[Moncton] Northwest/Magnetic Hill Developments

[MonctonRad]

The new sign for Big League has arrived and is being installed today. As you can see, it will be mounted on posts over the entrance into the business.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Scarface

Wharf Village is closing forever, and this will be the end. There lease is ending, and all buildings, Restaurant Equipment, Store fixtures, and even the left over souvenirs. are to be auctioned off April 29th, 2017

I'm wondering if it will be replaced by anything or just left empty after all is auctioned off.

Not a surprise really, the Wharf Village has being looking pretty long in the tooth for the last several years. It really won't be missed.

The real question is whether there is anything in the wings to replace the Wharf Village?

This is at the entrance into the Magnetic Hill Park, and the neighbouring properties include the Magnetic Hill Illusion itself, the Magnetic Hill Zoo and Magic Mountain.

Both Magic Mountain and the Magnetic Hill Zoo are tremendously popular and are in the process of ongoing expansions. This should be a prime development opportunity for a similar minded seasonal tourism project.

When Zombie Manor was bought from Texas and moved to Moncton, the original rumour was that it was destined for the Wharf Village site. It of course ended up at the McEwen Airfield. I wonder if they are still interested.........

[L'homard]

Indeed zombie manor had planned to set up there but something went awry, which is why they were many months late getting here and setting up - finally in McEwan's Airfield hangar.
It's too bad though. I liked the wharf village. Whatever happens to the joint, I hope there will be a place for visitors to get a decent meal.

[MonctonRad]

Long rambling discussion on this on CBC Radio this morning.

In essence, the problem is that the Wharf Village is on leased municipal land. This made it difficult for the owner to secure financing for needed maintenance repair. By the time financing had finally been secured, the city had chosen not to renew the lease agreement. An ultimatum has been given to remove the Wharf Village Shops as a result.

Rather sad. I don't get the impression that the city has any immediate plans for the site.........

[Feneant]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-br...sure-1.4061843

Looks like it's not an amicable parting either...

[Monctoncore]

The man who owns the "village" does not like spending money, I worked there a long time ago, probably 8 or 9 years ago and the problems with the wharf were well known at that point. I'm still very close with some staff who work there today and they said the wharf problems have been going on for 10 years, sadly the problem is not the city even though the owner wants you to believe that. I think you can only be asked so many times to fix a problem before they just shut you down.

It is very disappointing to see this close, a lot of tourist buses would stop in there after and get beavertails, buy magnetic hill memorabilia and eat at the restaurant. This will be a huge hit to the area, unless the city has plans for it.

[monctoncat]

I'm new to this board, stumbled upon it a while back while doing a Google search for something.
I'm curious if anyone has heard any sort of rumours about Fit4Less opening a second location in Moncton, maybe even in the Mapleton Road area?
I'm a F4L member at their Main St location & the place is very overcrowded at times. I heard from a fellow gym goer that they had heard this rumour.
Not sure if any of you have heard anything.. thanks in advance!

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

The man who owns the "village" does not like spending money, I worked there a long time ago, probably 8 or 9 years ago and the problems with the wharf were well known at that point. I'm still very close with some staff who work there today and they said the wharf problems have been going on for 10 years, sadly the problem is not the city even though the owner wants you to believe that. I think you can only be asked so many times to fix a problem before they just shut you down.

I have exactly zero first-hand or inside knowledge on this but that is my perception as well. Might be a liability issue, who knows. From what I heard on the radio this morning, the owner plans to auction everything off including the timber.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

I have exactly zero first-hand or inside knowledge on this but that is my perception as well. Might be a liability issue, who knows. From what I heard on the radio this morning, the owner plans to auction everything off including the timber.

According to the Auction advertisement as well they are even going as far as auctioning off all the souvenirs, and nic-naks.

But from What I have been told indirectly "Monctoncore" is correct in his assumptions that you can only be asked to fix things so many times.from what is known of the lease agreement the city leased the land to him, and he in return was supposed to keep all structures, and land that was leased in perfect usable order, and failed to do so. The city has refused to renew the lease because of his lack of care of the property. The owner does blame the city but it was his responsibility as per the lease agreement.

[Taeolas]

It seems to me that it is too high profile a location for the city to leave it fallow for long. This season might be a loss to get it up and going again with new runners (especially with the implied repairs that are needed); but I'm sure for the 2018 season they'll have something suitable there. I get the feeling the city is likely wanting a clean slate, and that's why they refused the offer to buy it outright with or without repairs.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by monctoncat

I'm new to this board, stumbled upon it a while back while doing a Google search for something.
I'm curious if anyone has heard any sort of rumours about Fit4Less opening a second location in Moncton, maybe even in the Mapleton Road area?
I'm a F4L member at their Main St location & the place is very overcrowded at times. I heard from a fellow gym goer that they had heard this rumour.
Not sure if any of you have heard anything.. thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forums!

Way back when Fit4Less was first rumoured to be opening in the Main Street Superstore Mall, it was rumoured that they were also looking at establishing a second location in the northwest end. There has been no movement on this file since then, but if the Superstore location is as busy as you suggest, they might seriously be looking at this option again.

[Feneant]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Welcome to the forums!

