[Moncton] Northwest/Magnetic Hill Developments - Page 29

MonctonRad · #**561** Posted **Sep 26, 2015, 4:06 PM**

Small commercial strip nearing completion on the Horsman Road in the Moncton Industrial Park West. There is already one tenant moving in.

MonctonRad · #**562** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 11:16 AM**

Well, Ernst & Young have just completed an independent audit regarding overcrowding of schools in the northwest end commissioned by the Anglophone East School Board and to the surprise of many, have concluded that the only option is to build another new anglophone school in the neighbourhood!!

I think most people expected the recommendation would be to rejig school boundaries and to bus students to some inner city schools, but for logisitcal reasons, I guess this was considered not a viable option.

There are two possibilities. One would be to build another K-8 school, while the other would be to build a dedicated middle school. The latter is probably the better option. It would be modestly cheaper, and would allow the existing boundaries between Evergreen Park School and Northrup Frye School to remain intact. These two school would revert to K-5 schools, and both feed into the new middle school.

The province may have little choice but to follow this recommendation. The study was commissioned with the blessing of the Department of Education, so there will be significant political pressure that could be brought to bear. In addition, the NW end continues to grow and unless something is done, the current overcrowding situation will only intensify. Northrup Frye is only five years old but already has six portable classrooms.........

MonctonRad · #**563** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 12:16 PM**

Link to a CBC article regarding the above:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-br...-end-1.3251600

pierremoncton · #**564** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 12:24 PM**

How can the province justify closing rural schools to bus students 20 km away (which I agree with), but then refuse to bus students a couple of kilometres to existing half-empty schools within city limits? We even have an empty shell at MHS... And it's the same situation with French schools: a new school is in the works in Dieppe while some Moncton schools are below capacity.

Taeolas · #**565** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 1:14 PM**

Could it be growth rates? Bussing the students around might be a short term solution; but if the zones with the half empty school and the zone with the overcrowded school are both growing at significant rates, then a new school is still going to be needed regardless.

Advocating to have a new school built is a 5 year type plan; it won't come online for 5 years. In that time, those "half filled" schools could be at/near capacity depending on the growth rates. A new school also doesn't address the immediate overcrowding problems; it just brings in a solution for the future, so the short term solutions (bussing, portables, staggered days, etc...) can also be planned.

MonctonRad · #**566** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 1:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Could it be growth rates? Bussing the students around might be a short term solution; but if the zones with the half empty school and the zone with the overcrowded school are both growing at significant rates, then a new school is still going to be needed regardless.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. According to Ernst & Young, they are projecting 940 new housing starts in the NW end in the next five years.

Yes, you could start bussing people around to older schools, but given this type of growth rate, I think the reality and the inevitability of new school construction in the neighbourhood really hits you in the face.....

Scarface · #**567** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think you've hit the nail on the head. According to Ernst & Young, they are projecting 940 new housing starts in the NW end in the next five years.

Yes, you could start bussing people around to older schools, but given this type of growth rate, I think the reality and the inevitability of new school construction in the neighbourhood really hits you in the face.....

Just Districts where looking into changing the border lines for who goes to what school 2 years ago, or so because of the potential growth so I think it's stupid to have some half empty schools, and some schools over packed to the point where they are at. Instead of building a new school fix the issues of where these students are being bused from, and why. Then if a new school is needed build it. It makes no sense to have a new school built while the Education minister is calling for so many more closures in the near future.

Taeolas · #**568** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 4:11 PM**

Just because it's pouring rain here in *Edit*New Brunswick (Why did I say California?

)*end edit* doesn't mean the West coast can't have a drought. Demographics and needs shift and change all the time. So just because schools in Moncton are overcrowded doesn't change the fact that schools in rural Saint John may be below the economically feasible/sustainable levels.

As for building schools; as I said before, that's a Long term solution. Unlike in SimCity, schools don't appear immediately. It takes ~5 years or so to get a new school figured out and built (give or take a year).

So if you have 3 schools, 1 at 120% capacity and 2 at 60% capacity, with a 10% annual growth rate expected, you could rejig zones so all 3 schools are at 80%. But next year that growth rate means all 3 schools are at 88%. 2 years from now, they are at 97%. 3 years from now, all three schools are over 100% full. And we're still 2 years away from that school the analysts said we needed 3 years ago.

I think that's what a lot of people are missing. They only see their own kids in the crowded schools now, so they want a solution NOW. Rezoning the schools will help in that respect; but ignores the bigger problem. With the anticipated growth in that area, E&Y looked at the numbers, and realized that without a new school, ALL of the schools are probably going to be packed to the gills. They looked past the immediate overcrowding and realized the real problem.

