Official Fredericton, NB projects thread [Archive] - Page 27

Freddypop

Apr 25, 2011, 11:40 AM

Published Monday April 25th, 2011

A3 By MICHAEL STAPLES

staples.michael@dailygleaner.com

A central bus terminal in the Regent Street, Knowledge Park Drive and Bishop Drive area is needed in the city, says the manager of Fredericton Transit.

Sandy MacNeill spoke on such a requirement during a recent meeting of the city's transportation committee.

"We need to deal with a central sub-terminal in that area from which we can meet, allow our passengers to transfer and go on to other parts of the city," MacNeill told reporters.

MacNeill said as Regent Street, Knowledge Park Drive and Bishop Drive continue to evolve, Fredericton Transit sees the potential for riders along those routes.

He said he would like to see municipal buses reach those areas.

"Our people want to be able to come from those areas or through those areas and switch on to other buses that go to other areas of the city," MacNeill said. "If we don't do that, then we literally cannot serve them."

MacNeill said there are a lot of variables to take into consideration when considering the cost of such a facility.

It could be anything from a dedicated parking area that only the transit system can access, to a terminal with fancy shelters, he said.

"I think, realistically, we will be somewhere in the middle," MacNeill said. "Of course, that will be subject to council's approval and their allocation of resources to such a project. As to location, we need it to be in the Regent Mall-Corbett Centre area. There are implications for both ideas that affect how we can serve these areas."

A terminal could be situated in the periphery of the Regent Mall parking lot or in the Corbett Centre.

Colleen Parent-Meade, general manager of the Regent Mall, said she's open to the idea. She said she had a meeting with transit officials and she made it known that the concept was something the mall would consider.

MacNeill said Fredericton Transit currently uses the Regent Mall as a sort of sub-terminal.

All but one route that travels up the hill stops at the Regent Mall, he said.

"The issue is access to that area," MacNeill said. "We can't access the area in front of Smitty's (Family Restaurant) ... if we are northbound on Regent Street and the northbound movement on Regent Street is crucial to being able to serve Knowledge Park Drive and Bishop Drive."

OliverD

Apr 25, 2011, 12:50 PM

I am sorry, that is not a good enough answer Mr. Battilana. As someone who has been looking into suitable retail space (in the over 3,500 sq. foot range)in downtown Fredericton for over 2 years now, I can tell you that ANYTHING added in terms of new retail space would be a blessing AND the city really should force this building to have some. Right now, there is simply no decent downtown space for lease that does not require significant renovation or has space limitations due to being older converted building stock. Taking up a half block with a concrete front without incorporating open-space and flexible retail is not only a step in the opposite direction compared to design and planning rules in OTHER urban centres in Canada but is doing nothing to help bring MORE retail to downtown.

Any talk of "forcing" a land owner to do something really makes me cringe. If the city truly wants to promote mixed developments in the downtown core, then they need to adjust zoning bylaws. I think a good solution would be to determine some sort of size threshold above which any residential developments would also need to provide commercial space at the ground floor level.

I think we're being a bit harsh on this particular development because the risk of flooding is very real and if you used the ground floor for anything but parking, there wouldn't be enough room for parking elsewhere. Ideally, you would have one level of underground parking, ground floor retail, and then residential units above but that isn't realistic in that particular spot.

I have to say though, it is a bit embarrassing that in Antigonish (population ~5000) there is a proposal for a downtown seven story building with the first two storeys slated for commercial use and the rest residential. For those not familiar with Antigonish, Main Street currently has no buildings above three storeys.

http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/110420/999r1/8210i8c_20.jpeg

http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/110420/000r1/0520m3e_20.jpeg

Pugsley

Apr 25, 2011, 1:24 PM

I have to say though, it is a bit embarrassing that in Antigonish (population ~5000) there is a proposal for a downtown seven story building with the first two storeys slated for commercial use and the rest residential. For those not familiar with Antigonish, Main Street currently has no buildings above three storeys.

http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/110420/999r1/8210i8c_20.jpeg

http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/110420/000r1/0520m3e_20.jpeg

Wow! Now that would be a lovely addition to downtown Fredericton. Love the high first floor windows for retail!

To respond to the "being harsh" point yes, I may be a bit too bossy :whip: here and apologize. I guess the issue for me is that there are many "work arounds" a developer could use to provide retail - even in a flood zone. I agree, the city should have had zoning by-laws in place before to promote this, if not already in place.

I have lived in Caribbean cities where every day at noon it rains so hard the city streets get a foot of water flowing down them...yet retail and commercial space still exists...through creativity. I think if it works in the third world...the same could be done for this development. First, it is only the front half of the building that requires retail, not the entire first floor...so parking could still be incorporated. Second, they could use a modestly raised or platform concourse to manage the flooding issues....like Regency Park did at Queen and Regent, except a little less dramatic - just enought to get ABOVE the flood levels. I have a friend who lives in a building identical to the one being proposed. It is in Toronto and near a flood zone. It has enough depth for a row of narrow retail in the front (they have a hair salon, a dry cleaner, a convenience store, and an art studio in this space) AND two rows of car parking underneath. They also have enough space for another single row behind it if needed, but they did not develop it as the parking spot/unit ratios are not as strict as in Freddy.

There, my final two cents ont he topic...LOL :worship:

cj6286

Apr 25, 2011, 5:21 PM

If the city is so concerned about flooding downtown, why not construct a levee? I'm not sure how the ground water or storm drains would cooperate, but I imagine it would decrease the amount of water downtown during flood season. Though, I agree with what they did at Regency Place. I've never seen water more than a few inches on Queen Street, and never more than two to four feet on Pointe Sainte-Anne (Street level). Raising the building a few feet would work well.

Freddypop

Apr 25, 2011, 6:02 PM

Noticed some major clear-cutting taking place in the woods on the south side of Knowledge Park Drive as you approach the intersection with Allison Blvd. Is this the new UNB commercial area that was recently given the go-ahead by city council?

OliverD

Apr 25, 2011, 7:30 PM

cl812

Apr 27, 2011, 1:36 AM

There is now a sign up for the new building on Prospect Street, its an office building.

Freddypop

Apr 27, 2011, 3:47 PM

There is now a sign up for the new building on Prospect Street, its an office building.

Where on Prospect?

OliverD

Apr 27, 2011, 3:55 PM

I think he means just east of the Mazda dealership.

cl812

Apr 27, 2011, 8:03 PM

I think he means just east of the Mazda dealership.

Yup, thats the one.

Freddypop

Apr 27, 2011, 10:20 PM

Any idea about size or who is moving in?

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 12:16 PM

Any idea about size or who is moving in?

there is a sign up there now and it looks to be a couple floors and it is a dental office.

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 12:24 PM

Currie Center spectacular addition to campus
Published Thursday April 28th, 2011
$62 Million facility | State-of-the-art building on UNB campus to open
A1
By BRUCE HALLIHAN
hallihan.bruce@dailygleaner.com

John Richard doesn't know the price tag on the new Richard J. Currie Center, but the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds women's volleyball coach says it's worth every penny.

"The building is Grade A - every aspect of it," Richard said following a Wednesday morning media tour.

"From the equipment, to the rec gym we're standing in, to the high-performance gym upstairs, it's unbelievable. It's way better than I ever thought it could be."

The cost for the impressive multi-purpose, five-storey facility is $62 million, with UNB chancellor Dick Currie personally donating more than $20 million towards construction of the 8,000 square-foot, air-conditioned building.

"I'm not quite sure of the exact price tag," Richard said, "but I'm sure it wasn't cheap because nothing in here is cheap."

The Currie Center, which replaces the Lady Beaverbrook Gym for court sports, features state-of-the-art gymnasiums, a high-performance lab and other research facilities, an elevated 191-metre running track - five laps equals about one kilometre - fitness and conference centres.

The 1,500-seat, high-performance gymnasium will also be the venue for convocations, beginning with the May 18 and 19 ceremonies.

The main boardroom provides a picturesque view of the Fredericton skyline and the St. John River.

Two full-size recreation gymnasiums are on the ground floor.

David Saad worked at the Fredericton YMCA for almost 25 years before taking over as facility operations manager for the Currie Center on Dec. 1.

