Quispamsis Tesla Charging

There are several new Tesla chargers being set up near the Gondola Point exit in Quispamsis.

Marsh Creek improvements

ACAP Saint John has been monitoring the fecal coliform counts at 5 sites along Marsh Creek and have found that the numbers have plummeted at 3 sites (rates are mostly unchanged at 2) from 2013 to this year.  They have some graphs showing details of the improvements here: http://www.acapsj.org/reports/2014/8/7/marsh-creek-post-harbour-cleanup-early-results

According the the ACAP post from yesterday, they have heard less complaints about odour from the creek.

While the water isn’t perfect, the fact that the city stopped draining our sewerage into the creek and the harbour seems to have helped.

Waste Management

Mayor Mel Norton has been trying to get the public thinking about what Saint John’s solid waste management future will look like.  He had a full page spread with a commentary in the Telegraph Journal over the weekend and has posted his ideas online at: http://melnortonsj.ca/a-community-vision-for-our-budget-time-to-put-our-money-where-our-mouth-is/

Basically, as I understand it, there are three options for waste management going forward.

1. Status Quo (garbage and compost collection at the curb, with blue bins for recycling around town).  Due to aging composting facilities there would be additional costs to maintaining compost

2. Garbage collection and recycling collection at the curb, with no compost separation from regular garbage.

3. Add recyclable collection to garbage and compost collection.

The mayor points out that choosing an alternative will have its challenges:

A decision to choose option 3 will undoubtedly engender backlash and harsh criticism from those who are financially conservative. A decision to stay with the status quo or a move to option 2 will absolutely result in backlash and criticism from those who view option 3 as the most progressive environmental and socially-responsible option.

Not one of the options presents a perfect solution.  All of the options will have their critics and their supporters

I can see the other challenge in making the decision will be reluctance to change.

Council is looking for feedback so, review the mayor’s full commentary and think about it.

NB Power–Car Charge Station

I saw this outside of NB Power in Fredericton.  NB Power’s website goes into some details about their relationship with electric vehicles here.

According to the all knowing internet, the Chevrolet dealership in Saint John has a car plug in station. I wonder if SJ Energy would consider installing one.  Alternately, SJ parking commission might have an opportunity to install a charge station in their new garage.

Marsh Creek Clean up

I will be signing up to do the Marsh Creek clean up this year. If you want to do that same, here’s the registration link: http://www.canaportlng.com/marshcreek.php

Urban Chickens could be reality in SJ

The CBC reports that City Council is considering rules that will allow for urban chicken coops.

For those of you pumped for the possibility of farming your own eggs and chicken meat in your back yard check out Urbanchickens.org for tips on how to raise the birds in back yard coops.

Retrofitting suburbia

I recently watched an interesting TED Talk from 2010 called Retrofitting Suburbia. The talk touches on some of the classic criticisms of suburban sprawl (high cost/impact of driving, more energy used per household) and looks how demographic changes are leading to alterations to the way suburbs are utilized.

There are examples of former malls being converted into arts and education centres and dead big box stores being converted into libraries and other public spaces. Some of these retrofits include greening elements, including restoration of wetlands and other ecosystems.  One example given talked of the benefits of creating (or recreating) waterfront land by allowing a wetland to reclaim a former suburban retail parking area. 

Walkability was another highlight of these redevelopments, and the creation of community space that was more “urban” in nature.

 

Crown Street sewerage lift station

Photo update:

Sprouts in the Rainbow Park community garden

Picture:

Broad Street lift station

The harbour Clean Up project is slated to end this year. Photo update:

Scrambled crosswalks could return to Freddy

The Daily Gleaner has a story about Fredericton City Hall considering a return to scrambled crosswalks, that allow pedestrians to cross in all directions at the right light (which allows for diagonal crossing). While safer for pedestrians, this system is expected to slow down vehicle traffic.

It will be interesting to see how this decision goes.  Imagine, a city deciding to go with a policy that favours the heel over toe crowd over the gas guzzlers.

One can dream.

Front yard gardening

As Saint John is going through its planning process and gardening is growing in popularity (at least in my peer group), I wanted to share this link: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/07/front_yard_vegetable_gardens_different_is_good.php

The article is about some of the reaction to a woman in Michigan who could possibility be sent to jail for supposedly violating city by-laws that could be read to mean you can’t have a vegetable garden in your front yard.

New bikes racks

Green Feet, a committee of Uptown Saint John, is looking to install more bike racks around uptown, with designs that could serve to promote local businesses. 

