Official Fredericton, NB projects thread - Page 460

KnoxfordGuy · #**9181** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 4:38 PM**

Love the Officers Square plan.

MonctonRad · #**9182** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 4:48 PM**

Freddy seems to have its act together these days.

Freddypop · #**9183** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 7:39 PM**

City has decided not to build new skatepark downtown as they couldn't find any suitable land. Instead they will build this summer at Willie O'ree Place on the Northside. Cost = $1.425 million

Taeolas · #**9184** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 7:54 PM**

It's good to get another park on the northside, and I can understand not finding space right downtown; but I wonder if they could've found a closer area to do it instead?

Wilmot park is the "activity" park just off the downtown (with the splashpad, playground, tennis courts, basketball court, etc...), while people would decry losing more greenery, maybe they could have put a skate park in there. The corner of Rookwood and Saunders maybe; or between the tennis courts and the lawnbowling, or just north of the playground).

Morell park at the opposite end of downtown might have been another possibility. It 'just' has a ball field, but I'm sure they could find space at the other end of that park.

Queen Square is another park where there's probably enough room to add one in without taking away too much green space.

Hmm... Northside has skate parks at both Mitch Clark and Henry park. Southside has one near Bliss Carmen; what other southside skate parks are there?

I'm beginning to think the council didn't try too hard to figure out where a downtownish skatepark could go.

Freddypop · #**9185** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 8:21 PM**

They were looking at an area around the aquatic centre but cost to relocate underground services killed that idea. Rationale for WOR is that land available, parking and on bus route

Taeolas · #**9186** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 8:33 PM**

Aquatic Center area was my first thought when I was looking around (on google map and mentally). I eliminated it mainly because I wasn't sure what property is City vs Government vs Privately owned in there.

Still, the other parks I mentioned would match most if not all the criteria O'Ree provides, and still be in the general "Downtown" area. Wilmot is close to the Aquatic Centre even, and already has a lot of activity sites, so a Skate Park would fit in well there. if anything, Wilmot Skate Park would add in an activity for an age group that is somewhat missing now. The splashpad and playground are good for the young to Tween folk, and the Tennis Courts are good for the adults (and lawn bowling for the seniors). The basketball courts fit the Teen to Twenty-something fairly well, but they also tend to be adult oriented. The skate park would match the Teen to Twenty activities more, without attracting the older adults as much.

While I don't begrudge Willie O getting the Skatepark, I am legit curious why the other downtown area parks were eliminated from contention. (Odell park was eliminated for obvious reasons; it's the city's Nature Reserve basically) Especially since the other Skateparks are all near Parks now (or a school). The Aquatic Centre idea feels a bit out of the way; families may not have been comfortable for their kids skating across a busy road from the rest of the family (Wilmot park vs Aquatic Centre for example)

OliverD · #**9187** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 8:40 PM**

City Council directs staff to explore additional pool options: http://www.fredericton.ca/en/news/city-h...staff-to-explore-additional-pool-options

Freddypop · #**9188** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 8:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OliverD

City Council directs staff to explore additional pool options: http://www.fredericton.ca/en/news/city-h...staff-to-explore-additional-pool-options

So we may not only get a pool but a field house too?

cj6286 · #**9189** Posted **Jan 23, 2018, 11:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddypop

update on Officers Square Plan: http://www.fredericton.ca/en/news/city-h...ctons-great-heritage-cultural-recreation

It’s hard to tell, but it’s looks like the power station by the library isn’t there. Are they moving it or just didn’t include it for design aesthetics...

Freddypop · #**9190** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 3:39 PM**

No surprise....All 83 Canadian Toys R US to remain open. Company to close 180 stores in the US

https://www.bnn.ca/toys-r-us-to-shut-180-u-s-stores-1.977105

MonctonRad · #**9191** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 4:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddypop

No surprise....All 83 Canadian Toys R US to remain open. Company to close 180 stores in the US

https://www.bnn.ca/toys-r-us-to-shut-180-u-s-stores-1.977105

So, all three TRU units in NB are safe, but both Maine TRU's are closing!!

I think you may see some sad children from northern Maine with their noses pressed firmly to the windows of the Freddy TRU store.

Maybe Fredericton should start marketing itself as the retail destination for northern Maine. Bangor's retail district on Hogan Road is starting to look very long in the tooth........

