Official Fredericton, NB projects thread

[Freddypop]

Published Friday August 27th, 2010

Concerns | Merchants, business group oppose loss of parking spaces

A1 By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN

mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

The intersection of Queen and St. John streets will be closed to all traffic Monday morning for a week-long upgrade, the first step in a major reconfiguration of the roadway.

Queen Street will be blocked off near the cenotaph to through traffic.

Following completion of work on the intersection, the focus will shift to widening Queen Street to allow for the installation of a single eastbound lane. Queen Street will have a dedicated right-turn lane starting near the Crowne Plaza Hotel for motorists turning onto St. Anne Point Boulevard headed toward the Westmorland Street Bridge.

Two centre lanes will point westbound to that portion of Queen Street, which remains one-way, and there will be a left-turn lane from Queen onto Regent Street.

The one-block portion of Queen Street will be raised and new curb and sidewalk installed.

In an effort to minimize the disruption to businesses affected by the street closure, only half of Queen Street near St. John Street will be closed for now, said city traffic engineer Darren Charters.

Starting Monday, right turns onto Queen Street from Regent Street heading east will be permitted.

Parking spaces on the south side of Queen Street will remain for as long as construction permits, but all parking will be removed prior to the reopening of Queen Street.

"This work represents a major change to the traffic pattern on this block," said Coun. Bruce Grandy, chairman of the city's transportation committee. "We will make every effort to minimize the impact of construction on businesses in the area."

When all the work is completed, traffic coming up or down Regent Street will be able to make left or right turns onto Queen Street or go straight through the intersection.

Queen Street will remain one-way west of Regent Street and east of St. John Street.

The city says the reconfiguration of Queen Street is needed in order to handle the traffic volumes that will increase with the opening of Fredericton's downtown east-end convention centre.

"This new traffic pattern is designed to better accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic accessing the new parking structure and conference centre, which open later this year," said Grandy. "These improvements will benefit the traffic network surrounding the development."

Downtown Fredericton Inc., however, isn't convinced that the reconfiguration is needed. The group is calling for a moratorium on the removal of parking on Queen Street in that block and a freeze on the two-way traffic pattern until it's determined if the change is warranted.

The rest of Queen Street would remain one-way westbound.

Botinicals Gift Shop owner John Welling is concerned about the plan to remove all the metered parking spots from the 600 block of Queen Street where his business is located.

"If the Centennial Building was refurbished and it was up and running and the convention centre was full on a regular basis ... and the (new) hotel was done and it stayed full most of the time, I could see some of these traffic changes, but some of those projects are still eight and 10 years away and I just think the changes are unnecessary at this point,'' he said.

"People who are coming to this convention centre are conventioneers. They're not driving here in their cars. They're not going to be in and out of the parking garage and coming in and out of the downtown core or a regular basis. They're going to be cabbing it or walking."

When the new King Street parking garage is opened early in 2011, the city will have eliminated 41 metered parking spaces in the downtown east end, a move that's opposed by individual merchants and Downtown Fredericton Inc.

Welling said there are many customers who prefer short-term metered parking to going into a parking garage if they're just doing a quick errand.

Welling said since parking was removed from the lower end of Regent Street a month ago, he's seen four fender-benders at Queen and Regent streets, all because drivers have picked up their speeds.

"I just think it's unnecessary and it's just not fair," he said. "We're not in Toronto or New York for God's sake."

Bob Delong of Fox's Barber Shop on Queen Street said it's hard for him to decide how it's going to affect him.

It will depend on how the new parking garage functions, when it opens and what happens when the parking meters are removed, Delong said.

[Freddypop]

Published Friday August 27th, 2010

A5 By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN

mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

A 36-unit townhouse development plan hasn't roused any objections from the public.

This is a proposal for a 36-unit townhouse development, which goes to city council in September for final approval. The project by TC Land Holdings Inc. will be built off Hanwell Road. TC Land Holdings Inc. is on the path to have its project with revised terms and conditions go through three bylaw readings at city council in September.

The townhouse development will be located at 2 Golf Greens Lane off the upper portion of Hanwell Road. The development will be located near the 69-unit Golf Greens condominium development, which was built a few years ago.

In July, the city's planning advisory committee, which advises council on new development in the city, recommended changes to the terms and conditions on the proposed condominium project. The committee asked the developer to submit a revised building elevation plan in order to address building design concerns.

The committee didn't like the initial design, which had the townhouses lined up in one long line.