Assumably, if the growth rates for Moncton weren't looking so rosy; if the predictions said that the zone populations would stabilize soon, then they would have advocated redistricting and/or temp classrooms as a full solution.

What the School District needs to do now is to do the short term solutions (that they DON"T need E&Y's advice for), like rezoning and temp classrooms, while starting work on the new School plan, before they run out of short term solutions.

MonctonRad · #**569** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 6:44 PM**

Agreed. It will take at least three years for a new school to be built (and that is if it is fast tracked). In the meantime the school district will have to do everything it can to mitigate the current overcrowding situation. The next wave of portables might have to go in to Evergreen Park.

I think the government, having asked for an independent review by Ernst & Young, will have little choice other than to follow their recommendations. Hopefully they won't dither for a few years (until the next election) before adopting the report. With possibly 940 new households in the neighbourhood in the next five years, there is really no time to lose........

Scarface · #**570** Posted **Oct 1, 2015, 10:17 PM**

I would say 3-5 years to build a knew school. But if they fix the borders send some students from over crowded schools to under utilized schools it would in fact be a temporary fix but would be able to keep the system more stable (if done properly) while they plan the new school, and hopefully use less portables.
Get what I mean?

MonctonRad · #**571** Posted **Oct 2, 2015, 12:31 AM**

Recent news item on the City of Moncton site:

Road Construction on Falcon Drive - Northwest Trail Detoured
September 25, 2015

MONCTON – The City of Moncton would like to advise residents that road construction on Falcon Drive will begin on September 28, 2015. The road is being built across the Northwest Trail into the future subdivision on the west side, Liberty Hill Estates.

As a result, the Northwest Trail will be temporarily detoured onto Twin Oaks Drive (between Falcon and Limestone Drive) for approximately two weeks.

The city apologizes in advance for any inconvenience.

This is for an access road into an entirely new subdivision with scores of building lots, immediately behind Augusta Terrace and within spitting distance of Northrup Frye School. There are other new (or expanding) subdivisions in the area as well as apartment construction on and near Diamond Head Court. The growth rate in the NW end rivals that of Dieppe. Ernst & Young knows this. This is why they recommended a new school to be built.

Taeolas · #**572** Posted **Oct 2, 2015, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarface

I would say 3-5 years to build a knew school. But if they fix the borders send some students from over crowded schools to under utilized schools it would in fact be a temporary fix but would be able to keep the system more stable (if done properly) while they plan the new school, and hopefully use less portables.
Get what I mean?

It's also not what E&Y assumably were analyzing, but I'm sure their results will affect what short term solutions are applied as well. Had their report said the status quo would do and this is just a bulge to get through then elements would probably dictate where portables go and how the zones are redistricted. As is, within the full reports are probably clues the District can use to smartly do some easement; but that's not the sort of thing the media would report on.

Otherwise, if all E&Y's report was, amounted to "Build a school", then the district should be suing to get their money back.

Scarface · #**573** Posted **Oct 2, 2015, 3:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taeolas

It's also not what E&Y assumably were analyzing, but I'm sure their results will affect what short term solutions are applied as well. Had their report said the status quo would do and this is just a bulge to get through then elements would probably dictate where portables go and how the zones are redistricted. As is, within the full reports are probably clues the District can use to smartly do some easement; but that's not the sort of thing the media would report on.

Otherwise, if all E&Y's report was, amounted to "Build a school", then the district should be suing to get their money back.

I agree with that.

I was speaking to a few teachers I know from both local school districts, and all of them told me they where told that this school was build to remedy a previous issue, and also the population growth. Problem with that was that teachers I knew from Hilcrest where saying that they where overflowing with students, and teacher I know from Birchmount where saying they din't understand why they where at that school with so many classes half full. So at that time would it not have made sense despite us being trowing distance from the new school for students from my area all gone to one school. Birchmount., and they would possibly not have the Portables at the new school that was apparently build to remedy the overcrowding.

I think the entire system needs to be changed specially since our numbers are growing fast. I will agree with ( I can't remember her name) she was a teacher for District 2 for a long time. She said that this city was built for road functionality not school system functionality.

MonctonRad · #**574** Posted **Oct 6, 2015, 2:02 PM**

A few tidbits for the North End on the city's capital works budget:

- They're going to build a new bus shelter on Plaza Blvd next year. Hopefully it will be a big one. I guess this indicates the new bus terminus on Plaza Blvd will be permanent.

- They're planning on an "African Village" attraction at the Magnetic Hill Zoo. This continues the tradition of continuous improvements at the zoo on an ongoing annual basis.

- The long range capital plan still includes a new North End Community Centre to be built next to Evergreen Park School. This is in their five year planning horizon.