"I had heard a lot about the Currie Center," Saad said, "but it's 110 per cent better than what I thought it would be. I've probably taken 500 people through the facility and there hasn't been one negative comment.

"It's always been 'Wow.'

UNB women's basketball player Laura Fowler will be entering her third season with the V-Reds in the fall.

"Obviously it's really nice," Fowler said. "The biggest thing for the athletes, for us, is going to be the floor. The floor at the LB gym was so slippery. Here, you're not sliding all over the place, so you have to adjust to it."

She doesn't mind having to adjust, of course.

"The locker room is great, there's lots of space in the team room and obviously the performance gym is beautiful," Fowler said. "It's hard to find fault with anything."

Fowler sees the Currie Center as a valuable recruiting tool.

"I think they've been kind of using that (selling point) for the last, like, five years knowing that it was going to be built," she said with a chuckle. "I still have two or three years left here, so I'm certainly going to enjoy it.

"For someone new coming in, well, nobody in Atlantic Canada has a facility like this," Fowler said. "Memorial University has a field house somewhat like this, but it's brand new, it's state of the art. It will help recruiting immensely."

Richard, who moved into his new office the first week of April, says the facility was long overdue.

"I walked on campus as a varsity athlete 20 years ago and there was rumblings of a new building coming," he said. "To finally get here and move in is just surreal.

"We waited a long time," Richard said, "but they definitely did it right in every aspect."

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 12:28 PM

Green home project coming to north side
Published Thursday April 28th, 2011
A4
By ANDREW HOLLAND
For The Daily Gleaner

Fredericton is poised to have what developers believe is the first net zero energy townhouses in North America.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679399&size=500x0
A number of companies are teaming up to build energy-efficient townhouses on the north side. The top drawing shows the front of the building, and the bottom drawing shows the rear.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679400&size=500x0

A six-unit townhouse development is being planned for the corner of Irvine Street and Hillcrest Drive in Devon. It will be located at The Meadows at Neill's Farm and should open in July.

The energy-efficient home project is being delivered through a partnership involving four companies: James Realty Ltd./Martin Davis Eco Housing Ltd. and Maple Leaf Homes both of Fredericton, EcoPlusHomes of Bathurst and the German Bosch Group, which is supplying the technology.

They are striving to provide units with a Home Energuide rating of 94 or better and feature low energy consumption homes that have a "net zero" yearly energy use.

"This is very unique and exciting," said Jim Martin, project manager and co-owner of James Realty Ltd. "We are project driven, not profit driven.

"We want to build something that is affordable, that takes your reliability on fossil fuels offline and that is why we are utilizing the Eco Plus Home technology in the development."

The technology, installed and monitored for its efficiency by EcoPlusHomes of Bathurst, has received Fredericton's Environment Award, announced Tuesday by Mayor Brad Woodside.

Company president Axel Lerche accepted the award.

"Transportation was once for the rich, then Henry Ford designed a car that was affordable for everyone. We want to do that with energy-efficient homes. Saving the planet is very important, but also saving money. The goal (of the EcoPlusHome) is a return on investment in the new technology of less than 10 years and is a solution for a sustainable living with a reasonable investment."

The Green Matters Program has been working to educate the community on environmental stewardship, climate change and sustainability in Fredericton since 2007.

"It is always very exciting when new technology is introduced in our community that offer solutions to minimize our environmental foot print," said Michael Baldwin, manager of sustainable development with the city's development services division.

"This highlights the future economic opportunity around 'green' technology and the city of Fredericton is the right community for such an initiative," he said.

Martin said Maple Leaf Homes is responsible for assembling and delivering prefabricated homes, while Martin Davis Eco Housing is the developer, looking after the design, project management and funding and will soon be applying for building permits.

Each townhouse will be on a net metering system and will be equipped with one geothermal heat pump, two geothermal wells that are 30-40 metres (100-125 feet) deep, thermal solar panels that provide hot water and roof-mounted photo-voltaic solar panels that generate power into the NB Power electrical grid.

The system will enable homeowners to generate electricity during the spring, summer and fall, offsetting energy usage during winter months. Martin hopes NB Power will give customers the ability to sell surplus energy back to the utility soon.

The energy-efficiency technology costs about $40,000 and some components have a lifespan of approximately 25 years.

The townhouses will be priced in the $290,000 range and include individual outside parking and storage facilities along with green spaces to plant gardens. Units will be close to trails and park facilities.

Depending on how the market responds, Martin said they wish to have up to 120 townhouses available over the next decade.

A test house built in Bathurst in 2009 by EcoPlusHome received the Premier's Energy Efficient Award for New Home Construction in 2010. A family of six lived in it for a year without using any fossil fuels. The prefabricated house was also constructed by Maple Leaf Homes.

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 12:30 PM

NBers moving to large urban centres, researcher says
Published Thursday April 28th, 2011
A5
By MEGAN MACKAY
For The Daily Gleaner

With an aging population and younger demographics moving to larger urban centres, it would seem that New Brunswick has a population bomb ready to explode, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing, says researcher Michael Haan.

Haan's lecture, Can New Brunswick's Population Bomb be Defused? was held at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre on Wednesday night and featured the beginnings of his research agenda at the University of New Brusnwick.

The lecture focused on the causes of population decline and why people are moving out of New Brunswick. His research has shown that people tend to migrate to larger urban centres - of which New Brunswick has none. The good news is Moncton and Fredericton are continuing to grow.

"It's the rural populations moving into these cities that is driving the population up," Haan said. "Investments in recruitment and retention are likely to have different levels of success for each (age demographic)."

Akshay Mohan is a sociologist interested in immigration issues and how to attract new people to New Brunswick. He moved to the province from Boston 21/2 years ago with a plan to settle here.

"It's got a good quality of life with balance between urbanization and rural areas. I would say the value system here is really good in terms of people, in terms of being family and community focused," Mohan said. "And there are a lot of opportunities that could be created and being an entrepreneur, I felt this was a good place to do this."

He said the lecture provided him useful information.

"He presented a lot of valuable data and the fact of where people are moving to. It can lead to a lot of more informed policy decisions that are based on evidence and also for us to be able to make choices in terms of where we want to focus our resources," Mohan said.

The lecture was the fourth in a series called Ideas that Matter, put on by UNB. Bob Skillen was one of the original organizers behind the series. He said the idea was to hold a lecture series to promote the 2001 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences on May 28-June 4 in Fredericton.

"It started out with, what can we do around congress to help promote humanities and social sciences? and it grew into the Ideas that Matter series," Skillen said

With the support of 25 local businesses, the lecture series is free.

"The faculty of arts is very interested in continuing the series," he said. "This is a great way to engage the community."

The fifth and final lecture of the series in 2011 will be held Sept. 28.

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 12:42 PM

Photographer Steve MacGillivray's look at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center
Published Thursday April 28th, 2011
B5

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/sports/article/1401531

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679404&size=500x0
The high performance gymnasium. The gym floor is covered in carpet for May 18-19 convocation.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679405&size=0x400
North side of the building.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679406&size=500x0
The high performance gymnasium. The gym floor is covered in carpet for May 18-19 convocation.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679407&size=500x0
The Hatheway Family Fitness Centre.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679408&size=500x0
The board room on the fourth floor with a view that looks over the city.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679411&size=500x0
David Saad, facility operations manager, shows the control room equipment above the high performance gymnasium.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679412&size=500x0
The high performance gymnasium. The gym floor is covered in carpet for May 18-19 convocation.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679414&size=500x0
Inside the main entrance.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=679415&size=0x400
Looking down inside the main entrance.

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 12:47 PM

Candidates share plans for airport, air travel
Published Thursday April 28th, 2011
D1
By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com

The Fredericton airport and affordable air travel were hot topics at a federal election panel discussion on business and the economy hosted by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday morning.

Fredericton Liberal candidate Randy McKeen accused the federal government of using some of the money collected by a post-9-11 air travel security fee for general revenues.

But Fredericton Conservative candidate Keith Ashfield, the incumbent in the Fredericton riding, said that since the Conservatives have been in office, they have reduced those security fees.

The panel discussion took place at the auditorium in the Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre and the five local candidates were given copies of the five questions in advance and allotted two minutes each to answer. The candidates didn't debate each other.

One question asked about the impact of high taxes, security fees and levies on airports and how the candidates would make air travel more competitive in Fredericton and stop the flow of travellers to United States to catch cheaper flights.