The revised design plan has added roof-top dormers, variety in the building colours and facade elements.

Each building block will be staggered 1.2 metres, or roughly four feet, to enhance the building depths.

The townhouse development was originally approved in 1997 for 40 units of row houses, but in 2009 the development company said that design was no longer feasible or desirable, said a city hall planning report.

[cl812]

some images from todays Gleaner.

Going up
Published Friday August 27th, 2010
A3


The new office tower, as part of the convention centre project, is looking colourful as the exterior is closed in with blue and yellow building material. Above a worker works from a lift on one of the upper floors recently.

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Developer to submit redesigned project to city
Published Friday August 27th, 2010

[cl812]

Originally Posted by Smevo

Maybe A&W? The way I heard it was Taco Bell in the Deluxe spot and A&W in the McDonald's spot, but maybe that part of the food court will shuffle around a bit so KFC and Taco Bell have shared space.

I was in the food court the other day and heard someone mention that A&W is the other tenant moving in along with Taco Bell.

[cl812]

Originally Posted by Fredboy

Just checked the Rio Can web site page. Deluxe Fish and Chips is going into Corbett Center beside Panago. I don't know if that means they will leave their Prospect Street site as well as Regent Mall??

I would think they would just be replacing the former location in the mall (closed earlier this week) and the Propsect St location would remain, but I could be wrong.

That also makes 2 tenants the Regent Mall has lost to the Corbett Centre and possibly 4 if Starbucks or McDonalds were to open new stores in there, and I would'nt be surprised to see more once Costco opens up.

[OliverD]

The townhouse renderings actually look pretty decent. The contrasting colours look great. I hate when townhouse/condo developments have different shades of beige/grey that don't go well with each other. For example, the buildings on Lian Street and the new townhouses on Cliffe across from Leo Hayes.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Lamespotting

A few years ago, the rent at Knowledge Park was identical to the TD building downtown. At KP you also had to rent a whole floor (10,000 sqft) while downtown, the landlords were very willing to subdivide.

Interesting, I didn't realize that. Are the KP buildings even technically class A? They don't have much of a lobby, for instance.

[Freddypop]

Found this on the City of Fredericton website;

http://www.fredericton.ca/en/transpo...st24th2010.pdf

[OliverD]

Cool, thanks for sharing. Good to see that Queen Street will remain two lanes, with a third lane for turning right. The fact that you're going to have traffic turning left to go eastbound on Queen from Regent is going to be annoying though. Also, having lights at Queen and St. John doesn't seem necessary. I know it probably is given the configuration, and I'm guessing that they expect traffic on St. John to pick up quite a bit. Right now, it's a pretty lightly traveled street.

[cl812]

Eliminating parking not the only option on Queen St. - Chase
Published Saturday August 28th, 2010
Traffic | Councillor says other cities allow cars to be parked during the day
A1
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

A Fredericton city councillor is reiterating his suggestion that parking be permitted during the daytime in the 600 block of Queen Street.

In June, development committee chairman Coun. Stephen Chase suggested parking be kept, but with restricted hours during the morning and evening rush hours through the downtown. Other than that, shoppers should be able to park on Regent and Queen streets during the off-peak hours, Chase said.

The city told downtown business owners in the spring that 41 parking spaces in the downtown east end would be eliminated in order to reconfigure traffic patterns surrounding its $78-million downtown convention centre, government office building and parking garage.

"I'm of an even stronger belief that we should be finding ways to help improve the on-street parking situation downtown," he said. "It's all part of enhancing the vitality of downtown."

The idea of allowing daytime parking on key traffic routes isn't a radical one, Chase said.

Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver is an example of a street that feeds traffic across a major bridge. During rush hour in the morning and evening there's no parking, but you can during the off-peak daytime hours, Chase said.

Winnipeg and Halifax are two other Canadian cities that routinely permit parking between specified daytime hours.

"Why not Fredericton? I don't think anyone would argue that Fredericton's traffic situation is more acute than those cities," Chase said.

Chase said fear of failure or of trying something different shouldn't hold the city back from trying innovative alternatives.

Downtown Fredericton Inc. opposes the removal of on-street parking and business owners have been raising concerns about the city's plan to eliminate parking on Queen Street between Regent and St. John streets and to convert that small section to two-way traffic.

Construction work to accomplish that, along with sidewalk and street lighting improvements surrounding the east end complex, is set to begin Monday.

The changes on Queen Street between Regent and St. John streets will see that portion of Queen Street become two-way, while the remainder of the key downtown roadway remains one-way westbound.