Scarface · #**575** Posted **Oct 6, 2015, 4:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

A few tidbits for the North End on the city's capital works budget:

- They're going to build a new bus shelter on Plaza Blvd next year. Hopefully it will be a big one. I guess this indicates the new bus terminus on Plaza Blvd will be permanent.

- They're planning on an "African Village" attraction at the Magnetic Hill Zoo. This continues the tradition of continuous improvements at the zoo on an ongoing annual basis.

- The long range capital plan still includes a new North End Community Centre to be built next to Evergreen Park School. This is in their five year planning horizon.

Well at least If they do build it it will be made safer then what is currently there.

As for the North End Community center I don't see it happening. Specially with everything people wanted to see there unless the extra land owned By the Ryder's known as Ryder Park would be sold off, and they Continue Glencairn to Bromfield Crt., and by out a lot or 2 on Shannon (My pick would be 19-23 Shannon Because it would be dead center) to make the Entrance, and exit to the Community Center parking lot. I also see this as the only area available because it's the only space big enough to accommodate what people have been asking for.I'd also see 23, or 24 new homes built in this area (Glencairn) 12 backing onto the trailer park, and either 11, or 12 backing onto the community center.

But this is just my thoughts on the subject

MonctonRad · #**576** Posted **Oct 6, 2015, 11:35 PM**

The location for the proposed North End Community Centre has been chosen and is pretty much carved in stone. It will be behind Evergeen Park School, with the entrance to the facility off of Clermont Street.

Here is a preliminary rendering of what it might look like:

Note Evergreen Park School in the background.

I'm not saying construction is imminent. It is in the Capital Expenditure document in the five year horizon section. That doesn't even mean that it will be built within five years however. It's just the city's current intention. The community centre might be dropped entirely the next time they redo the document. The only value to keeping it on the document is to say that it remains on the city's radar.

Having said all this, the NW end is the most rapidly growing area of the city and there is currently a dearth of city services in the area. We pay a large portion of the city's residential taxes. It's time we saw something in return.....

Scarface · #**577** Posted **Oct 7, 2015, 1:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The location for the proposed North End Community Centre has been chosen and is pretty much carved in stone. It will be behind Evergeen Park School, with the entrance to the facility off of Clermont Street.

Here is a preliminary rendering of what it might look like:

Note Evergreen Park School in the background.

I'm not saying construction is imminent. It is in the Capital Expenditure document in the five year horizon section. That doesn't even mean that it will be built within five years however. It's just the city's current intention. The community centre might be dropped entirely the next time they redo the document. The only value to keeping it on the document is to say that it remains on the city's radar.

Having said all this, the NW end is the most rapidly growing area of the city and there is currently a dearth of city services in the area. We pay a large portion of the city's residential taxes. It's time we saw something in return.....

So there taking out the Sports field to build a Community center... People are going to be mad if all the Moncton sports field disappear. This is going to be fun to watch...

MonctonRad · #**578** Posted **Oct 14, 2015, 3:09 PM**

Well, it's official. The Anglophone East DEC has formally requested a new middle school for the north end. It will be the district's new top priority.

No indication yet as to where it might be built, but I'm expecting some place off the west end of Ryan Street.

The province of course needs to agree with this recommendation for a new school first, but since they recommended the study in the first place, and another 900 new households are expected in the neighbourhood within the next five years, I think it's a foregone conclusion.

Scarface · #**579** Posted **Oct 14, 2015, 10:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Well, it's official. The Anglophone East DEC has formally requested a new middle school for the north end. It will be the district's new top priority.

No indication yet as to where it might be built, but I'm expecting some place off the west end of Ryan Street.

The province of course needs to agree with this recommendation for a new school first, but since they recommended the study in the first place, and another 900 new households are expected in the neighbourhood within the next five years, I think it's a foregone conclusion.

As I said Before hopefully there was more then a recommendation for a new school to be built otherwise it was a stupid idea to pay for a study to be done. The entire school system needs to be addressed new areas must be drawn up to make a simpler transition to the question do we need a new school for real. I do know that when the 900+ possible new homes would be built any, and all children in the area will need to have a school to go to, and they do not want over packed schools.

stephan.richard · #**580** Posted **Oct 15, 2015, 2:34 AM**

OK on this issue I think the Anglophone East school district need to look on how they have their territories drawn out for the schools in the city and is another new school the solution when we have other schools in the city bellow capacity?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarface

As I said Before hopefully there was more then a recommendation for a new school to be built otherwise it was a stupid idea to pay for a study to be done. The entire school system needs to be addressed new areas must be drawn up to make a simpler transition to the question do we need a new school for real. I do know that when the 900+ possible new homes would be built any, and all children in the area will need to have a school to go to, and they do not want over packed schools.