"Something has to be done," said McKeen.

"The Air Travelers Security Tax is just one example of poor government planning and execution."

He said in the U.S. all the money collected by security fees goes to security.

But in Canada surplus revenue from security fees goes to government general revenues, he said.

"The fact is, the federal government has to stop treating air transportation like a cash cow and recognize its importance to our business competitiveness," said McKeen.

Ashfield said in 2002 under the Liberals, the security fee was set at $12 per one-way domestic flight, and the Tories lowered it to $7.48.

"Our government has committed to ensuring that the security fees are solely directed to the costs of security and not directed into any other programs," he said.

Ashfield said his party has invested millions of dollars in upgrading the Fredericton airport.

He said another airline is needed in Fredericton to lower prices by competition. That's what happened in Saint John and Moncton, he said.

Ashfield said the airport is trying to attract another carrier and he will work with the airport to make it happen.

NDP candidate Jesse Travis said Canada should imitate the United States and subsidize its airports rather than charge them rent.

"They realize these are economic generators for the community," he said. "They create jobs."

Travis said it's hard for Canadian airlines to cut rates because of high government fees.

"We need to make sure that we look at that and that we work on that in Ottawa to ensure that air travel is cheaper," he said.

Green candidate Louise Comeau said her party doesn't encourage air travel because it's so damaging to the environment.

She said the cost of air travel is only going to increase as the price of oil goes up and the Green party would invest heavily in rail travel and alternatives to travel such as video conferencing.

Comeau said it's shocking that there's no rail service in the provincial capital.

Independent candidate Adam Scott Ness said his economic development plans would encourage more people to move to New Brunswick, which would result in full planes flying here. That would mean extra revenues for airlines that could then afford to reduce their fees, he said.

The other panel questions were on immigration, access to investment capital, research and development and federal transfer payments.

After the event chamber president Mike Toole said the panel went well.

"We had strategic questions that we asked the candidates on business and the economy and the answers were diverse," he said.

"It's important for the local businesses and especially our members (to get the answers on the record). We've got 900 members."

Toole said there have been discussions about health and education so the chamber focused on business and the economy.

cj6286

Apr 28, 2011, 4:08 PM

I agree with Ms. Comeau about rail travel. It would benefit a lot of people and create hundreds of jobs. Even if it was just a shuttle train from Fredericton to Saint John/Moncton. I'd take a train to Montreal or Toronto versus plane any day. Mind you, I'm terrified of flying.

Taeolas

Apr 28, 2011, 4:18 PM

Restoring train service would be fantastic. Won't happen in my life time but I'd love to be able to just get on the train and get to Moncton or Halifax.

Hell, extend it to the border at Woodstock or St Stephen and have an AmTrack (which doesn't even make it to Portland IIRC) connection to feed through Maine and to the rest of the US just for the extra service.

cl812

Apr 28, 2011, 7:12 PM

Noticed today that they have begun pouring the foundation for the Costco store.

Freddypop

Apr 29, 2011, 6:07 PM

Noticed today that they have begun pouring the foundation for the Costco store.

Found this on the Costco site re store opening schedule:

http://shop.costco.com/In-The-Warehouse/Locations-Coming-Soon.aspx

Steeple Shanks

Apr 29, 2011, 8:05 PM

Does anyone know when the rest of the development at the Corbett centre is suppose to start? I have noticed it being alluded to a number of times in the Gleaner.

Freddypop

Apr 29, 2011, 10:34 PM

I thought I had heard somewhere that Tim Horton's would be moving forward this summer. The big holdup for them was when Costco was going to move forward. We now have that answer. Remember that Tim's closed their Regent Mall location in anticipation of opening up at the Corbett Centre a couple of years ago.

No idea on any additional stores but one can assume that the Corbett Centre will now draw additional interest from potential business looking to capitalize on Costco's drawing potential.

cl812

May 2, 2011, 1:44 PM

Noticed over the weekend, they now have a "coming soon" sign up for Costco at the site.

Freddypop

May 2, 2011, 3:32 PM

Noticed over the weekend, they now have a "coming soon" sign up for Costco at the site.

Yep....saw that too...south entrance into the Corbett Centre

Freddypop

May 4, 2011, 10:47 AM

Published Wednesday May 4th, 2011

D1 By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN

mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

A proposal to develop a 64-unit apartment building on McLeod Avenue and eventually townhouses facing outward toward Queen Square has cleared the city's planning advisory committee.

The development goes to city council for final approval.

Architect Peter Fellows is working on the design for the downtown redevelopment project for local developer Robert Brown of the family-owned business A and R Rentals, the company that developed two apartment buildings in the same neighbourhood and most recently redeveloped a York Street apartment ravaged by fire.

In 2007, Kileel Developments Ltd. received approval from the city for a 60-unit apartment and 14-unit townhouse development on the same piece of land owned by Abe Khoury.

The Queen Square Neighbourhood Association reviewed the plans and supported the Kileel proposal, but Kileel eventually scrapped the project due to soil contamination on the property.

The city monitors the site for contaminants due to its proximity to its downtown eastend wells, which are crucial to city water supply.

Over the years, the property had a variety of uses that contributed to contamination hot spots on the property. The site has been occupied by a flooring business, a warehouse, an electronics building and currently vacuum sales and repair. There are four commercial type buildings on the land, including a Quonset building that houses Capital Vacuum.

Fast forward to 2011 and the Brown family is in talks with Khoury to develop the same piece of land at 746, 776 and 792 McLeod Ave.

"The applicant has informed (city) staff that the site has obtained confirmation from the Department of Environment that the site is remediated to a standard to accommodate residential development," stated a new city planning report on the project.

But because the land is in one of the city's wellfield protected areas, the developers will have to use energy sources such as electricity or natural gas to protect nearby groundwater wells from possible pollution sources, the city planning report said.

Clearing the property for residential use falls to the Department of Environment, not the city, said Alex Forbes, assistant director of development services.

Forbes said the Brown family is proposing to ring the apartment development - which will be pushed to the Beaverbrook Street side of the property - with townhouses, although they may not look like the ones proposed in the Kileel application. The Kileel design for the Victorian-style townhouses was designed by ADI Ltd.

In order to allow the Brown development to proceed, the city has to grant a two-metre height variance to permit the apartment to be 22 metres high. As a result of the height change, a 0.5-metre rear yard setback variance and a one-metre side yard setback are also required.

Overall, the height of the apartment building in the new proposal will be close to the Kileel plan because it called for a pitched roof and the Brown proposal is for a flat roof, Forbes said.

"We're pleased with the building," he said.

Forbes said the city is happy to see developers taking up the challenge to build more density in the downtown.

The city refused an application from Khoury in 2009 to try to have the zoning on the land reduced because the city wants more medium- and high-density residential development in the city core area.

KnoxfordGuy

May 4, 2011, 1:25 PM

I wonder what's going to happen to the artwork in the Centennial Building if they tear it down.

OliverD

May 4, 2011, 1:46 PM

I doubt they will tear it down. Last I heard it will be refurbished over the next 2-3 years.

KnoxfordGuy

May 4, 2011, 1:55 PM

I doubt they will tear it down. Last I heard it will be refurbished over the next 2-3 years.

That's great news!! I really did not want it torn down :D

cl812

May 6, 2011, 11:52 AM

Groups plotting strategy to bring new airline to city
Published Friday May 6th, 2011
Business | Chamber to meet with airport, Enterprise Fredericton this morning
A4
By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com

The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is meeting with officials from the Fredericton International Airport Authority and Enterprise Fredericton this morning to plot a strategy to attract a new airline to the capital.

"We are meeting all morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to really go through what is going to be our approach to attract new carriers," said chamber CEO Susan Holt on Thursday.

"In the past we've used the travel bank model. Is there a different way to get the business community engaged in supporting the marketing to new carriers to establish new routes?"

Holt said air service is a pillar of advocacy for the chamber of commerce.

"It represents a big portion of the expenses a number of our members face," she said. "Travel is expensive and when you have to do it to get to your customers, you have to look at ways to manage that."

She said it's important that people understand there's a lot of activity underway by community leaders to attract new service from WestJet and Porter Airlines.

"It's not an overnight kind of thing," she said.

