked the proposed design of the structure.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/1425320

[Taeolas]

Even if for some reason they can't build what they want there, just having that eye sore gone is a huge plus.

It didn't seem as destroyed this morning as I thought it would be; are they limited by how fast they can get the trucks in to haul out/sort out the wreckage? Being that close to the bridge, they'd probably be effectively limited to hauling out between 9 and 4 more or less due to traffic. (I know they were still pulling down by 6pm'ish yesterday)

[gr8deejay]

It was approx. half demolished when I went by at 8am this morning.

[corda]

Originally Posted by gr8deejay

It was approx. half demolished when I went by at 8am this morning.

Welcome to the forum.

[Steeple Shanks]

Noticed that the Irving crane is again in front of the train station. Last time it was there it was to erect the crane for the apartments on Victoria street. Perhaps they are about to dismantle the crane?

[cl812]

Noticed this afternoon that surveying has begun at the Corbett Centre in front of the Dollar Store (location of the new building on the site plan).