Way back when Fit4Less was first rumoured to be opening in the Main Street Superstore Mall, it was rumoured that they were also looking at establishing a second location in the northwest end. There has been no movement on this file since then, but if the Superstore location is as busy as you suggest, they might seriously be looking at this option again.

I've heard that Nygard is moving (That's unconfirmed, I only heard it from someone in my neighborhood in passing, and it was posted here that Ardene is moving- I think they are side by side so wonder if they wouldn't consider that location? Of course I only say that because it's close to the other Superstore but it's not like there's a link... however; it is definitely getting harder for them to find tenants on Trinity so they could get away from retail.

[L'homard]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

I have exactly zero first-hand or inside knowledge on this but that is my perception as well. Might be a liability issue, who knows. From what I heard on the radio this morning, the owner plans to auction everything off including the timber.

I remember a story in the newspaper years ago about the issues there, which said exactly as above, and what did the lessee do about them in all those years? Nothing that I could see during my twice-a-year visits, other than rope off the condemned section. It's too bad for the people affected but really I think the city can hold their heads high on this one.

[MonctonRad]

Well, this is in fact a great opportunity for the city to create something distinct and definitive here, to serve as the main entrance into the Magnetic Hill tourism area.

Both Magnetic Hill Zoo and Magic Mountain are quality attractions and together they make pretty much the best family tourism development in the region. Whatever goes in the old Wharf Village location should be up to the existing high standards of the Magnetic Hill Park.

Here is my suggestion for a redevelopment of the Wharf village area:

1) - Greater Moncton Tourism Bureau - this is a golden opportunity to build the official regional tourist information centre, especially since it would be in the heart of the action (illusion, zoo, theme park, casino, concert site, hotels, winery etc)
2) - Magnetic Hill "Illusion" Interpretive Centre - this could be built in association with the tourism information centre, but it would be neat to actually have interpreters on hand to explain what the actual causes for the illusion are. There could be a small historical display area and a theatre showing a video explaining the illusion.
3) - Magnetic Hill Gift Shop - there needs to be a gift shop in a quality tourism development like this. It gives people a place to browse, pass time and perhaps even buy a few trinkets.
4) - Food Services Area - this could include several tenants; like Beavertails (although they now have a Beavertails outlet right in Magic Mountain). Another ideal tenant would be Cows. They have a few off island outlets, including on the Halifax waterfront. I think Magnetic Hill would be ideal for them. A couple of other food outlets, perhaps even a seasonal restaurant, could be used to finish off the food services area.
5) - Another attraction of some form could flesh out this area - possibly even Zombie Manor; it's a pretty high class operation and the owners have already expressed an interest in the past in being in the Magnetic Hill area. It would make a lot of business sense to concentrate quality attractions like this in a single area.

I did this pretty much off the top of my head, so it's pretty obvious that something could be done fairly quickly to fill up this vacancy, and in a quality manner befitting the existing attractions in the area.

What do you guys think??

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by monctoncat

I'm new to this board, stumbled upon it a while back while doing a Google search for something.
I'm curious if anyone has heard any sort of rumours about Fit4Less opening a second location in Moncton, maybe even in the Mapleton Road area?
I'm a F4L member at their Main St location & the place is very overcrowded at times. I heard from a fellow gym goer that they had heard this rumour.
Not sure if any of you have heard anything.. thanks in advance!

I joined Fit4Less on day one when my membership at GoodLife expired last year. I agree with you, the place is overcrowded and it has prevented me from working out in the free weights section on many occasions. I knew this was going to happen when they offered a full year's minimum membership rate below $200.

I was a member at GoodLife for 2 years and have been a member at almost every other gym in Moncton for the past 20 years.

Now that GoodLife is about to open yet another gym on Vaughn Harvey, they are definitely capturing the market place in Greater Moncton. Since Fit4Less is owned by GoodLife, another Fit4Less in the northern section of town would for sure capture close to 100% of the market within all household budgets.

As previously mentioned, rumor of a Fit4Less in Moncton north has been mentioned here a while back.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

New non-blurry site plan and renders of the proposed Holiday Inn development on Mapleton, located to the north of the TCH:

Heard from Bill Budd that the Holiday Inn and one restaurant will begin construction this Spring. Also, there will be no gas station(for now?). Which would be good news, since there's enough of them in the area already.

[MonctonRad]

interesting

I assumed that of the entire development, that there was the most urgency to build the Holiday Inn, so I am not surprised by this.

I wonder which restaurant? - I'm hoping for Milestones.

I echo your comments about the gas station - in fact there is an absolutely insane number of gas stations throughout the entire metro area.......

[MonctonRad]

Not exactly [Moncton] Northwest, but it is at least Moncton West.

Toys For Big Boys on Salisbury Road is planning a new building for a separate on-site Harley-Davidson dealership.




This image shows the Harley dealership and it's relationship to the existing Toys For Big Boys building.


site plan

[MonctonRad]

There is a large apartment complex proposed for the end of Ivy Road, immediately next to Marsh's Trailer Park (and next to the two smaller apartment building built within the last 2-3 years).


site plan


render - very generic..........

[MonctonRad]

New daycare proposed for Ryan Street - the Mariposa Centre for Excellence.


location map


render