Fredericton's airport is served by Air Canada for regular daily flights.

Holt said the chamber is doing all it can to support the airport in its hunt for improved air service.

The meeting comes just days after the Conservative government won a majority in the national election.

Holt said the chamber has two main issues regarding air service that it wants the federal government to address: an open-skies policy and lower taxes and fees, plus reinvesting those taxes and fees in air travel infrastructure.

An open-skies policy means foreign airlines would be allowed to operate in Canada with far fewer regulations and costs, she said.

"It's expensive for a non-Canadian airline to fly in Canada and it deters them from establishing routes," said Holt.

Foreign airlines aren't allowed to operate from city to city within Canada.

Holt said that means if an American airline wanted to set up a route from Boston to Fredericton to Toronto, it couldn't fly that last leg.

"That really hurts airports like ours that might want to be a midpoint stop in order to try and get new options," she said.

"Air travel in the U.S. and air travel in Europe is very competitive. They have a low regulatory environment and thus they have low price tickets and lots of activity and options for travellers because of that framework, and we would like to see Canada do the same."

Holt said so far the Conservative government hasn't indicated it's open to an open-skies policy.

The chamber is also calling for Nav Canada fees to be reduced.

Nav Canada is a private, non-profit corporation that runs the country's civil air navigation service. It was privatized by Ottawa in 1996.

In tandem with that, those taxes and fees collected don't get spent on improvements to air travel infrastructure such as airports, said Holt. Instead, they go into general government revenues.

Those fees should be reinvested in air infrastructure, she said.

But again, the Harper government has made no indication that it's prepared to make that change, she said.

corda

May 6, 2011, 2:41 PM

Groups plotting strategy to bring new airline to city

I hate to be a pessimist but this is just one of several meetings of locals interested in increasing air traffic.

I think the travel bank idea should be avoided. Too many companies and individuals got burned just a few short years ago when Delta flew here to Boston. The one year limit to use their own funds invested in this travel bank wasn't clearly spelled to to everyone leaving some bitter.

Take a look at the Saint John forum. There's a similar articled posted today stating that airport is courting Porter and others. Wer'e competing against ourselves.

corda

May 6, 2011, 2:54 PM

Taeolas

May 6, 2011, 3:02 PM

I hate to be a pessimist but this is just one of several meetings of locals interested in increasing air traffic.

I think the travel bank idea should be avoided. Too many companies and individuals got burned just a few short years ago when Delta flew here to Boston. The one year limit to use their own funds invested in this travel bank wasn't clearly spelled to to everyone leaving some bitter.

Take a look at the Saint John forum. There's a similar articled posted today stating that airport is courting Porter and others. Wer'e competing against ourselves.

Agreed. We really need a regional airport midway between the 3 southern cities. As is we're just splitting the traffic up and splitting the demand up.

Of course the chance to make such a regional airport sailed long ago (Similar to the chance to expand rail service in this province), so we'll probably never see it happen.

Though as is, Moncton airport will probably keep pulling demand from YSJ and YFC regardless and will likely become the major airport (some may say its already there) despite the other two airport's intentions.

corda

May 6, 2011, 4:45 PM

Agreed. We really need a regional airport midway between the 3 southern cities. As is we're just splitting the traffic up and splitting the demand up.

Of course the chance to make such a regional airport sailed long ago (Similar to the chance to expand rail service in this province), so we'll probably never see it happen.

Though as is, Moncton airport will probably keep pulling demand from YSJ and YFC regardless and will likely become the major airport (some may say its already there) despite the other two airport's intentions.

Competition between the three cities in southern NB stagnates a lot of development. Yes, a central airport would have been the right thing to do coupled with good road links (and rail for that matter).
I agree, that ship has sailed. We are not centralised enough in this province to make a huge impact on swaying corporations away from Halifax when they decide where to set up market in the Maritimes... on a small scale, yes, we do have a decent economies but not as large as they could be collectively IMO.

Which gets me thinking.... with all the residential development in Fredericton. (mosth notably northside off Brookside) Where are the newcomers working?

cj6286

May 9, 2011, 2:53 PM

Does anyone know when the city is going to start paving the trail on The Green in front of Pointe Sainte Anne Drive?

OliverD

May 9, 2011, 3:10 PM

Does anyone know when the city is going to start paving the trail on The Green in front of Pointe Sainte Anne Drive?

I think they have to wait for the water to retreat first. :P

But seriously, I hope it's soon. I know some people don't like them, but the paved trails have so many advantages.

DisplacedHaligonian

May 9, 2011, 8:22 PM

as far as I've heard they're supposed to be paving that section and the section behind superstore this spring/summer...but of course river dependant.

JHikka

May 9, 2011, 10:47 PM

We really need a regional airport midway between the 3 southern cities.

Sussex says hi.

It'll never happen, unfortunately.

Fredboy

May 10, 2011, 2:08 AM

cj6286

May 10, 2011, 4:21 AM

corda

May 10, 2011, 3:55 PM

Which Apartment/condo units do you think will start construction this year?
Forest Hills tower was approved a while ago, Union Street approved, Beaverbrook/Regent approved tonight, McLeod Ave and Queen street going through approval now.

What's going on at Forest Hill tower other than the refurbishment after the fire? Is a second tower planned?

As for what will begin construction.. I think Union/Friel and the other one in Devon.. Bowlen st ??... both should start anytime now.

I'm still amazed a developer wants to build on the Queen street site considering the flood threat. I understand they're taking precations, ie no retail on ground level, underground parking, etc. but I'm still amazed considering they know it will be a potential headache each year.

I agree... it will be nice to see anything replacing the old TRA building.

cl812

May 10, 2011, 6:29 PM

What's going on at Forest Hill tower other than the refurbishment after the fire? Is a second tower planned?

As for what will begin construction.. I think Union/Friel and the other one in Devon.. Bowlen st ??... both should start anytime now.

I'm still amazed a developer wants to build on the Queen street site considering the flood threat. I understand they're taking precations, ie no retail on ground level, underground parking, etc. but I'm still amazed considering they know it will be a potential headache each year.

I agree... it will be nice to see anything replacing the old TRA building.

There is a second tower proposed at the Forest Hill site, seven floors if I remember correctly.

Freddypop

May 10, 2011, 6:58 PM

I'd place my bet that the condos on Bowlen to go first followed by the Station Street development and then followed by Friel and Union.

corda

May 10, 2011, 7:14 PM

I'd place my bet that the condos on Bowlen to go first followed by the Station Street development and then followed by Friel and Union.

Devon is where it's at!:tup:

Freddypop

May 10, 2011, 8:25 PM

Devon is where it's at!:tup:

Don't forget about the apartment building approved to go in behind St. Anthony's Church. Expect construction on that to proceed as well..

cl812

May 11, 2011, 11:45 AM

New Maryland keen to get building
Published Wednesday May 11th, 2011
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

The Village of New Maryland is prepared to spend up to $500,000 to built an expanded municipal building.

The village last month awarded an architectural design contract to Richard and Co. Architecture Inc. to design the building and has asked that the design work commence immediately with the aim of having a completed project by Dec. 31.

"They (the architects) have to come back in a very timely manner so that the contract documents can be put out," said village treasurer Joan Chandra, who sits on the in-house committee working on the office renovation project.

The project budget, including both design and construction is set at $525,000 including HST.

Mayor Frank Dunn says the village has outgrown its facility, which houses municipal staff, recreational and development services.

The New Maryland municipal building was constructed in 1997. The village had four employees at the time. The village now has 18, but only has room to accommodate 10 people, some of whom are doubled up in offices. Other employees are working out of vehicles, the New Maryland Fire Hall and the wastewater treatment plant.

Dunn would like to see construction start as soon as possible and be completed this year.

Freddypop

May 12, 2011, 10:38 AM

Published Thursday May 12th, 2011

A4 By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN

llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com

The $10.4-million rehabilitation of a runway at the Fredericton International Airport Authority this summer won't stop Fredericton residents from catching their flights to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax.

"There are going to be some times where we are going to be limited in terms of the operations, but we're going to be able to move commercial air service through the whole construction project," said David Innes, president and CEO of the airport Wednesday.

"But the flight school will have to be limited at some point."

Innes made the comment after the airport's annual general meeting in Fredericton on Wednesday afternoon.

The Fredericton airport has two main runways. One was substantially improved and extended to 8,000 feet early this decade.

The second, smaller runway will be resurfaced and upgraded with the federal government contributing $5.2 million and the provincial government kicking in $2.6 million.

The airport will pick up the remainder of the cost.

"The tenders should be called shortly, within weeks," said Innes.

"Hopefully the work will start in June."

Once the runway upgrade is complete, the airport's next big project will be a $22-million expansion of the terminal.

"The terminal building is small," said Innes.

"We've increased ... the number of people through the terminal by about 40 per cent in the last decade and we can take a little bit more traffic.

"But we're going to have to at some point ... build more capacity."

He said the departure lounge has 170 seats, but there isn't much seating in the rest of the terminal and the food services area is crowded.

Innes said the airport terminal will have to be built up and out.

"We will get into second level operations at the terminal," he said.

"It will be thicker, a little bit towards the parking lot and a little bit onto the apron."

Innes said raising $22 million to expand the terminal will require help from the federal and provincial governments. It will also mean the airport will have to take on more debt, he said. The airport has about $1 million in debt.

"We're willing to be participants," he said.

"I don't think there's any way around debt if we get into the terminal."

Wednesday's annual meeting marked the 10th year since the airport was privatized. Innes said it has been 10 years of remarkable progress with expansions of the main runway, the apron, the airport terminal and adjacent hangers at a cost of $30 million.

"After 10 years we are here, we are stable and we are poised for the future," he said.

Last week the airport held a strategy meeting with community leaders about that future.

"To be successful, we have to agree on how we work together," said Innes.

He said the meeting agreed on important targets such as new flights to the United Kingdom and the United States and more flights to the rest of Canada.

Only Air Canada provides regular commercial service to the airport, despite a hunt for more competition from other airlines.

But Innes seemed to downplay the need for a second airline.

"It is important to have the appropriate number of seats and the appropriate number of destinations and the appropriate price and clearly we are open to Air Canada providing that," said Innes.

"The seats and the price are the issue, not the airline."

He said it was a good, productive strategy meeting and over the next few months the airport will have something more public to say about it.

The Moncton airport recently announced it wants to expand one of its runways to 10,000 feet, the longest in Atlantic Canada, to handle more cargo flights.

Innes said Fredericton airport has no plans to lengthen its runways.

"I am not sure what aircraft they are dealing with but certainly our runways are long enough for anything we see in the immediate future," he said.

He said a Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet landed at Fredericton in January 2010 for the first time as part of a military charter.

The Fredericton airport also has a seasonal direct service to sunshine destinations. Innes said the airport set a record of more than 4,000 people taking sun destination flights with charters reaching 92 per cent capacity.

"We're going to work on that aspect," he said.

The annual general meeting also reported a record level of overall traffic at the airport.

Innes said 272,968 people passed through the airport in 2010, up more than 10,000 from 2009.

Freddypop

May 12, 2011, 10:39 AM

Published Thursday May 12th, 2011

A5 By The Daily Gleaner

A 32-unit apartment building for the corner of Regent and Beaverbrook streets has been cleared for construction by city council.

Goguen White Architects Ltd. is designing the four-storey building for brothers George and Stephen Thompson. The Thompsons own an eight-unit apartment building on the same property at 476 Regent St. The building will be renovated to six units.

The new building will include a 28-stall underground parking structure and will have 25 two-bedroom units that will be about the same size as the main floor of a small bungalow. Seven three-bedroom units will range from 110 square metres (1,225 square feet) to 146 square metres (1,625 square feet).

The location of the building at an already traffic-congested corner drew letters of concern from surrounding neighbours.

The city will eliminate an entrance to the apartment building from Beaverbrook Street to address traffic concerns about potentially unsafe left turning movements off Beaverbrook into the parkade.

Eliminating the Beaverbrook Street address will also permit the developers to keep the majority of the parking below grade and add more landscaping to the Beaverbrook Street-facing side of the building

cj6286

May 12, 2011, 4:29 PM

Published Thursday May 12th, 2011
"The terminal building is small," said Innes.

"We've increased ... the number of people through the terminal by about 40 per cent in the last decade and we can take a little bit more traffic.

"But we're going to have to at some point ... build more capacity."

He said the departure lounge has 170 seats, but there isn't much seating in the rest of the terminal and the food services area is crowded.

Innes said the airport terminal will have to be built up and out.

"We will get into second level operations at the terminal," he said.

"It will be thicker, a little bit towards the parking lot and a little bit onto the apron."

Does that mean a gangway to airplanes? Hopefully these plans come to life. That terminal gets very crowded at times.

cl812

May 12, 2011, 6:37 PM

Does that mean a gangway to airplanes? Hopefully these plans come to life. That terminal gets very crowded at times.

Definately sounds like a possibility where they may be adding a second level.

OliverD

May 12, 2011, 7:31 PM

Found this today.

Brookside West phase 6/7: http://www.chippins.com/bw67.jpg

Alison Heights: http://www.chippins.com/AliHts.jpg

cj6286

May 12, 2011, 7:55 PM

Found this today.

Brookside West phase 6/7: http://www.chippins.com/bw67.jpg

Wow, Brookside West is starting to be a huge suburb(subdivision?). If they're expecting that many people to live there, they're going to have to do some much needed road upgrades to Brookside Drive. Dare I say- a bicycle lane. I know a lot of people that would use a Brookside bicycle the lane, so at least there is some demand for it. I live in that area and every evening, I hear the chain-saws roaring. At least it's a sign that the city is expanding.

OliverD

May 12, 2011, 8:00 PM

I think it would be even better if there was a separate biking/walking trail going up Brookside to service these subdivisions.

I know a lot of people that live in that area, and good friend of mine just bought a house in Brookside West. It's definitely a booming area.

Fredboy

May 12, 2011, 10:22 PM

Read today in an article on Killam properties they are planning to start construction on Forest Hill Tower 2 this summer. 101 units and I think it was seven or eight stories. Thats a big development.

mylesmalley

May 12, 2011, 10:47 PM

Supposed to be a mirror image of their existing tower, right?

cl812

May 14, 2011, 11:12 AM

I think the existing tower is 9 floors.

cl812

May 14, 2011, 11:13 AM

Grant*Harvey Centre on track, but weather causing problems
Published Saturday May 14th, 2011
A7
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

It isn't only the gardeners who are shaking their fists at a soggy sky.

It's the construction trade.

Fredericton's community services director Wayne Tallon said work is continuing on the $21.6-million Grant*Harvey Centre at Knowledge Park Drive and Alison Boulevard, but not without extra effort.

Foulem Construction of Caraquet, the general contractor on the project, has been building the footings and foundation walls of the new dual-pad indoor ice hockey facility, but the site is soggy.

"That's causing us a little grief. They're constantly having to pump water out of these areas," Tallon told the city's community services committee this week.

Despite the wet, the project is moving ahead in a timely way. Walls and structural steel will soon start to give the building shape in Scotiabank Park South, he said.

"There really are no big delays and we're not concerned about the (construction) schedule at this stage," he said.

On the north side of the city, the site has been cleared for Johnson Avenue Park. The former Nashwaaksis Arena property will be developed into an outdoor recreation space. The project was initiated by Business Fredericton North, but the city will own the facility. It will have hard surfaces for basketball and ball hockey, an outdoor skateboard park, a gazebo, picnic area, pedestrian trail and an outdoor community skating facility with an ice plant for winter use.

Next door to Willie O'Ree Place at Scotiabank Park North, construction is also moving along on a second city-owned artificial turf field. Excavation, clearing and material stockpiling have been done to build the sub-base and draining systems, Tallon said.

Scotiabank has donated $1.5 million toward the athletic field project in exchange for naming rights to both the north and south recreation hubs being developed by the city.

cl812

May 14, 2011, 11:16 AM

Not sure if this would work, interesting though.
----

Fredericton group exploring new hoop loop
Published Saturday May 14th, 2011
NBLC | Lamrock leads group gauging community interest for 2012-13 season
B1
By ANDREW HOLLAND
For The Daily Gleaner

A Fredericton lawyer and consultant is examining the potential of establishing a National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC) franchise in Fredericton.

Former Fredericton MLA Kelly Lamrock heads a group of 12 people who are exploring whether there would be sufficient community and corporate support to secure a team for the 2012-2013 season.