The city's plan calls for a dedicated right-turn lane that will let motorists driving west on Queen Street turn onto Regent Street to access the Westmorland Street Bridge. Two centre lanes of Queen Street in that block will go west. A fourth lane will be dedicated to left turns off Queen Street onto Regent Street heading south.

"I remain to be convinced of the need to go to a two-way street," Chase said.

With the traffic bylaw amendment to create two-way traffic on Queen Street still to come before city council in September, Chase said he's willing to hear all sides of the debate before he casts his vote on whether to make that portion of Queen Street two-way.

"I'm prepared to listen to all parties," Chase said. "Absolutely, I am."

Coun. Jordan Graham, who represents the UNB-East End ward which takes in the downtown, likes Chase's suggestion.

"Other municipalities do it and they do it with significantly higher volumes of traffic than we have," Graham said. "It's just a matter of whether or not we're going to do it and make it work.

"If it facilitates more on-street parking and creates a safer environment for pedestrians, it can only have a positive impact for businesses.

"As a city who wants to preserve its vibrant downtown, we have to make that a priority. We can't simply be looking at traffic issue as traffic issues, independent of everything else."

Graham said he's concerned that the removal of parking off the foot of Regent Street by the city earlier this summer is a stepping stone to widen the street.

"My greatest fear is the removal of the parking was the thin edge of the wedge to complete the Regent Street widening from Sobeys to St. Anne's Point (Boulevard)," Graham said.

The councillor said if the ultimate agenda is to widen Regent Street, that needs to be clearly spelled out to the public.

"It needs to come forward to council ... We can't sneak it through piecemeal," Graham said.

"If we're going to be drastically changing the nature of our downtown, we have to do so with a decision that we're all aware of and has public input."

[cl812]

Councillors call for review of policies
Published Saturday August 28th, 2010
Changes needed | Parking ratios for apartments downtown are one of the things holding back mixed development, councillor says
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

Two Fredericton city councillors say there's going to have to be a policy rethink and changes to legislation if the city wants to fuel downtown residential living.

Ward 9 Coun. Stephen Chase (Odell Park/Parkside Drive area) has suggested adopting a more European approach to populating the city centre.

Chase said instead of segregating developments into retail versus residential, he wants to see developers and the city embrace the notion of ground floor commercial with upper storeys used for apartment dwellers.

He's got an ally in the cause in Ward 11 Coun. Jordan Graham (UNB/East End area).

That's because the university student and city councillor has found his niche in the downtown where's he's being renting.

Having recently moved into a new downtown apartment, Graham said he's been familiarizing himself with the issues affecting residential construction in the city centre.

Parking ratios are one of the reasons it's difficult to push for residential conversions of retail development, he said.

When a developer opts to construct an apartment building in the downtown, they're required to provide close to two parking spaces for every residential unit. That's more onerous than what the city requires for someone building a single family home on its own lot, Graham said.

"Apartment dweller versus homeowner: Who is more likely to own a vehicle and probably typically more than one vehicle? Homeowners are more likely to own two vehicles. Apartment owners are more likely to own no vehicles or, at most, one," Graham said.

"Our zoning right now requires that apartment buildings provide more parking per unit than single-detached dwellings do."

In a city centre that's already substantially developed, that's an onerous demand and not every builder can afford the luxury of developing underground parking, Graham said.

"Young professionals in particular have a desire to live and work in the downtown. We have to as a city look at how to facilitate the growth," he said.

"Right now, we've got a backward philosophy here where we're facilitating urban sprawl inside and outside the city big time."

Building density is about getting people into the downtown using the least amount of parking space, he said.

Chase said Graham is bang on with the parking issue.

He said he's talked to downtown business owners who would like to do upper floor residential conversions, but who are stymied by the parking rules.

"We are going to have to as a policy adjust the parking ratios to accommodate the objective of getting people living in the downtown. The parking ratio may be right and proper in certain parts of the city, but it might not facilitate the kind of movement into the downtown that we envisage," Chase said.

As chairman of the city's development committee, Chase said he wants to generate a discussion about city policies, not just on parking, but on other issues that all affect the growth of the downtown as a place to live and a place to shop.

"Rules are a good guide. That's what they're intended to be, a good guide. You adjust the rules according to the need. Everyone agrees that we really need to enhance the downtown in a number of aspects," Chase said.

The councillor said he hopes to have the development committee delve into the issues as part of its agenda through to the new year.

