[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[MonctonRad]

I'm reposting this info from the main Moncton thread here in the downtown thread to see if it generates any discussion. This is a HUGE announcement which seems to be flying under the radar of the news media.

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

There was an announcement at the DFO Gulf Fisheries Centre on Universite Avenue this morning regarding a $500m investment over the next 7-8 years in support of the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre, based here in Moncton.

from the news release from the press conference:

MONCTON, NB, Aug. 9, 2019 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada understands that federal scientists play an important role in the lives of Canadians; scientific research and discovery improves our health, environment, communities and economy. Providing our scientists with modern and fully accessible facilities that promote collaborative research is just one way the government can support them in the important work that they do.

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, along with the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, announced the Government of Canada is renewing the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Federal investments will help transform the ASEC into a world-class centre for ocean science research. To support the renewal of the ASEC, as well as other federal laboratories across Canada, the Government of Canada has awarded a contract to Framework, a joint venture between Stantec, Merrick and Dialog, for architectural and engineering laboratory design services to develop lab standards, functional programming and concept designs. This will help transform the ASEC into an environmentally sustainable collaboration facility, featuring state-of-the-art information technology capacity and connectivity.

The renewal of the ASEC will provide a modern facility for federal scientists to carry out their work, ensuring we have the best available science to protect and manage Canada's precious aquatic resources. Furthermore, it will lead to job creation and economic growth in the Moncton region for many years to come.

Quick facts:

- Since 2016, the Government of Canada has invested more than $10 billion in science research.
- The renewal of the ASEC will focus on improving sustainability of Atlantic fresh and saltwater resources as well as monitoring and protecting the health of coastal ecosystems of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Atlantic Ocean regions.
- Significant progress has been made at the ASEC with partnerships that have been formed with universities, Indigenous communities, the fishing industry, non-governmental organizations and other federal government departments to create interpretive spaces to engage Canadians in marine science and promote ocean literacy.

The contract with Framework is valued at up to $100 million.

Some additional details from the T&T today (amazingly from page 3, not page 1)

- The initial $100m contract with Framework is only for the design phase of the project (albeit this is for all the Science Enterprise Centres across Canada).
- The contract is to "set lab standards, functional programming and concept designs" for all the labs across Canada.
- The first beneficiary of the design process will be the ASEC in the DFO Building across from the GDH on Universite Avenue.
- The historic nature of the building will be preserved, but substantial renovations and an expansion to the back of the building is planned.
- The actual construction phase won't begin for five years
- The footprint of the building will be expanded "considerably", mostly for the laboratory wing at the back.
- The expansion is designed to centralize federal offices in the city for the Canada Food Inspection Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the National Research Council in addition to DFO.
- There will almost certainly be a parking structure for the renovated building as they are well aware of parking issues in the neighbourhood with the nearby GDH.

So, just how big is this project?

- We're talking about $500 million freaking dollars!!!!!
- Dominic LeBlanc stated in the press conference that this will be the largest federal capital project ever undertaken in New Brunswick.
- $500m is 4x the amount of money spent to build the Avenir Centre!!!
- The current DFO building has 300 employees, including 128 scientists. With the relocation of the other federal offices, and the expanded research facilities for the ASEC, I wouldn't be surprised to see about 1,000 employees working out of this building.
- This will be a world class research centre. With ACRI right next door at the GDH, there will be quite a high tech cluster developing on Universite Avenue.

This is a huge news story that everyone is ignoring. Is it because we're in the doldrums of summer?????

I wonder what will happen to the existing NRC building on the UdeM campus?

[L'homard]

Huge news indeed but this is at least the second, maybe the third, time they've announced this. I'm sure they'll announce it again in the fall as the election nears.
But you are correct to highlight the importance of this of course, and I'm heartened to hear you mention the massive cluster of scientific knowledge that will all be concentrated on one tiny block of Moncton with the hospital, U de M, DFO, the new ocean sciences centres and ACRI all within pissing distance of each other. To me, this is MASSIVE and the financial, educational and business repercussions will be felt across all of NB and beyond.
Just a few years ago ACRI people would talk about their struggle to attract private and public funding. They weren't even on the radar. Now they'll be in the centre of a radar that encompasses all of the above centres of R&D.

[MonctonRad]

The only thing that frustrates me about this is that while there will obviously be lots of interlinkages here between ASEC, ACRI, DFO, NSERC, Environment Canada, the Agriculture Canada Food Inspection Agency, UDeM and the GDH, it is less clear cut what the benefits will be for the Moncton Hospital and Mount Allison University.

Will these important anglophone institutions be actively encouraged to use these new resources for cross institutional research???

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by L'homard

Huge news indeed but this is at least the second, maybe the third, time they've announced this. I'm sure they'll announce it again in the fall as the election nears..

Since actual construction isn't planned for five years, they will no doubt announce it again before the next election in 2023 too!!!

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by L'homard

Huge news indeed but this is at least the second, maybe the third, time they've announced this. I'm sure they'll announce it again in the fall as the election nears.
But you are correct to highlight the importance of this of course, and I'm heartened to hear you mention the massive cluster of scientific knowledge that will all be concentrated on one tiny block of Moncton with the hospital, U de M, DFO, the new ocean sciences centres and ACRI all within pissing distance of each other. To me, this is MASSIVE and the financial, educational and business repercussions will be felt across all of NB and beyond.
Just a few years ago ACRI people would talk about their struggle to attract private and public funding. They weren't even on the radar. Now they'll be in the centre of a radar that encompasses all of the above centres of R&D.

