[Moncton] East (Harrisville, Lewisville, Tankville, Irishtown) Developments

[stephan.richard]

Does anyone Have a hint on what the exit will look like at the corner of Elmwood and the TCH?

[habs33]

Found this on gnb.ca: "Improvements to the Route 2 Interchange and Elmwood Drive in Moncton, $2.5 million."

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

Does anyone Have a hint on what the exit will look like at the corner of Elmwood and the TCH?

[MonctonRad]

from today's T&T:
http://22864.vws.magma.ca/index.php?&article_id=11978

City takes action on Champlain School
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
Times & Transcript
By: Brent Mazerolle

Moncton city council took some steps to address long-standing complaints about Champlain School's proximity to neighbouring industrial businesses at its regular public meeting last night.

The city and the province will share the cost of constructing a fence to provide a visual barrier between the school and businesses along MacAleese Lane and part of Blakeny Street. The city will also repave Blakeny, particularly a section adjacent to the school property, to improve the dust and pothole situation.

The city is also offering to provide alternative land for two of the businesses as part of a long-term plan to change the neighbourhood.

The school was built in the late 1960s, when environmental concerns were given less thought. Some of the nearby industrial activities, including an asphalt plant, a scrapyard, a Department of Transportation maintenance garage and the transcontinental rail line were all there before the school. However, zoning of the area has also allowed new businesses to establish operations since the opening of the school.

Air quality at the elementary school, which is wedged between industrial operations on MacAleese Lane, Toombs Street, and Mill Road, has been a concern for years. However, because industrial activity in the area predates the school by decades - by more than a century, actually - the city has no right to evict the businesses.

Stephanie Hopper, the head of the school's parent advisory committee, said the city's moves represented a good step forward, but said parents are looking forward to hearing the province's plans for addressing the situation. A meeting with elected officials is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the school.

Personal note - All very sensible actions, with little cost to the city (so far). This is mostly a provincial issue anyway.....

[Taeolas]

The obvious solution would be to move the school. I'm sure the province could find some isolated woods far from any street, let alone city services, but still within city limits to build a new school at.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

The obvious solution would be to move the school. I'm sure the province could find some isolated woods far from any street, let alone city services, but still within city limits to build a new school at.

Speaking of schools in the middle of nowhere:

First Pictures of the New Moncton High School





There is a new road off of Royal Oaks Blvd which is now paved and curbed, which will eventually lead up past the new school. You can get this vantage point from the current terminus of the road and this allows you to see the back of the school. The front of the school appears to be facing north (towards Claude Williams Kent South riding).

This new road is the first evidence of the impending sprawl that will occur with the construction of the new school. Eventually the Royal Oaks subdivision will encircle the new school, and in addition, there is a new "rural estates" type subdivision (called Barron Heights Estates) which is going in immediately across from the school's main driveway off of Elmwood Drive.

[tekojim]

Here is a link to a video of the Kent Distribution Center under Construction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZPL991kATA&feature=c4-overview&list=UUFhWCDCfcZQ4sJGeWCrMWog

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Speaking of schools in the middle of nowhere:

First Pictures of the New Moncton High School

Now that's a depressing sight.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by tekojim

Here is a link to a video of the Kent Distribution Center under Construction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZPL991kATA&feature=c4-overview&list=UUFhWCDCfcZQ4sJGeWCrMWog

Thanks for this tekojim. It's actually very difficult to see what's going on at the construction site because it is located at the extreme eastern end of the Caledonia Industrial Park and there is only a single driveway accessing the site. You can see the building under construction from the TCH, but it's hard to take a picture when you're driving by at 115 km/hr.

[mylesmalley]

I see they hired the same architect for Moncton High as the jail in Shediac.

Is there a reason why all of the schools we've built in the last ten years look like prisons?

[gehrhardt]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

I see they hired the same architect for Moncton High as the jail in Shediac.

Is there a reason why all of the schools we've built in the last ten years look like prisons?