Franco401 · #**9192** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 5:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So, all three TRU units in NB are safe, but both Maine TRU's are closing!!

I think you may see some sad children from northern Maine with their noses pressed firmly to the windows of the Freddy TRU store.

Maybe Fredericton should start marketing itself as the retail destination for northern Maine. Bangor's retail district on Hogan Road is starting to look very long in the tooth........

Such a tactic would be useful in the short term, but the Dollar can only stay so low for so long. US-to-Canada cross-border shopping will taper in the aftermath,

Taeolas · #**9193** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 5:31 PM**

Depending on the crossborder shopper is part of the reason Bangor is in so much trouble as is.

That said, it probably wouldn't hurt for Freddy and even Moncton to advertise more in Maine to lure them over; especially northern (Houlton/Aroostock county) Mainiacs.

Still, with the way the border is now (Needing a passport/advanced license to get into the States), I don't see there being as much desire to cross the border in either direction as there used to be.

Freddypop · #**9194** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So, all three TRU units in NB are safe, but both Maine TRU's are closing!!

I think you may see some sad children from northern Maine with their noses pressed firmly to the windows of the Freddy TRU store.

Maybe Fredericton should start marketing itself as the retail destination for northern Maine. Bangor's retail district on Hogan Road is starting to look very long in the tooth........

I believe Portland has more than one store so there should still be some visibility there. Bangor is really struggle with the recent store closures in the mall and now this.

I've noticed an uptick in Maine licence plates at our stores in Freddy for over a year now. More common place on the weekends. I believe this is partly due to Freddy improving its critical mass of destination stores combined with the exchange rate. Advertising could really help.

Another place I've noticed for Maine plates is at YFC. When I leave my car in the long term parking section I always notice a few US plates

MonctonRad · #**9195** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 5:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddypop

I believe Portland has more than one store so there should still be some visibility there.

Just did a little more research. The Portland store that is closing is a Baby's "R" Us, so the TRU in Portland appears safe.

MooCowMilk · #**9196** Posted **Jan 24, 2018, 8:53 PM**

I can't see Toys R Us surviving, US or Canada. Hard to grow via a massive shrinkage. Boutique style Masterminds and the ever growing interwebs are slicing into their market share massively.

If the theatre moves(Sears spot or a true offsite location....Bishop Drive?) and Toys R US goes up, that end of the mall looks bad.

Freddypop · #**9197** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 1:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooCowMilk

I can't see Toys R Us surviving, US or Canada. Hard to grow via a massive shrinkage. Boutique style Masterminds and the ever growing interwebs are slicing into their market share massively.

If the theatre moves(Sears spot or a true offsite location....Bishop Drive?) and Toys R US goes up, that end of the mall looks bad.

Not worried about Regent Mall. They will fill the space as there are several National/International retailers that want to enter the Freddy market but to-date haven't been able to secure the space.

Toys R US Canada will continue on as the competition in Canada, although fierce, is not at the same level as in the US. Stores in Canada are also smaller in general. Based on prices I think they have more to worry about from Walmart/Amazon than MasterMind

KnoxfordGuy · #**9198** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 1:42 PM**

https://www.frederictonairport.ca/Latest...ional-airports-growth-soars-new-heights/

Fredericton International Airport’s Growth Soars to New Heights

"The Fredericton International Airport had its busiest year ever in 2017, with 397,741 passengers travelling through the terminal. That is a 5.23 per cent increase over the previous year, and the airport’s eighth consecutive year of record-breaking growth."

kirjtc2 · #**9199** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 3:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tridus

The Donut Bar just announced on FB that they're opening on Saturday at 346 Queen. Jokes about a donut place directly across from the Police station immediately followed.

They've sold out by 10 AM every day they've been open so far. Got in just under the wire this morning. Awesome to hear, we've needed something like this in the city for a while.

Tridus · #**9200** Posted **Jan 25, 2018, 4:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

They've sold out by 10 AM every day they've been open so far. Got in just under the wire this morning. Awesome to hear, we've needed something like this in the city for a while.

Yeah. I got in there when they opened on Saturday and the line was pretty lengthy. Spoke to the owner's mother, actually. She was surprised at just how strong the demand is (and obviously very proud).

It'd be nice if they could get the supply side a bit stronger, but it's a good problem to have. Their donuts don't stay fresh very long, but they were quite good first thing.