Could a new government affect this?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Could a new government affect this?

Absolutely! This could be cancelled as quickly as Thanos snapped his fingers.

FWIW, I think Trudeau will get reelected (although I don't plan to vote for him). Locally, you could run trained seals for the Liberal Party in both Beauséjour and Moncton and win in a landslide.

The prolonged 7-8 year time frame worries me, but assuming Trudeau wins again, the next election in 2023 will be four years down the road, and only a year before construction is to commence. This might be too late for any parsimonious Tory administration to put on the brakes.......

[MonctonRad]

One final observation - about a year ago, Dominic appropriated the skeleton of one of the dead right whales from the Gulf of St. Lawrence with the intention of mounting it in the rafters of a renovated lobby for the DFO Building. I wonder if that will be part of this project?

[L'homard]

I just happened to be there for that announcement, just by coincidence I was in the building so I went to the news conference as they always want as many people as possible at these news thingies so I just kinda walked in, and while I can't recall Dom's specific words, I do seem to remember that was the plan, to use the skeleton for an impressive entryway to the new science center.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by L'homard

...I can't recall Dom's specific words, I do seem to remember that was the plan, to use the skeleton for an impressive entryway to the new science center.

"Isn't it cool, kids? And to think it'd never be here if we didn't manage to run it over a dozen times with a container ship."

[BlackYear]

Hilton Garden Inn foundation coming along. As suspected, they are using the old pool for something other than swimming during breaks.

Too windy for a drone view, so boots on the ground view...from the back of my pickup truck!

[BlackYear]

Kinda cool photo of VIA leaving Moncton downtown.

[BlackYear]

Sneak peek of downtown Moncton from a Riverview neighborhood.

[BlackYear]

View of downtown Moncton from Dieppe.

Would be my favorite snapshot so far if it wasn't for those dam utility lines.

[BlackYear]

Oh Crowne Plaza, what will you do.

[Monctoncore]

Awesome photos! What lenses did you use for the shots from Dieppe and Riverview.

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

Awesome photos! What lenses did you use for the shots from Dieppe and Riverview.

Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 on a Nikon D500 body.

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by Budyser

Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 on a Nikon D500 body.

Okay nice!! I have the older 80-200mm f.2.8 and use a D7200

[BlackYear]

Interesting walk on Canada street yesterday afternoon. My goal, go to Avenir Centre to pick up a Cirque du Soleil ticket for my dad.

I decided to park next to NB Liquor, because since it's a vacation week, might as well pick up some brews for the upcoming sunny week.

As I started my little walk towards the Avenir Centre, my first observation was the parked VIA Rail train which was unloading and loading of passengers. The sounds of the idling diesel engines from the locomotives, the sounds of the train's airbreaks releasing the air pressure, the visibility of a more than I expected amount of people taking the train was a nice eyebrow raising 'huh' moment. At the same time, four Atlantic buses were stationed within their designated parking spots, doing the same, loading and unloading passengers. And again, a larger than expected amount of people were there. Giving hugs to love ones, taking selfies, hailing cabs. A stop and pause moment to say to myself, nice.

Next was the zigzaging, jumping walkthrough of the unfinished sidewalk and parking constructions. "Sidewalk Closed" said the sign. Meh, I feel like a little boy and I ignore the advisory and just go through.

Next was the arrival of the several Cirque du Soleil tractor trailers parking their way in the back of the Avenir Centre. Several staff members in the parking lot which appears to be stage crew and riggers. Parked cars also filled Canada street on the left and right.

Arriving closer to my destination, my next stop and pause moment was the construction of Hyatt place. Crews were busy on site, the sound of beeps from heavy equipment moving around, the sight and sound of busy Main st traffic, I thought to my self, shall I be like an old man and just sit on one of these park benches and watch the constructions for a while? I'm not retired yet, but it did cross my mind.

Moving along, I finally arrive to the Avenir Centre's box office. I get what I need and start my way back to go through all of the above in reverse order.

My thoughts of the experience. I live downtown about 6 blocks away from the Avenir Centre. It's hard to imagine that only 3-4 years ago, this whole area was somewhat a dead zone. With the ongoing construction of the Hilton Gardens and Junction Village which are just one year away from opening, it's incredible to see and feel the anticipation of the future of our Moncton downtown core.

[MonctonRad]

And to think of all the naysayers from five years ago who were busily braying about what a waste of money the Avenir Centre was going to be, and how it was a boondoggle which would never attract additional development in the area.........

[jonny golden]

So much construction/progress in this part of town in the last few years. I remember Mayor Georges Leblanc swinging the hammer to start the demolition of Highfield Square in September 2014. Here we are 5 years later & what a transformation there has been. In the next 5 years I'm sure we'll see so much more.
No doubt 1222 Main Street will be redeveloped by Crombie. Will Aquilini Development do something with the Crowne Plaza block? And what about the area between the Avenir Center and 1222 Main? (Where the telegraph building still stands)
It should be very interesting to see what further development happens in the area.