Country 94 News has an article on this: http://country94news.blogspot.com/2011/04/get-custom-bike-rack-uptown.html

Fredericton tries out urban chickens

The Ceeb reported last week that Fredericton is going to allow some Fredericton residents to keep up to three eye laying birds on their properties.  After a year of these locavores trying out their hands at urban farming the city will decide if concerns about cleanliness are enough to keep a wider segment of the population from keeping egg laying birds.

New wetlands policy

The Province has responded to widespread criticism of their new wetland protection policy by scaling back the testing requirements for developers.  The CBC reports that the maps released earlier this year that showed around 18% of the province as requiring further study to determine if these areas were wetland are being shelved in favour of maps that put this at around 6%.

Until this year developers were only required to deal with wetlands issues on 4% of land in NB.

Marsh Creek eco-challenge

There aren’t many details up yet, but there is a Facebook group for the Marsh Creek Eco-Challenge, which is described as follows:

”The first eco-adventure race of its kind, traversing both Saint John's amazing urban areas and its undiscovered wilderness, making for one thrilling day of action, all to raise awareness for the Marsh Creek Restoration Initiative!”

Wetlands: Public meetings

From GNB.ca:

Environment

Environment minister to engage New Brunswickers on the topic of wetlands

11 February 2011

FREDERICTON (CNB) – Environment Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney will participate in public meetings across the province to engage New Brunswickers on the topic of wetlands.
"Wetlands continue to be a topic of discussion in our province and are of particular interest to developers and environmental groups," said Blaney. "This tour will give the government the opportunity to communicate with New Brunswickers and to hear their concerns and comments about wetlands in our province."
The meetings will be held between Feb. 28 and March 10 in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, Miramichi, Tracadie-Sheila, Campbellton, Edmundston, Grand Falls and Woodstock.
"I encourage New Brunswickers interested in the issue of wetlands to participate in these meetings," said Blaney. "I also invite individuals interested to visit the Department of Environment's website for information about what wetlands are, the benefits they provide to our province and the regulations that government has in place to protect them."
The public is also invited to send comments by way of e-mail, env-info@gnb.ca.
The following meetings are scheduled:

Saint John
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.,
Monday, Feb. 28,
Lily Lake Pavilion, Wallace-MacMurry Room,
55 Lake Dr. S.
Moncton (Dieppe)
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday, Feb. 28,
Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, Dieppe campus, auditorium,
505 du Collège St.
Miramichi
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.,
Tuesday, March 1
Rodd Miramichi River Hotel, Cains Room
1809 Water St.
Tracadie-Sheila
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,  
Wednesday, March 2,
Town hall,
3620 Principale St.
Campbellton
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
Wednesday, March 2,
Campbellton Civic Centre, Banquet Room,
44 Salmon Blvd.
Edmundston
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,
Thursday, March 3,
Université de Moncton, Edmundston campus, Amphithéâtre Louis-A.-Lebel,
165 Hébert Blvd.
Grand Falls
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.,
Thursday, March 3,
Town hall,
131 Pleasant St., Suite 200
Fredericton
10 a.m. to noon,
Friday, March 4,
Killarney Lake Lodge, Rotary Room,
1600 St. Mary's St.
Woodstock
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.,
Thursday, March 10,
Royal Canadian Legion,
109 Carleton St.
LINK:
●    Department of Environment: www.gnb.ca/environment

Wetlands and development

A few days ago I posted about new wetland regulations in the province and how the TJ reported that there could be potential challenges to developers because of this.

In the Opinions section of today’s TJ was a piece by Tony Raymond of “Concerned Citizens Regarding Rural Plans.”  The column suggests that the new rules could create dire circumstances and stunt development, farming and world food security.

Wetlands and development

A lot of Saint John is within a “wetland predictive area” and a lot more still is within a buffer that may also require caution when developing.  This is illustrated on GeoNB mapping (go to the map hit the ‘tool box’ icon and scroll down to “wetlands” to check this out).

Across the province a lot of land may be “wetland.” 

The TJ reported yesterday that this might be causing challenges to cities working on development plans.

While municipal and provincial officials work out what this could and should mean for future developments, it seems worthwhile for developers and interested parties to get up to speed on the Department of Environment’s rules for developing in or around wetlands: http://www.gnb.ca/0009/Wetlands/index-e.asp

Food Bank energy

A city councillor is proposing that Saint John Energy give food banks discounted power.

Somewhat related to this is an article on Treehugger explaining that south of the border, Walmart is helping 16 food banks increase energy efficiency, to help with long term operating costs.