Lamrock, a former cabinet minister who served in the Liberal government under former premier Shawn Graham from 2003-2010, has coached minor basketball in the city for several years and is a major hoops enthusiast.

Lamrock has had discussions with both Saint John Mill Rats president and general manager Ian McCarthy and Halifax Rainmen president and general manager Andre Levingston, two of the founders of the new NBLC, which hopes to launch with franchises in Saint John, Halifax and Quebec which played this past season in the Premier Basketball League.

Saint John, Halifax and Québec City have left that circuit to become charter members of the new circuit. Other groups who have submitted letters of intent with the idea of a November launch are based in London, Barrie, Kingston and Oshawa, Ont. A Moncton franchise may also apply by the league's June 15 application deadline,

Lamrock describes the Fredericton group's interest at this stage as preliminary but serious. He admits the financial commitment would be "fairly daunting" but feels the Canadian League would offer a business model that makes better sense compared to the PBL.

Lamrock says it is possible that Fredericton could operate this fall but is looking at the 2012-13 season "as a more realistic goal.

"We want to make sure there is water in the pool before we jump in," Lamrock said.

"Minor league sports are not something to do to get rich, so we are talking to a number of corporate sponsors."

Lamrock believes basketball fans in the Capital region would be amazed with the caliber of entertainment. He and members of the group attended Premier Basketball League games this past season.

"I am very impressed by the Mill Rats and Rainmen organizations," he said. "They were model franchises in the PBL and are now building a league that matches their professionalism. So I reached out to them."

Lamrock was impressed by the entertainment package and the calibre of play in the Premier League.

"They make the event a great fan experience, particularly for young people. It is superlative and the level of basketball on the court is great," he said. "These players are fast and skilled and were very good to excellent in NCAA basketball. Some of them have NBA experience or are known to NBA scouts," Lamrock said.

McCarthy can vouch for the calibre of play

"These are highly skilled players," he said. "There are thousands of players coming out of the NCAA and only 450 spots in the NBA along with leagues in Europe. So there is an abundance of talent looking for a place where they can have fun, be in a good community, build their resumé and make a name for themselves."

The local group's first step is to assess whether there is enough community and corporate support and determine where a team would play. The most obvious venue is the 3,600 seat Aitken Centre on the campus of the University of New Brunswick, which has hosted the Harlem Globetrotters and was the home of the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association basketball championship tournament for more than 20 years before the event moved to Saint John's Harbour Station this season.

Lamrock doesn't believe the team will hurt fan support for university sports in the city.

"I don't see it competing as much as creating a renewed interest in basketball here in the city," he said.

McCarthy said he was encouraged by the unsolicited expression of interest from the Fredericton group. He said it would cost a team roughly $500,000 annually to operate.

McCarthy and Lamrock agreed a Fredericton entry in the league would generate fan interest and stir rivalries between Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton.

McCarthy said the league is vetting the ownership groups of the five potential franchises. Each has filled out a 35-page written application and must submit an expansion fee. This process is to ensure applicants have the financial resources and credentials to own and manage a team.

"We are processing those applications now," said McCarthy. "They have to sign a lease with an arena before they can be an approved team."

The league hopes to announce its lineup by June 30. Teams will play a 30-game schedule starting November 1.

cl812

May 14, 2011, 12:30 PM

Drivers gear up for long summer
Published Friday May 13th, 2011

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=682591&size=0x400
The Princess Margaret Bridge closed Wednesday evening for four months. This photo taken at 7:40 a.m. Thursday shows motorists moving on Ring Road as they head toward Maple Street and onto the Westmorland Street Bridge.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/gallery/1406133,682591

cj6286

May 19, 2011, 12:35 AM

I just found out the reason why Bishop Drive is so wide- it so there is enough room for a bicycle lane in the future. Also, there will be two lanes for each direction of traffic from Hanwell Road to the Irving. I find it weird why there has never been lines on the road there in the first place :koko:

cl812

May 19, 2011, 11:44 AM

Riverfront plan in the works
Published Thursday May 19th, 2011
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

The city will bring forward a southside riverfront strategy later this spring, said development services director Frank Flanagan.

A few years ago, in the context of looking at options for the city-owned Lighthouse on the Green, the notion of creating a unified riverfront strategy was suggested, Flanagan said.

"Council requested that we take it out to stakeholders first, people like Downtown Fredericton, who have contributed to that strategy in the past with the Regent Street wharf and the trail system, and the Small Craft Aquatic Centre, that has an input at the other end of the waterfront.

"We presented to them last fall and received input and have integrated that into the strategy," he said.

The ideas will be presented to the public through a set of open houses. Public comment will be worked into the process and a revised strategy will be taken to city council.

No date has been set yet for the release of the draft plan, but it will be before summer, Flanagan said.

The strategy will look at both active and passive uses along the river. There will be recognition that some areas are flood plain areas, which have to remain untouched.

But the city has been looking at trail use, scenic lookouts, lighting and landscaping to enhance activities.

"We're also trying to introduce some more compatible activities into that whole setting," Flanagan said.

cl812

May 20, 2011, 1:24 PM

City to have say on wetlands plan
Published Friday May 20th, 2011
A3
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

The City of Fredericton will be forwarding its input on provincial wetlands policy through four municipal organizations.

The Cities of New Brunswick Association, the Union of New Brunswick Municipalities, the Association of Francophone Municipalities of New Brunswick, and the Association of Municipal Administrators of New Brunswick will sit on a 50-member stakeholders' committee providing advice to Environment Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney on wetlands management.

The group will meet between May 25 and the end of June to talk about a long-term strategy for identifying and managing wetlands around New Brunswick.

"We've been working on a collective approach any way that would not represent just our interest, but the interests of all municipalities, so we're pretty much unanimous with respect to what we'd like to see happen with respect to that wetland issue," said development services department director Frank Flanagan.

He briefed the city's development committee this week on the next step in provincial wetlands consultation.

"We are really encouraged by the minister's approach that they are looking at a more sustainable, longer term approach and by sustainable, that they'll take into consideration economic development as well as environmental protection and that's a very positive message," Flanagan said.

"We hope to make it easy for the minister to accept a reasonable approach that has the political support of all municipalities."

On March 18, Blaney revoked a controversial wetland mapping tool based on the predictive layer approach. For the interim, maps created by the Department of Natural Resources would be used to determine where wetlands are located.

cl812

May 20, 2011, 1:58 PM

got out and took photos this morning of some of the construction sites on the south side.

Apartments at York and Voictoria:
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01343.jpg?1305899031

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01342.jpg?t=1305899206

New YMCA:
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01347.jpg?t=1305899294

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01348.jpg?t=1305899294

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01349.jpg?t=1305899294

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01350.jpg?t=1305899294

Knowledge Park Buildings:
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01351.jpg?1305899489

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01352.jpg?1305899555

Grant-Harvey Centre:
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01353.jpg?1305899600

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01354.jpg?1305899642

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01355.jpg?1305899684

Costco:
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01357.jpg?1305899716

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01358.jpg?1305899751

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01359.jpg?1305899786

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01360.jpg?1305899845

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01361.jpg?1305899874

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/cl812/DSC01362.jpg?1305899903

cl812

May 20, 2011, 2:04 PM

looks like the Costco foundation is nearly finished, the steel should likely be going up next week.

Pugsley

May 20, 2011, 2:33 PM

I did not realize that they are building TWO new buildings at Knowledge Park. That is a good sign!

cl812

May 20, 2011, 2:44 PM

I did not realize that they are building TWO new buildings at Knowledge Park. That is a good sign!

Yeah, they started both of them right around the same time. I think they are both fully leased, one major tenant in each, cant exactly remember the tenants though. If if remeber correctly some sort of government agency (IT related i believe) is moving into one of the buildings.

Taeolas

May 20, 2011, 2:53 PM

And RIM is going into the second building IIRC; bought it and built it full out.

Are they working on the CostCo Gas Bar at the same time as the main building, or are they going to wait until closer to opening?

cl812

May 20, 2011, 3:06 PM

Freddypop

May 20, 2011, 4:20 PM

Nice pics Cl812! Re Costco....the foundation is complete. Looks like they are now prepping for the concrete slab floor pour. I would assume that would be a 4-5 day job so that will likely start next week. The steel work should start after that. Also noticed today that they have started laying asphalt in the Costco parking lot.

cj6286

May 20, 2011, 4:30 PM

Is anything going to happen with a second building next to TD Tower? The signs advertising it have been up for ages...