Come on now, I'm sure in 70 years or so (if it lasts that long) there will be the same debate over whether to keep its historically significant façade, just like Moncton High.

[Fischbob]

Has anyone been by the Halls Creek Village development lately to see how it's progressing? I'm doing a sustainable housing assignment on the net-zero energy demonstration home that's to be included in the project's first 'village', and despite published announcements in 2009 and 2011, my internet detective work seems to suggest that construction never actually started until partway through last year.

If any of you have info on this development's construction status, I'd be eternally grateful.

[MonctonRad]

Sorry Fischbob, but I must admit that Hall's Creek Village often slips below my radar because I don't often venture up that part of McLaughlin Drive. I don't have any first hand knowledge to impart.

This development however seems rather slow off the mark though.

I'm sure that you've checked their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/HallsCreek

This video from the Facebook page is also illuminating.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=422502631136201

The main roadway into the development has been curbed and paved and a sidewalk has been installed. The first couple of houses are under construction. Beyond that, I can't help you.

I'm working the rest of the weekend. Perhaps next week i'll take a drive out to see what's going on.....

[MonctonRad]

Drove through the Hall's Creek development today. The main internal roadway as well as several streets to the south are paved and curbed. There are currently a grand total of three single family houses under construction (with excavation for a foundation for a fourth home). Probably about a dozen other lots are sold. No large buildings are yet under construction.

Progress has indeed been slow on this development, but perhaps next year will see a difference.

[stephan.richard]

Also I heard something that Superstore could share the same spot as the Home Hardware that they are building at the corner of Elmwood and the TCH exit heading to Freddy beach.

[Fischbob]

Thanks for the reconnaissance MonctonRad!

I really hope this development succeeds - it's by far the most innovative greenfield concept we've got going on in NB. My biggest worry is that the commercial elements, which will make or break the walkability and sustainability of these villages, ultimately won't be viable owing to (1) the proximity to Mapleton and (2) not reaching a critical mass of residential density. Hopefully I'm wrong and it works out!

[MonctonRad]

Request for variance to allow construction of two 4-storey 16 unit apartment buildings on a single lot off of McLaughlin Drive, not far from MacArthur's Greenhouse & Nursery.

[MonctonRad]

I decided to repost this from the retail thread. It really belongs here.....

I think regardless whether or not the proposed Bass Pro Shops is built on Elmwood, the time is rapidly approaching when the city and province should seriously consider building an interchange connecting McLaughlin Drive and the TCH.

Congestion will only continue to build on Elmwood Drive as suburban sprawl spreads north of the TCH in this section of the city. Elmwood is also a secondary entrance to the Caledonia Industrial Park. Even without Bass Pro, there is obviously a fairly large retail/commercial development in the works for the northwest corner of the TCH/Elmwood interchange. I predict that within five years, this interchange will be as congested as the Mountain Rd/Wheeler Blvd interchange.

A new interchange connecting McLaughlin to the TCH would give an alternate route for traffic to access the TCH from the north central part of the city. This would take pressure off of Elmwood. In addition, a McLaughlin interchange would improve access to the recently constructed Mascaret and Odyssee Schools and perhaps would help give a kick start to the development of the "vision lands".

If in fact Bass Pro does move into the neighbourhood, then a new interchange will become even more important........

[mylesmalley]

I've often wondered why an interchange wasn't built there in the first place. Even Gorge Rd has one and it was even less developed than McLaughlin when the TCH was twinned.

[habs33]

Went to Sobeys after work and noticed that the church is being torn down today. I'd say they where about half way done the demo.

Originally Posted by David_99

St Micheal's Church (or God's Igloo) off Elmwood has just been condemned. It wouldn't surprise me if it's torn down and continue Masters Rd to create a 4-way at the Sobey's Parking lot.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by habs33

Went to Sobeys after work and noticed that the church is being torn down today. I'd say they where about half way done the demo.

Houston, the Igloo has melted: