[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[Sandbagger]

With the center now under construction, I would anticipate an increase in larger vehicle traffic passing through downtown not just during but also after completion. You'd have transport trucks, taller charter busses etc. Has there been any discussion about fixing the height of the subway? It would be deceivingly complex I would think.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by Sandbagger

With the center now under construction, I would anticipate an increase in larger vehicle traffic passing through downtown not just during but also after completion. You'd have transport trucks, taller charter busses etc. Has there been any discussion about fixing the height of the subway? It would be deceivingly complex I would think.

With Assumption blvd just 1 block away, I can't see the city pouring a lot of resources in replacing and elevating the subway.

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by Sandbagger

With the center now under construction, I would anticipate an increase in larger vehicle traffic passing through downtown not just during but also after completion. You'd have transport trucks, taller charter busses etc. Has there been any discussion about fixing the height of the subway? It would be deceivingly complex I would think.

I always thought that when CN closed the shops and moved work to Montreal, part of that restructure should have included the removal of the tracks through the downtown of the city. They only removed the lines that went up Vaughan Harvey to the shops. Being a crown corporation at the time, the government should have acted but instead left us with a mess.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Sunnybrae

I always thought that when CN closed the shops and moved work to Montreal, part of that restructure should have included the removal of the tracks through the downtown of the city. They only removed the lines that went up Vaughan Harvey to the shops. Being a crown corporation at the time, the government should have acted but instead left us with a mess.

It might be a god idea to get the freight trains out of the core, but removing the trackage would mean abandoning the downtown passenger train station in favour of a suburban station somewhere north of the TCH.

I don't know if we want to go down that particular path. There may be a resurgence in passenger rail, with the VIA President muttering about increased local train service to Halifax and the north shore. Also, in 50-60 years, with the demise of the gasoline economy, we might be happy we maintained the ROW through downtown......

[Sunnybrae]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

It might be a god idea to get the freight trains out of the core, but removing the trackage would mean abandoning the downtown passenger train station in favour of a suburban station somewhere north of the TCH.

I don't know if we want to go down that particular path. There may be a resurgence in passenger rail, with the VIA President muttering about increased local train service to Halifax and the north shore. Also, in 50-60 years, with the demise of the gasoline economy, we might be happy we maintained the ROW through downtown......

You keep the station where it is, but that would be the end of that line coming from the west. The train would reverse back to the rail yard in the industrial park. The new main line should have ran parallel to the TCH north of the city. I'm also talking about what they should have done in the 80's. Now they are screwed.

[Scarface]

Does anyone know the year built for 50 King Street?

I was looking at how far back the talks about Downtown, and the convention had gone on for, and found out it has been going on over 10 years not necessarily on this site.

I found some lets say strange information there is a man who stated on his own website that in 2011 he had talked to city council Members about the new Convention center on Main Street, and also about making Main St. Between Vaughan Harvey, and King Street Pedestrian only, having St George, and Assomption Blvd as the vehicle routes, and having the city turn Gordon/Queen Street into the designated Transit route. (If I find the site again I'll post the link to the post here.)


As for the potential redevelopment of the empty building between Lutz, and the Subway it does not seem to be a go ahead with the developers that where first talking about it unfortunately. For 2 reasons 1. while they talked about a potential hotel. 2 Buildings 869 Main Street, and 883 Main where not for sale, and not likely to be sold cheaply if they would have been sold at all.
2. The Companies that where to join together in this potential project seem to have sold off all there assets, to other companies. This was in an attempt to avoid having to claim bankruptcy. I know the original owners personally so this is information I got from them.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Scarface

As for the potential redevelopment of the empty building between Lutz, and the Subway it does not seem to be a go ahead with the developers that where first talking about it unfortunately. For 2 reasons 1. while they talked about a potential hotel. 2 Buildings 869 Main Street, and 883 Main where not for sale, and not likely to be sold cheaply if they would have been sold at all.
2. The Companies that where to join together in this potential project seem to have sold off all there assets, to other companies. This was in an attempt to avoid having to claim bankruptcy. I know the original owners personally so this is information I got from them.

Thanks for the info. I must admit I always thought the subway block would be a strange place for a hotel anyway. The block is oddly shaped and cheek by jowl next to the CNR mainline. I imagine any patrons would be displeased with a 150 car freight train passing by at 3:30 in the morning......

[L'homard]

Re moving the tracks, old guys like me will recall this has been talked about for many decades and almost came to pass many years ago, with the site chosen for a new train station in the then-new Caledonia Industrial Estates, where it would have been easy to run a new line from the area of Shediac Road, circumventing the city, and reconnecting near Berry Mills.
Of course this never came to be. I don't remember why but I would bet money this would have been a hard sell to CN which no doubt would have been on the hook for at least 1/3rd and more likely 1/2 or more of the cost.

[J81]

Originally Posted by L'homard

Re moving the tracks, old guys like me will recall this has been talked about for many decades and almost came to pass many years ago, with the site chosen for a new train station in the then-new Caledonia Industrial Estates, where it would have been easy to run a new line from the area of Shediac Road, circumventing the city, and reconnecting near Berry Mills.
Of course this never came to be. I don't remember why but I would bet money this would have been a hard sell to CN which no doubt would have been on the hook for at least 1/3rd and more likely 1/2 or more of the cost.

It didnt make sense because all of the businesses that the railway serviced were downtown or in the MID. Also you cant just build a railway next to a highway. Look at the change in elevation of the TCH from Harrisville blvd west to Berry Mills road. The amount of fill they would have had to dump to even that out enough to run a freight train over would be ridiculous! And for what? What would it accomplish? Are we really that inconvenienced by a few freight trains passing through each day? I bet not one of you could tell me how many per day pass through the downtown?

This argument to move the tracks outside the city makes as much sense as the one for closing the 3 major airports in NB to build one in Sussex! It makes zero sense!

[MonctonianSentinel01]

One west bound intermodal, one east bound, one west bound freight, one east bound and one road switcher to the Caledonia Industrial Park every 2 days. Plus VIA so your looking at about 6 to 12 minutes of train per day considering that the speed limit there is 30MPH which isn't the fastest for a train but that's the speed the city imposed, either way it doesn't take long for a train to clear a crossing. CN is willing to reroute the mainline to Halifax that everyone is talking about which is a very important corridor and is advertised quite a bit to the Halifax ports, but the city would have to pay the bill. Every penny and we're talking hundreds of millions here, not even worth thinking about for 6-12 minutes of train per 24 hour cycle. You'd be surprised at how many people actually enjoy seeing the train run by. I'm pretty sure Moncton taxpayers can't afford that and besides its why the city is called the hub because of the railway infrastructure.

[J81]

And rarely would anyone ever see the intermodal trains because they pass through during the wee hours of the morning.

Im not sure why you think CN would be okay with moving the tracks? It benefits the company in no way. It complicates operations and it accomplishes nothing! And then you have the issue of VIA rail. Passenger rail works when the stations are in the middle of cities and towns. Take a ride on the Ocean to Montreal and tell me how many stations are on the outskirts of town! Zero! And in some cases while the train is in station there are multiple crossings blocked in the downtown core for up to 10 minutes. Drummondville comes to mind especially. So I just dont understand people who are clamouring for this to happen.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

To loop the tracks around the city and into the yard wouldn't complicate operations as far as I see and train speed would be kept higher rather than slowing them down and going through the city plus there would be less crossings but who knows. Either way the city will never have the funds to do such a thing and I wouldn't worry about it. It's not as if it's going to happen. But the reason why I said that is because they said in a article a few years back in the Times & Transcript that they would be willing to entertain that ideal if the city pays. But the station is another problem all together like you said. But as far as looping around the city it would only be a matter of time until the city would grow out to meet the tracks and then we have the same problem all over again, it just doesn't make much sense to move them.

[MonctonRad]

K-CupBop (Korean restaurant) has apparently now opened on Main Street

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

K-CupBop (Korean restaurant) has apparently now opened on Main Street

I noticed it too, but have yet to try it. This is already their second location in the region. The other one, located across from Mathieu-Martin high school on Champlain street in Dieppe, open recently as well.

[CodiacRon]

The present subway provides a barrier between the New Events Centre and
the rest of the Downtown. It's time this ugly eyesore is replaced. The
present railway bridge was built for three sets of tracks but at present
only 1 set of tracks cross it. This means that 2/3rd's of it could be
removed to make way for a new ridge. If the railbed were raised slightly
and a thin deck design were used, much of the dip in Main Street could
be eliminated. Perhaps a design competition could be held to come up
with a economical solution to the problem. Whether or not a new railway
bridge is built, removing 2/3rd's of the present structure would be a
major improvement.

[mylesmalley]

Welcome to the forum, CodiacRon!

There's no denying the subway has seen better days. It definitely needs some maintenance and I don't imagine CN is terribly interested in doing anything to it provided it stays structurally sound. That said, I disagree that we'd be better off with it gone. Personally, I think it adds a lot of character to that end of downtown. It's the most visible piece of railroad heritage left in the city and I think it would be a shame to replace it.

[tmacdougall]

I have to agree with CodiacRon! I'm a lifer here in Greater Moncton and I have always seen the subway as something that breaks up the downtown in two pieces.

Ideally, I would like to see a more natural flow for foot traffic before and after games/events.

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

Welcome to the forum, CodiacRon!

There's no denying the subway has seen better days. It definitely needs some maintenance and I don't imagine CN is terribly interested in doing anything to it provided it stays structurally sound. That said, I disagree that we'd be better off with it gone. Personally, I think it adds a lot of character to that end of downtown. It's the most visible piece of railroad heritage left in the city and I think it would be a shame to replace it.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

When CN replaced the bridge over Halls Creek in front of Taylor Ford they reduced the width of the bridge. It used to be a 2 track bridge for both tracks all the way to Painsec Junction at Shediac road. Now with only 1 track there they installed a new 1 track bridge. It's more than likely they'll do the same for the subway once the bridge needs to be replaced. I'm sure they'll only replace the bridge when it needs to be replaced though and not earlier. As far as the subway dividing downtown into 2, that's probably because you can't see over the hill which won't change in my opinion because of a thinner bridge.

[MonctonRad]

Alexandra's Pizza on Main Street has now closed, but will soon reopen as "Moncton Pizza & Grill"

[MonctonRad]

There is a Facebook page devoted to the MH35 project proposed for the old Moncton High School site.

https://www.facebook.com/mh35moncton/?fref=ts

Here's the URL for an interesting video by Jim Lockyer talking about the project. It includes a couple of flyby animations and some floor plans:
https://www.facebook.com/mh35moncton/videos/978311162222544/

Here are screen captures of the floor plans from the video (hence blurry).

Level 1 - you can see how the planned library space wraps around the central courtyard of the old school on three sides. I think this shows a lot of potential. Note that the library entrance is off the parking lot, and not off the main atrium of the building. The "centre of excellence" refers to space for the performing arts, and particularly the Atlantic Ballet Company of Canada.


Level 2 - you can see the auditorium on this level, as well as adjacent studios (created from the old gymnasium) which could also be used by the Atlantic Ballet Company, or for other theatrical rehearsal spaces. I think the area marked "cultural space" could be used for the proposed modern art gallery. The main atrium is on this level and will serve the auditorium and the "cultural space". You can also see that one wing of the building on this level is proposed to be rented out to the province, presumably for office space.


Level 3 - is mostly given over to a "learning centre". I'm not entirely sure what this means, but I imagine this space could be used for a variety of cultural purposes such as small studios, or for classrooms for night courses etc.