[Freddypop]

Daily Gleaner

Published Saturday August 28th, 2010

A public hearing of objections will be held Sept. 27 at city hall as the city contemplates a proposal to drop the density on a piece of city-owned land. A property at 214 Dunn's Crossing Rd. is zoned R-7, which would permit an apartment building to be constructed on the site.

However, the city's real estate manager Calvin Thompson, said the property's terrain would make it unrealistic financially to construct an apartment building. Thompson is applying to council to reduce the density on the land by dropping the zoning back to an R-5 or medium density. That would allow the 1,440-square-metre property to accommodate a townhouse development. The property is vacant and surrounded by R-7 lots with some R-2 lots a bit further out. It will take a vote of council and three bylaw readings to alter the zoning designation on the land.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by cl812

Councillors call for review of policies
Published Saturday August 28th, 2010
Changes needed | Parking ratios for apartments downtown are one of the things holding back mixed development, councillor says
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

Two Fredericton city councillors say there's going to have to be a policy rethink and changes to legislation if the city wants to fuel downtown residential living.

Ward 9 Coun. Stephen Chase (Odell Park/Parkside Drive area) has suggested adopting a more European approach to populating the city centre.

Chase said instead of segregating developments into retail versus residential, he wants to see developers and the city embrace the notion of ground floor commercial with upper storeys used for apartment dwellers.

He's got an ally in the cause in Ward 11 Coun. Jordan Graham (UNB/East End area).

That's because the university student and city councillor has found his niche in the downtown where's he's being renting.

Having recently moved into a new downtown apartment, Graham said he's been familiarizing himself with the issues affecting residential construction in the city centre.

Parking ratios are one of the reasons it's difficult to push for residential conversions of retail development, he said.

When a developer opts to construct an apartment building in the downtown, they're required to provide close to two parking spaces for every residential unit. That's more onerous than what the city requires for someone building a single family home on its own lot, Graham said.

"Apartment dweller versus homeowner: Who is more likely to own a vehicle and probably typically more than one vehicle? Homeowners are more likely to own two vehicles. Apartment owners are more likely to own no vehicles or, at most, one," Graham said.

"Our zoning right now requires that apartment buildings provide more parking per unit than single-detached dwellings do."

In a city centre that's already substantially developed, that's an onerous demand and not every builder can afford the luxury of developing underground parking, Graham said.

"Young professionals in particular have a desire to live and work in the downtown. We have to as a city look at how to facilitate the growth," he said.

"Right now, we've got a backward philosophy here where we're facilitating urban sprawl inside and outside the city big time."

Building density is about getting people into the downtown using the least amount of parking space, he said.

Chase said Graham is bang on with the parking issue.

He said he's talked to downtown business owners who would like to do upper floor residential conversions, but who are stymied by the parking rules.

"We are going to have to as a policy adjust the parking ratios to accommodate the objective of getting people living in the downtown. The parking ratio may be right and proper in certain parts of the city, but it might not facilitate the kind of movement into the downtown that we envisage," Chase said.

As chairman of the city's development committee, Chase said he wants to generate a discussion about city policies, not just on parking, but on other issues that all affect the growth of the downtown as a place to live and a place to shop.

"Rules are a good guide. That's what they're intended to be, a good guide. You adjust the rules according to the need. Everyone agrees that we really need to enhance the downtown in a number of aspects," Chase said.

The councillor said he hopes to have the development committee delve into the issues as part of its agenda through to the new year.

I hope this idea has some legs. Population density in the downtown core needs to increase to ensure it remains a vibrant focal point.

[cl812]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

I hope this idea has some legs. Population density in the downtown core needs to increase to ensure it remains a vibrant focal point.

no question about that, after spending last week in Calgary for vacation and seeing some of the quality developments downtown (recently developed condos and current developments), it would be nice to see some similar projects here in Fredericton (much smaller scale of course, but with some higher quality building products other than vinyl siding).

On that note, I must say im kind of disappointed with the exterior design of the Southview Condos. Not that it isnt a nice building, but It would have been nice to see something a bit different. I guess it isnt downtown, but still.

[cl812]

Infrastructure renewal planning starts
Published Tuesday August 31st, 2010
City | Money to be put toward facility upgrades
A1
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

Fredericton city councillors have struck a policy on how to start grappling with repair and regular replacement of capital infrastructure between now and 2030.

At their first budget planning session Monday night, councillors voted to continue with their 20-year plan to repair and upgrade 90 per cent of the city's facilities and services and spend 10 per cent on new projects based on an annual five per cent increase in the capital budget.