Freddypop

May 20, 2011, 4:34 PM

Yeah, they started both of them right around the same time. I think they are both fully leased, one major tenant in each, cant exactly remember the tenants though. If if remeber correctly some sort of government agency (IT related i believe) is moving into one of the buildings.

One of the buildings is for the new Centre of Excellence for Advanced Learning and Technologies (CEALT) and the other for RIM I believe.I wouldn't be surprised to see a 6th building move forward soon to accomadate Radian 6 expansion requirements

Freddypop

May 20, 2011, 5:09 PM

Is anything going to happen with a second building next to TD Tower? The signs advertising it have been up for ages...

I doubt anything will happen at that location until plans are clarified as to what will be done with the Centennial Building. Most developers are not going to take any risk until they have an answer to that question. Will the province renovate and use as government office space as was originally planned or will it be turned over to the private sector to be used for general office space, retail or other? I would assume that the answers will come this year as the province relocates to the new office building. That decision will have an impact on Frederick Square II

mylesmalley

May 20, 2011, 7:46 PM

Considering the amount of new office space that's been added to Fredericton in the past couple of years, I'd be really surprised to see anything happen at Frederic Square any time soon.

cl812

May 20, 2011, 8:06 PM

Freddypop

May 21, 2011, 4:00 PM

Noticed there will be a public presentation at Tuesday evenings council meeting of the apartment/condo complex proposed at 271 Queen Street (former Lo-Food location)

http://www.fredericton.ca/en/citygovernment/resources/Agenda-CC.pdf

Freddypop

May 21, 2011, 11:06 PM

Thanks!

Interesting that their paving already.

Yeah...can't figure out why they would pave now. Would have thought they would wait till the end of the construction phase

cj6286

May 22, 2011, 4:56 AM

Wow, whoever is the developer/engineer of Brookside West is really into cul-de-sacs!

I saw this in the Daily Gleaner today- "Brookside Drive will be closed for this summer as the continued widening and rebuilding of that once rural-style roadway moves into its sixth and seventh phases." (Link to the full article here (http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/search/article/1408458)) Does anyone know what the phases are? I live on this road, and I have not heard much and depend on the transit. I heard they want to extend James Street to meet up with Peters Drive? I see this working as a bypass when they work on Brookside. I even heard a rumour about a bicycle lane on Brookside:-O

I also heard again on the radio about closing the Ring Road on Sunday, June 26 for the Two Nations Crossing bridge assessment.

cl812

May 22, 2011, 1:39 PM

Yeah...can't figure out why they would pave now. Would have thought they would wait till the end of the construction phase

I wonder if it doesnt have something to do with trailers they recently dropped off. They have Costco signs up on them so it looks like they are setting up an office there.

cl812

May 22, 2011, 1:40 PM

Steeple Shanks

May 22, 2011, 10:49 PM

The indoor tennis courts are a go. Plan completion date January 2012.

mylesmalley

May 23, 2011, 1:11 AM

What's going up at the end of Kimble Drive?

OliverD

May 23, 2011, 12:10 PM

Are you talking about the Grant-Harvey Centre or something else?

Freddypop

May 23, 2011, 3:18 PM

Freddypop

May 23, 2011, 3:21 PM

I wonder if it doesnt have something to do with trailers they recently dropped off. They have Costco signs up on them so it looks like they are setting up an office there.

Could be....Costco usually sets up an office in advance of the opening to sell memberships, etc. Expect a job fair announcement in the Gleaner in June.

Freddypop

May 23, 2011, 3:23 PM

What's going up at the end of Kimble Drive?

Are you referring to Kimble or the east end of Knowledge Park Drive where it meets up with Kimble?

corda

May 23, 2011, 5:21 PM

I heard they want to extend James Street to meet up with Peters Drive? I see this working as a bypass when they work on Brookside. I even heard a rumour about a bicycle lane on Brookside:-O

Extending James St to Peters Dr makes perfect sense linking the two subdivisions... a bicycle lane is a great idea of Brookside Dr. Vehicle traffic is getting heavier by the day.

I know I'm rehashing an old topic.... the planned traffic circles in Freddy. I think the locations are good except for one... Brookside and Ring Rd.
Other than this intersection and the one at Maple St, the Ring Rd acts as a controlled access highway even overpassing Royal Rd. IMO an overpass is needed there instead. The speed limit through the intersection is 70km/h and although most cars slow down a bit it seems very few slow down this much.

I've even grown to like the idea of a traffic circle King/Smythe/Woodstock/Brunswick. The traffic circle at Riverside Dr/Watters St though.. is it really needed since is currently a T intersection? I rarely take that street so I could be mistaken for the traffic levels there.

http://www.fredericton.ca/en/transportation/roundaboutlocations.asp

OliverD

May 23, 2011, 11:55 PM

Extending James St to Peters Dr makes perfect sense linking the two suThe traffic circle at Riverside Dr/Watters St though.. is it really needed since is currently a T intersection? I rarely take that street so I could be mistaken for the traffic levels there.

A traffic circle would make that intersection much more bearable in off-peak hours. There is very little traffic on Watters at most times of the day but because it is a light controlled intersection, traffic on Riverside often has to stop at a pointless (or at least pointlessly long) red light. During peak hours, a lot of people turn left onto Watters coming from Union Street and it can back up a bit there. Having a traffic circle would solve these problems IMO. And it would be very easy to put in because there's already plenty of room there.

cj6286

May 24, 2011, 3:02 AM

The road upgrade on Brookside will be from Summerhill Row to Heron Drive. From the December flooding, this section of the road is bad from washouts, but from Heron Drive to St. Mary's Street is the worst part of the road. I think the moon has smaller craters!

I also noticed the new apartment building on the corner of Terrance and Brookside is coming along. The outside is done and it looks they're painting the inside. I wouldn't be surprised if they were open to renters this summer. I believe it's 30-35 units...

cl812

May 24, 2011, 11:34 AM

Role of city lands commission questioned
Published Tuesday May 24th, 2011
A1
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

A Fredericton lawyer is questioning whether the city's planning advisory committee and city council can objectively deal with land development proposals from the Fredericton Lands Commission.

The creation of the lands commission by city council last May was intended to speed up land development, bringing to market surplus city-owned land and installing services where required to maximize financial returns to the city.

The lands commission can develop land on its own or it can work with local developers to bring property into the marketplace.

Solicitor Fred McElman represents members of the Sloat family who own agricultural property next to land on Springhill Road where the commission wants to slice off a lot for the city to build a water tower and designate 35 lots for housing.

He said there's potential for conflicts of interest in the planning process.

Since the board members of the commission are city officials, including the director of engineering, the development services director and the city administrator as well as the city's manager of real estate, McElman said in essence the land commission is the city.

He's questioning if the planning advisory committee - a recommending body to city council - will hold the lands commission to the same development standards as it would a private entrepreneur.

Calvin Thompson, Fredericton's real estate manager who represented the lands commission at a public discussion on the city's subdivision plan, said the answer is yes.

"It's the commission who will actually be developing property, not the City of Fredericton. We will be developing in accordance with engineering and development services requirements," Thompson said.

But McElman questioned whether the Springhill Road project requires a traffic study and if the city should be allowed to extend a road through the subdivision beyond the legal limit of 200 metres without a plan for a second future roadway.

The city's subdivision bylaw allows streets to temporarily exceed 200 metres in length without a second access, provided that in the opinion of the development officer and the planning advisory committee, the pace or pattern of development or topography clearly indicates that it's expedient to do so.

McElman said the new street through the middle of the 35-lot subdivision would be 500 metres to the end of the property, more than 21/2 times the allowable limit.

"It's a very significant extension and a very significant change ... from development and safety requirements. We don't have the benefit here of a traffic report," he said.

"What about fire protection? Maybe the water tower solves all that problem. I don't know ... but there's been no evidence of any independent oversight.

"This is the first attempt at a multi-lot subdivision on the south side of Springhill Road. For 150 years, this has been farming land, generally, or single-family large lots."

