Originally Posted by cdnguys
I saw this posting on a Saint John Facebook group today (I can’t credit because they posted anonymously). I find it intriguing and wondering if anyone has opinions on the following:
- are we building architecturally significant buildings today? I feel IOL HQ had a lot of thought put into it. The Wellington is interesting and I personally love the Bauhaus style of SW building of Fundy Quay and the design of the podium for other Fundy Quay buildings. Do you think they will contribute to Saint John’s beauty in the future, or be considered soulless?
- would a building built in Saint John be nicer because of surrounding landscapes? For example, is it possible SW Fundy Quay building looks nicer because it’s on the harbour at the bottom of a hill, and would it be “uglier” if the exact same building was on Assomption Blvd in Moncton? Like are our surroundings complimenting our buildings?
- in hindsight was heritage preservation legislation an excellent idea for city? Do you think we would have experienced what Halifax went through with losing so many historic buildings?
How economic doldrums saved Saint John, and why people are attracted to the city today
In the first half of the 19th century, Saint John experienced significant booms. This was fueled by seaborne commerce, shipbuilding, the timber trade and a population surge during the Irish famine. By 1851, Saint John was the third largest city in British North America. Saint John was fortunate to boom at a time when buildings were a reflection of civic pride and there was care about the appearance of buildings, focusing on ornamentation, craftsmanship and historical continuity. Architectural styles like Gothic Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne were popular, reflecting a desire for aesthetic beauty and a connection to the spirit of the people who built them. This is evident with the gargoyles, bricks and beams, stone work and grandeur you see in uptown buildings. In contrast, some Canadian cities rapidly expanded from the 1980’s to today, which was a time marked by a shift to contemporary designs and the desire for functionality. Practicality took precedence over ornamentation. Although some of these cities have pockets of historical buildings, they can lack the sense of architectural richness found throughout Saint John. Saint John entered economic doldrums in the 20th century, especially from the 1970’s to 2010’s despite the frigate program at Saint John shipbuilding. Peaking in population of just under 90,000 in 1971, the population declined to 68,000 in the early 2000’s as residents moved to the surrounding bedroom communities and there was a lack of influx of new residents. During this time there was very little investment in Saint John, which ironically was our saving grace. Aside from pockets of urban renewal in areas considered at the time to be slums, the economics were not favourable to tear down old buildings to build new offices and apartment buildings like in Halifax. Halifax is a similar historical city like Saint John, however of the 8,931 historical buildings present in 1878, only 1,143 have survived – an attrition rate of 87.2%. This lack of tearing down of buildings left Saint John with a historical landscape second to Quebec City. The recognition that we have something special reemerged in 1982 with the creation of the Trinity Royal Heritage Conservation Area. Since then uptown Saint John is recognized as a national treasure – with the unique and beautiful spaces of theatres, restaurants, cafes, bars and Georgian-era parks such as King’s Square, Queen Square and Loyalist Burial Ground. Over the last few years the population of Saint John surged, with the city itself just under 80,000 and the greater Saint John area approaching 150,000. New residents are coming for new job opportunities, driven by the recently expanded port and the health and social services sector, among others. But with job opportunities across Canada, what specifically is attracting new residents to put down roots in the city? One of the main reasons is everybody yearns for some beauty in their life, and our buildings in Saint John are beautiful and inspiring. According to multiple studies, there is a measurable emotional attachment to places that are beautiful. There is a strong correlation between a place’s physical beauty and people’s satisfaction out of many other attributes. Aesthetic attraction to a city is the third most important factor, even scoring above education, safety and basic services. In addition, Saint John has beautiful neighborhoods stretching along the bays and rivers on the west, north and east points of the city that many are not aware of. When thinking of Saint John, most outsiders picture uptown or industry, not knowing of the leafy waterfront neighborhoods that stretch for over 30 KMs offering among the best boating waterways in North America. Halifax is famous for it’s passenger ferries, but did you know Saint John has car ferries operating connecting neighborhoods along the Kennebecasis Bay? There are many spots in this beautiful city that you can pause and be inspired, whether it’s on the iconic Prince William Street streetscape, a historical square laid out in the pattern of the Union Jack flag, a cliffside neighborhood overlooking the water or a cozy enclave tucked away in a cove. In many cities that recently rapidly expanded, you wouldn’t look at strip malls and think how inspiring it is, as it’s rather soulless. Many cities lost touch with the beauty of the past, but due to economic circumstances of the past, Saint John luckily has her beauty preserved. Now we are experiencing an economic boom, but paired with our preserved beauty making it an ideal place to call home. When you’re walking down a historical block in the fog, and you hear the haunting fog horn in the bay, you’ll know you are in a special place.
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