In 2010, the city decided to increase its capital spending by four per cent to start renewing existing services. Deputy mayor Dan Keenan and Coun. Jordan Graham voted against committing to a fixed annual increase and a fixed division of how the capital dollars will be spent.

Finance and administration committee chairman Coun. Mike O'Brien wasn't surprised at the early dissent on the policy statement, saying the topic is likely going to resurface between now and the final 2011 budget document in mid-December.

Keenan said he doesn't want to be locked into spending 90 per cent on existing infrastructure.

"There may be certain years when we want to invest more of our capital dollars in new infrastructure and less in existing and another year when we make it up. I'm just a little concerned that this will bind councils going forward to staying within an established percentage, which reduces flexibility," Keenan said.

Across Canada, the nation's 4,000 municipal governments are realizing that they can't continue to spend only on new roads, streets and services, without setting aside adequate funds to do capital repairs to existing systems.

But Keenan said Fredericton's infrastructure is in good shape compared with other municipalities in Canada.

"There are some challenges there, there's no doubt about that, but every municipality is facing those. My concern with the five per cent is that we're again locking ourselves into, on a go-forward basis, investing a certain amount of dollars, over and above inflation ... over $650,000 (per year)," he said.

Keenan said he'd prefer to set the infrastructure deficit reduction levels year by year.

Graham said he also wants more decision-making room.

Acting city treasurer Tina Tapley showed councillors how the figures change based on a lower contribution. If the city sets aside four per cent in extra capital spending over and above increases in the consumer price index, instead of five per cent annually, the city will still have about $50 million in infrastructure upgrades to be done in 2030.

At five per cent, the infrastructure deficit would be $12.5 million.

Councillors Stephen Chase, Scott McConaghy and Steven Hicks supported taking a long-term view.

"We're ensuring that the house isn't going to fall down," McConaghy said. "This is essential."

Hicks said residents will reap the rewards of having reinvested in infrastructure renewal in 20 years.

Chase said citizens expect councillors to be prudent fiscal managers.

He agreed with Keenan that the city needs to lobby for more federal-provincial fiscal support.

O'Brien is comfortable with the city striking a reasonably aggressive approach to ensuring that the investment of taxpayers in existing infrastructure is maintained.

The finance committee chairman said rather than tax hikes, part of the budget process is going to look at efficiencies, reduced service levels in some areas, and trimming budgets in order to hold the tax levels.

"You just don't cut willy-nilly. If you're going to try to find savings, you have to reduce a service and an expenditure that's sustainable. A one-time cut of $1 million doesn't do you any good," he said.

"When the mayor and I have talked about a tough budget process, this is what we're talking about.''

Twenty years ago, council opted to eliminate the city's long-term debt and incorporate capital spending into the general fund budget, which has been dubbed pay-as-you-go.

But O'Brien said by focusing so much on eliminating debt, the trade-off was that councils over the past 10 years weren't as focused on renewing and repairing the inventory of pipes in the ground, streets, curbs and sidewalks.

"It's up to us to take a tough policy stand to complete the capital projects that we're in the midst of because we're of the unanimous opinion that it was essential to grow the city," O'Brien said.

"We have to make that same tough policy decision that council did 20 year ago to make our infrastructure sustainable."

[cl812]

Replacing infrastructure isn't going to be easy, consultant tells council
Published Tuesday August 31st, 2010
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

A Toronto consultant who has been advising the city on the state of the city's infrastructure, gave the city a good report card on its efforts.

But he cautioned councillors that they need to make tough decisions if they are going to adopt a structured and sustained plan to keep up the city's infrastructure.

"Relative to other municipalities, you are doing very well," said Reg Andres, vice-president of R.V. Anderson Associates Ltd. "I applaud the decision your council made. It's forward-looking. It's not going to be easy."

Historically in Canada, municipalities built their first services - roads and cast iron water pipes and other essential infrastructure - knowing that many would last 50-100 years.

But now, the nation's 4,000 municipalities are awakening to the fact that they haven't properly budgeted to replace the services they've installed underground as they race to expand and grow.

Harsh realities are now facing many cities that find themselves short of cash if an old water pipe collapses and the road caves in because they haven't set aside what Andres calls life-cycle funding to do planned replacement of worn out systems.

"We are the group that really now has the challenge because we didn't have that investment put in by our forefathers, so that's why you have that deficit sitting where you do, so we have to address that, but let's not create more of a deficit for our kids down the road," Andres said.