The Sloat property has been in the family's hands for 60 years and is leased for active agricultural production.

"It historically was farm land and now it's farm land again. This will be the third year that there is a market farmer cultivating approximately 20-25 acres and he's growing corn, tomatoes, squash and strawberries and other market fruits and vegetables," McElman said.

A family member returning to New Brunswick this summer is interested in establishing an organic-certified nursery and greenhouse business on the property, which McElman said could be compromised by the construction of housing next door.

McElman said contaminants from lawn pesticides and vehicle emissions could negatively affect the organic nursery business.

At the least, he said, the lands commission should take an eight per cent land dedication to create a bigger buffer between the housing development and farm property and to install fencing to prevent trespassing on the Sloat farm, McElman said.

He further requested a traffic study on the condition of Springhill Road and its future improvement to meet traffic demands.

Planning advisory committee chairman Dan Koncz and Coun. Scott McConaghy reminded committee members that the lands commission wasn't asking for a rezoning. The property next door to the Sloat farm is already zoned R-2, which allows for single-family housing, Konz said.

"It's intended for residential purposes, not for agricultural purposes. That's what the property is already zoned for. All we're taking a look at is an as-of-right application to subdivide that property into building lots," Koncz said.

Koncz said the installation of a water supply atop Springhill Road will allow other landowners to pursue land development if they wish.

As to the length of the roadway into the subdivision, McConaghy said the city has allowed roads to temporarily exceed 200 metres without having a second access as a way to open up future development.

Alex Forbes, assistant director of development services, said Crocket Street in Marysville is an example of a street that started developing in the early 1970s and was only connected to a secondary roadway in the late 1990s.

"There's all kinds of examples of where we have extended the roadway (beyond 200 metres), but the expectation is that within a reasonable time there will be additional development. When the services go in the ground, people are very keen to speculate, buy land and do things on the adjacent properties," Forbes said.

Sean Lee, manager of engineering services for the city, said traffic conditions on Springhill Road were reviewed as part of the staff review of the requested subdivision.

"With the number of units going in, it doesn't require the upgrading of Springhill Road at this time. That being said, Springhill Road is a rural standard road. As development increases, there will become a point where the city will have to upgrade the road and put in turning lanes.''

cl812

May 24, 2011, 11:35 AM

Capital ready to host thousands of delegates
Published Tuesday May 24th, 2011
Congress | Event co-hosted by universities starts soon
A1
By JAMIE ROSS
ross.jamie@dailygleaner.com

Pressing issues that face society will be tackled when thousands of arts and humanities scholars descend on Fredericton for the 2011 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

As many as 6,000 delegates from across Canada and around the world are expected to attend the eight-day conference, which is being hosted jointly by the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University from Saturday to June 4.

"It's the biggest event in Canada for humanities and social sciences," said Linda Kealey, academic convener for the Congress. "There is no other conference I know of that's devoted to the humanities in this way."

The event will showcase research from the best and brightest scholars and academics, and will be held on both university campuses as well as the Fredericton Convention Centre.

The main theme for the convention is Coasts and Continents: Exploring People and Places, but Kealey said much emphasis will be placed on sub-themes, which include aboriginal education and climate change.

On those topics, she said, the public will be able to hear from leaders such as Shawn Atleo, chief of the Assembly of First Nations, and Andrew Weaver, a leading researcher and author on climate change.

Other notable speakers include two of New Brunswick's most prized authors, David Adams Richards and Antonine Maillet.

Former governor general Michaëlle Jean will also give a presentation.

"The academic community comes together once a year in a different place for humanities and social sciences, where people can network and present papers, and new research is presented," said Kealey.

"Graduate students connect with possible employers and get initiated into academia by going to these kinds of conferences."

In addition to lectures and presentations, there will be the annual Congress book fair, which attracts more than 100 publishers.

About 400 volunteers and 100 students are being put to work throughout the conference.

With such a huge influx of people coming to the city, Susan Holt, CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, said business in the city will boom.

"The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is expecting a really positive impact with certainly our retail members and our hospitality members," she said. "I think we're going to have full restaurants and bars, and we're going to see a lot happening in our downtown, north side and Prospect Street shopping facilities."

With the closure of the Princess Margaret Bridge, there will be an increase in traffic during Congress, said Mayor Brad Woodside.

"That matter has been addressed by the organizing committee," said Woodside.

"This community is outstanding when it comes to putting on events and volunteering time and effort to ensure people have a really enjoyable stay, as evidenced by the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival and other national and international events we've had here in Fredericton.

"It doesn't happen easily, there's a lot of work in the process, a lot of logistics to deal with all those people, but there's a great volunteer committee that is working diligently to make sure those people are looked after in fine form, and when they leave they'll be leaving a lot of money in the community and that's what it's all about."

Kealey said a shuttle service will be in place to take delegates back and forth from their hotels and conference sites.

cl812

May 24, 2011, 11:36 AM

Development proposal for Cliffe Street
Published Tuesday May 24th, 2011
A4
By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

A Fredericton developer is proposing a huge mixed-housing development on a large chunk of vacant land east of Cliffe Street.

Peter DeMerchant of DP Developments has received planning advisory committee approval on his plan to rezone the residential land to R-5 residential holding and R-2 residential holding. City council has to approve the proposed zoning changes.

DeMerchant said his plan will bring a variety of housing choices to the Cliffe Street area, extending back toward the Irvine Street extension and Murray Avenue.

One of the components of his development proposal is to reserve 41,900 square metres for a future nursing home. He wants to develop traditional single-family housing, townhouses and an apartment building in the area so that its future residents can remain in the same neighbourhood as they transition from their family years to a retirement lifestyle.

"It's going to open things up in that east end of Cliffe Street," he said. "The whole area here is going to have R-2 residential development, and there will be a larger development in the future with R-9s (zoning) which would be larger apartments."

With Leo Hayes High School nearby, Willie O'Ree Place and the ScotiaBank North athletic field handy, plus nearby shopping and churches, it's an ideal location to build a residential community, said the city's planning department report on his project.

DeMerchant said if he can receive city approvals, he'll start roadwork and design work for water and sewage line construction in the fall.

The developer said he'll open up housing over a five- to 10-year time frame. His plan calls for 120 single-family houses and 20 townhouse-style lots, plus apartments. DeMerchant said the apartment building sites will have a beautiful view of the St. John River.

Construction elsewhere in Fredericton is going to heat up over the building season.

Developer Mario Dupere will be headed to city council seeking final approval on his application to build 15 lots of single-family housing and a 27-unit condominium development on land at 2783 Woodstock Rd.

Dupere's neighbours don't oppose the project, but wanted assurance from the city that it will insist that Dupere properly manage water runoff around his development.

One neighbour also objected to a proposed street name. Sylvia Priestly-Brown asked the city not to approve Sesame Street as the name for an internal street. Planning advisory committee agreed and asked Dupere to come up with something more in keeping with the area and its history.

Northrup Holdings Ltd. wants to develop 19 townhouses at 1642 Lincoln Rd. A zoning change is needed in order to build the row of three-bedroom townhouse units. The units will be split into a row of 10 along the northern half of the lot and a row of nine along the southern half. Access will be off Lincoln Road.

Property owner David Oley received subdivision approval for 27 single family homes along Woodstock Road near Garden Creek Elementary School. City council will confirm the subdivision plan at a subsequent council meeting. The city's only concern is that since the land is alongside the St. John River, that adequate steps be taken to ensure the top of the lowest floor in any housing is at nine metres, above the 1973 flood levels.

Woodbury Developments is planning nine residential building lots for semi-detached homes and duplexes on an extension of Ashley Crescent on the north side of the city.

Two residents nearby expressed concern about soggy conditions on the property.

One homeowner worried about having water runoff from the development. The second expressed a preference for the builder to construct single-family homes, rather than duplexes.

Developer Arnold Chippin is planning 35 new building lots in the Heron Heights development off Brookside West. This will be phase seven of the expanding housing development.

Since the zoning for the land is in place, Chippin only needs the city to approve the proposed subdivision plan. City council will be asked to give its assent to the layout of the next phase of construction.

On Alison Boulevard, Chippins Ltd. is also seeking a rezoning from service industrial to highway commercial. The company wants to create 10 commercial building lots ranging in size from 1,500 square metres to 2,500 square metres.