Official Fredericton, NB projects thread

[OliverD]

Yeah, I think the future of Main Street is definitely more residential. Perhaps some streetfront buildings with main floor commercial/upper residential would work. Add street parking and you will force traffic onto the Ring Road and make Main Street more appealing to residents and in turn pedestrians.

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Yeah, I think the future of Main Street is definitely more residential. Perhaps some streetfront buildings with main floor commercial/upper residential would work. Add street parking and you will force traffic onto the Ring Road and make Main Street more appealing to residents and in turn pedestrians.

Pedestrians going where? You're pushing all the commercial out, leaving the pedestrians no where to go but to get into their cars to go where the stores are.

More seriously, the Main Street plans are to encourage more street level development, including commercial-residential development and trying to make the street more pedestrian friendly and to get the parking lots pushed to the back as much as possible. That's part of the reason why the group that took over Crappy Tire's building has a plan that has building slots next to Main Street.

On street parking is a nonstarter, but I believe they do want to make it more walkable and to slow traffic a bit more naturally along that main street stretch.

[Twinkies]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Pedestrians going where? You're pushing all the commercial out, leaving the pedestrians no where to go but to get into their cars to go where the stores are.

More seriously, the Main Street plans are to encourage more street level development, including commercial-residential development and trying to make the street more pedestrian friendly and to get the parking lots pushed to the back as much as possible. That's part of the reason why the group that took over Crappy Tire's building has a plan that has building slots next to Main Street.

On street parking is a nonstarter, but I believe they do want to make it more walkable and to slow traffic a bit more naturally along that main street stretch.

Taeolas I just dont see it happening. You can put lip stick on a pig but its still a pig.

[OliverD]

I'm not talking about pushing commercial out. I'm saying further development is more likely to be residential. If you have a healthy mix, and the road system encourages it, then you will end up with more pedestrian traffic.

[Tridus]

Originally Posted by cl812

Saw in the paper the other day that there are some major road construction projects starting this year, the widening of the Hanwell road from Serenity Lane to the City limits and the first phase of major upgrades to the Regent St overpass. It said that they would be replacing and widening the abutments then next year they would be re-building the overpass with an additional northbound lane, so the city can upgrade the Regent Prospect intersection in 2016 (after the smythe route 8 roundabout has been completed). The second phase of the Hanwell widening from the city limits to Bishop drive will be done in 2016 as well.

Saw signs up on the Ring Road and before the PM bridge today that are those big "construction, expect delays" signs, but what they were working on was covered.

Could be one of these, but I'm not sure why they'd have a sign on the PM bridge heading towards the Northside for work on Hanwell Road.

Are they doing something on the Northside this year too?

[Freddypop]

Future Shop at the Uptowne Centre is closed temporarily. Signs on front door say that it will reopen next Saturday, April 4 as a Best Buy. Also noticed that Best Buy has the Freddy store already listed on their site:https://www-ssl.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/stores/store-locator.aspx?StoreId=669

The Future Shop brand is being closed out across Canada: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...-closes-canadian-stores/article23677084/

Further info directly from FS: http://www.futureshop.ca/

Seems to me that this is a desperation move. If it was something that was planned then these changes would have been well coordinated and phased-in.

[D3nZ]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Future Shop at the Uptowne Centre is closed temporarily. Signs on front door say that it will reopen next Saturday, April 4 as a Best Buy. Also noticed that Best Buy has the Freddy store already listed on their site:https://www-ssl.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/stores/store-locator.aspx?StoreId=669

The Future Shop brand is being closed out across Canada: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...-closes-canadian-stores/article23677084/

Further info directly from FS: http://www.futureshop.ca/

Seems to me that this is a desperation move. If it was something that was planned then these changes would have been well coordinated and phased-in.

Like you I think it's a desperation move. I bought my last thing at Future Shop a year ago and will never buy there again. Worst costumer service in Canadian retail history.

We bought a camera before a trip and was told that the extended warranty covered cleaning. When we took it in to get it cleaned (for another trip we were taking in a month) they said it would take 2 weeks. After numerous calls in the weeks before our trip they finally confessed they had messed up and that it was not covered, they didn't have our camera and they were not sure where it was. A week after, Canon phones us to tell us our camera was there and that it would cost us 70$ to get it cleaned. The day before our trip Future Shop invited us to buy a camera from them for our trip and return it when we came back, which we did. (Note that if something would have happened to the camera we were screwed, but we really needed a quality camera for our trip). We received our original camera 2 months after bringing it in, uncleaned since they had apparently sent it to Canon instead of the Future Shop warehouse (which is usually the case when you claim something on your warranty on the first year). When picking it up, they offered to send it to the Warehouse to have it cleaned, which of course we refused and explained the whole story, again, to the costumer service at the store.

Going to the Best Buy image is just a marketing stunt and other than changing from red and white to blue and yellow, it will not change a thing. Almost looks like a longer timed version of what Target did to Zellers. Buy a Canadian brand, close it, rebrand, close it and then pass it as a tax break in the US as a failed investment.

[trev71]

Yup, Best Buy and Future shop are owned by the same company. Some people that may not be rehired. Ive been to the Best Buy in Darmouth and its pretty much the same as Future Shop. AS for prices anyways

[Freddypop]

Here is the "official" BB press release: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/press/id/pc8312.aspx?icmp=BBYPress_en_1

From my personal experience I believe that the major differences between FS and BB (same company) are 1) BB has a slightly wider range of products and 2) BB salespersons are non-commissioned while those at FS were. Bottom line is that sales pressure from BB should be less

[kirjtc2]

Originally Posted by Tridus

Saw signs up on the Ring Road and before the PM bridge today that are those big "construction, expect delays" signs, but what they were working on was covered.

Could be one of these, but I'm not sure why they'd have a sign on the PM bridge heading towards the Northside for work on Hanwell Road.

Are they doing something on the Northside this year too?

Yup. The Fort Nashwaak Bridge will be down to one lane for the summer. Yippee.

http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/public_alerts/public_alert.2015.03.0199.html

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

Yup. The Fort Nashwaak Bridge will be down to one lane for the summer. Yippee.

http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/public_alerts/public_alert.2015.03.0199.html

That bridge is in bad shape. About time it is getting fixed.

As for Futureshop, I'm really not surprised. Ironically I got a new Futureshop card in the mail yesterday.

[Twinkies]

Originally Posted by D3nZ

Like you I think it's a desperation move. I bought my last thing at Future Shop a year ago and will never buy there again. Worst costumer service in Canadian retail history.

We bought a camera before a trip and was told that the extended warranty covered cleaning. When we took it in to get it cleaned (for another trip we were taking in a month) they said it would take 2 weeks. After numerous calls in the weeks before our trip they finally confessed they had messed up and that it was not covered, they didn't have our camera and they were not sure where it was. A week after, Canon phones us to tell us our camera was there and that it would cost us 70$ to get it cleaned. The day before our trip Future Shop invited us to buy a camera from them for our trip and return it when we came back, which we did. (Note that if something would have happened to the camera we were screwed, but we really needed a quality camera for our trip). We received our original camera 2 months after bringing it in, uncleaned since they had apparently sent it to Canon instead of the Future Shop warehouse (which is usually the case when you claim something on your warranty on the first year). When picking it up, they offered to send it to the Warehouse to have it cleaned, which of course we refused and explained the whole story, again, to the costumer service at the store.

Going to the Best Buy image is just a marketing stunt and other than changing from red and white to blue and yellow, it will not change a thing. Almost looks like a longer timed version of what Target did to Zellers. Buy a Canadian brand, close it, rebrand, close it and then pass it as a tax break in the US as a failed investment.

Extended Warranty? Cleaning? First extended warrantys are a total rip and basically a scam. What kind of camera needs cleaning?

[OliverD]

Proposed development on Waterloo Row:



It's been approved by the Preservation Review Board but there is not surprisingly opposition to it.

Also noticed they are clearing the lot between at the corner of Hanwell and Golf Greens, beside the existing condo building that overlooks the golf course. I believe there will be something before next month's PAC agenda regarding this lot. It was previously approved for both an apartment building and townhouses (years ago).

[Blue Blazer]

Originally Posted by D3nZ

Like you I think it's a desperation move. I bought my last thing at Future Shop a year ago and will never buy there again. Worst costumer service in Canadian retail history.

We bought a camera before a trip and was told that the extended warranty covered cleaning. When we took it in to get it cleaned (for another trip we were taking in a month) they said it would take 2 weeks. After numerous calls in the weeks before our trip they finally confessed they had messed up and that it was not covered, they didn't have our camera and they were not sure where it was. A week after, Canon phones us to tell us our camera was there and that it would cost us 70$ to get it cleaned. The day before our trip Future Shop invited us to buy a camera from them for our trip and return it when we came back, which we did. (Note that if something would have happened to the camera we were screwed, but we really needed a quality camera for our trip). We received our original camera 2 months after bringing it in, uncleaned since they had apparently sent it to Canon instead of the Future Shop warehouse (which is usually the case when you claim something on your warranty on the first year). When picking it up, they offered to send it to the Warehouse to have it cleaned, which of course we refused and explained the whole story, again, to the costumer service at the store.

Going to the Best Buy image is just a marketing stunt and other than changing from red and white to blue and yellow, it will not change a thing. Almost looks like a longer timed version of what Target did to Zellers. Buy a Canadian brand, close it, rebrand, close it and then pass it as a tax break in the US as a failed investment.

You fell for the extended warranty trick, ah the oldest trick in the book.

A fool and his money are soon parted

[mylesmalley]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Nice to see Jeffrey Lebowski's moving up in the world

[Freddypop]

Here is the detailed feasibility study update re the Playhouse 2.0 : http://www.fredericton.ca/en/citygovernment/NR2015Apr02PerformingArtsCentreStudy.asp

[Blue Blazer]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Here is the detailed feasibility study update re the Playhouse 2.0 : http://www.fredericton.ca/en/citygovernment/NR2015Apr02PerformingArtsCentreStudy.asp

Why bother Freddypop, Nothing good every comes to the Playhouse Including Jimmy the Janior and Bonnie Kilburn dancers. Time to say good bye

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Here is the detailed feasibility study update re the Playhouse 2.0 : http://www.fredericton.ca/en/citygovernment/NR2015Apr02PerformingArtsCentreStudy.asp

This is great. Good to see it integrates components of the Downtown Plan, showing confidence that changes like lights on Saint Anne's Point could happen.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Here is the detailed feasibility study update re the Playhouse 2.0 : http://www.fredericton.ca/en/citygovernment/NR2015Apr02PerformingArtsCentreStudy.asp

Well good luck with this.

It sounds like a fine project, but given the "success" Moncton is having with the events centre and Saint John is having with the coast guard site, I imagine it might be a frosty day in hell before you get any provincial funding for this project.

Here's hoping though.......

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Well good luck with this.

It sounds like a fine project, but given the "success" Moncton is having with the events centre and Saint John is having with the coast guard site, I imagine it might be a frosty day in hell before you get any provincial funding for this project.

Here's hoping though.......

Hopefully the community funding idea works out, so provincial or municipal funds aren't needed.