Fredericton has become the first New Brunswick city to become Public Sector Accounting Board compliant. Municipalities are now under new accounting rules to value land, vehicles, buildings, machinery and equipment, and infrastructure - pipes, roads, sidewalks.

Fredericton has just more than $1 billion in capital infrastructure assets, Andres said.

That means for every one of the city's 24,382 households, each home and its occupants have a $43,926 investment in the city's capital assets, he said.

Just like a board of directors must be accountable to its shareholders to protect their investment and ensure its value doesn't erode, Andres argues municipal governments have to protect capital assets to the benefit of all the ratepayers.

Fredericton has been spending $15.8 million annually on renewal through its general fund and water and sewer fund budgets.

But Andres said this level of investment isn't sustainable.

The city has an infrastructure deficit of $158 million and it needs to double what it's spending to keep pace.

Andres and his company is working with city hall department heads and accountants to pick the worst of the worst assets, determine their life expectancies, rate their condition and establish a priority list of infrastructure repairs that are high risk and should be tackled sooner rather than later.

"You have used 30 per cent of the age of your infrastructure on average," Andres said. "You cannot let that number slide.

"Some buried infrastructure can last up to 100 years. Why are we facing this now? It's because we're coming to the end of the first major cycle of a lot of that infrastructure. Two-thirds of what we have is buried. We never thought about it. It's now coming to the end of its useful life and now we're facing the music. Where is the money that's going to replace it?" Andres said.

Municipalities need to tackle the issue because federal and provincial governments tend to play politics with infrastructure spending, rather than setting long-term spending plans to sticking to them, he said.

[cl812]

Keep it down
Published Thursday September 2nd, 2010
A3


Construction of sound berms along the Vanier Highway between Kimble Road and Liverpool Street has begun. Above, crews work in the heat Wednesday.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/article/1201120

[cl812]

Was by the costco site this morning, and it looks as though the site work will be winding down soon and the building pad appears to be complete.

Also, keeping in that area, noticed some surveying and earth moving going on at the site of one of the new Knowledge Park buildings.

[cl812]

looks like work is progressing at the new NB liquor store. Evne though its kinda hard to tell from the city webcam.



http://www.fredericton.ca/en/TrainStationWebcam.asp

[cl812]

City issues multimillion-dollar tender for complex
Published Friday September 3rd, 2010
A3
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

Contractors who want a shot at a multimillion-dollar construction contract with the city should sharpen their pencils.

The city has issued a public tender call for bids to construct the Grant * Harvey Centre at the intersection of Knowledge Park Drive, Kimble Drive and Alison Boulevard.

The complex will include a walking and running track, and an artificial turf soccer pitch under construction alongside it is nearing completion. A tennis dome is another tentative component of the sports and leisure facility.

"This is a major investment in the health and wellness of the greater Fredericton area for generations to come," said Coun. Steven Hicks, chairman of the city's community services committee.

Companies interested in bidding on the Grant * Harvey Centre tenders have until Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. to submit a sealed bid to the city clerk's office. Public opening of the bids will follow immediately after the deadline on the second floor of city hall.

The tender call is for construction of a multi-purpose complex with an 8,000-square-metre footprint.

The complex is named to honour two former National Hockey League players: Fredericton natives Danny Grant and the late Buster Harvey.

The arena will include an NHL-sized rink and an Olympic-size rink, changing rooms, referee rooms, community rooms and seating for 1,500 around the NHL-scaled rink and 500 around the Olympic oval. The building will be made of steel and concrete.

Contractors can obtain bid documents starting Sept. 9 from Eastward Sales Ltd., 150 Union St. in Saint John or by calling 633-8885. There's a non-refundable deposit of $395.50 per set payable to Eastward Sales Ltd.

Bid documents will be on display at the construction association offices in Fredericton, Saint John or Moncton. As with all tenders, the city reserves the right not to necessarily accept the lowest or any bid.

The Grant * Harvey facility will be the home ice for St. Thomas University and Fredericton High School hockey teams.

Figure skating and speed skating events will be hosted at the centre. It can also accommodate trade shows and home shows.

The 18-hectare (45-acre) site will have a 0.8-hectare (two-acre) fenced dog walking park. There will be parking for more than 600 vehicles.

Fredericton is investing in a geothermal energy system that will heat and cool the complex. The system will be able to store extra thermal energy to serve other buildings on the site or in the vicinity.

Centreline Architects of Saint John is the designer of the new hockey arena and sports centre.