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.
I was inspired to snap the above picture for two reasons. I felt this shot represents both the energy sector and port.
First, today the Province announced a letter of intent with Areva to explore options to add a second reactor at Lepreau and to develop a green energy park.
Second, the Saint John Port Authority recently announced its intent to refurbish its west side container terminal.
It was either Fast Food Nation or The Overspent American where I read about a school with a Seven Up ad on its roof so that planes could see the brand’s logo.
The Star is reporting that Toronto’s rooftops might be a hot commodity, but not for ads – even though the article is started with a passing reference into flying into town and seeing the building tops.
In Toronto entrepreneurs are setting up solar panels on rooftops in an effort to generate electricity and make some cash.
The article is an interesting read.
The first decade of the 2000s has seen a number of significant developments take place on Saint John’s urban landscape. Here are few of the developments I think are important in shaping the future of the city.
Harbour Passage has opened up the city’s waterfront to the public creating more opportunity for recreation and development in this area. Beyond this, the linkage HP provides between the north end and uptown can help cure the wound created by putting a highway between the two neighbourhoods decades ago.
Bentley Crossing is a development that is able to showcase Harbour Passage. These townhouses are proof that development near the core of the city can thrive.
As with Bentley Crossing, Robertson’s Wharf is a housing development that proves that more waterfront living is in the future of Saint John residents. These condos may be few in number, but their high selling prices show some degree of appetite for high end uptown living.
Also uptown, CenterBeam Place was an addition to Saint John that many people might not have known was missing. By renovating an entire block of buildings in the heart of the city, Commercial Properties showcased that quality office space could be created in the uptown without having to building new. Since CenterBeam place was completed other larger ‘bricks and beams’ developments have been renovation success stories. A pre-cursor to CentreBeam Place was the turn of the millennium renovation to the historic Red Rose Tea Building, also proof that high end office space in the uptown can be created and rented.
While very recent and not huge in scale, I think the expansion to Market Square is also a sign of a thriving waterfront that shows that even as the Coast Guard development is delayed there is still opportunity to expand our city’s waterfront workforce.
Further from the water but still in the south central peninsula, Leinster Court is a significant development in that it was a major project that brought out vigorous debate about the municipal planning process, but more importantly Leinster Court shows off the mixed-housing model of providing affordable accommodation.
While lots of great things have happened to shape the future of the city’s downtown, Saint John developers seem determined to build up the suburbs as as well. The massive retail developments including East Point shopping, renovations to McAllister Place and construction of several other Big Boxes and strip malls in the east side are proof that retail with parking lots is not going down without a fight.
While less definable by a single name, the prevalence of garden-home and townhome development around the city and beyond are demonstrating a shift in demographics that doesn’t require a house with a yard.
Further from the uptown, and across municipal boundaries, the creation of the Quispamsis Arts and Culture Park seems significant to me in that it cements the suburban KV communities of Rothesay and Quispamsis as forces to be reckoned with. These towns are no longer sleepy bedroom communities, but communities onto themselves with cultural and recreation assets. The addition of an artisan pizza shop in Rothesay, and the KV Jazz and Blues festival are further proof the suburbanites don’t always need to come into the city to have a good time.
This discussion wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging this decade’s industrial landscape changes. The closure of Lantic Sugar in 2000 cut down industrial happenings in the central peninsula of the city. While the port has some industrial activity at its south-central terminals, and Potash Corp appears to be going strong, the closure of the south end sugar refinery was the end of heavy industry in this part of town. The city bought the site, and elaborate development schemes were considered. Now the site is in play in a move to a facilitate the construction of the Irving Oil /Fort Reliance Headquarters, a development that could be one of the defining projects of the 2010’s.
Across the harbour from the former Lantic Sugar site and up the coastline past most development sits the Canaport Terminal, and the mid to late decade addition of the Canaport LNG Terminal. The natural gas terminal diversified the city’s energy industry and was a major piece of the Energy Hub concept heralded by the province. While the Energy Hub seems now to have been part wishful thinking this development was a major employer during construction and further public discourse about tax deals and labour relations.
The natural gas pipeline from Canaport also proved an instigator of debate, and brought supporters of Rockwood Park together, hopefully creating a new respect and awareness of the park even though a pipeline was installed through the park along the power line easement.
In Rockwood Park, the recent upgrades to the Lily Lake Pavilion and walking trails are also a significant development for the city. A pond hockey tournament and cool reception and dining spaces have livened up this part of the park and hopefully the trails will be used frequently, helping develop a healthier, more active Saint John.
Ending not from the park, in Millidgeville, several major developments are defining Saint John’s future. At UNBSJ the expanded university and its draw of international students is bringing new Saint Johner’s and new ideas. Dancing cheek to cheek with the university is the Regional Hospital, which is shaping the city’s future by playing a role in the expanding health sciences education field, with the UNB medical school and NBCC training programs attracting many talented professional in training. Also, Millidgeville has several high end subdivisions proving that luxury housing doesn’t have to be outside of city limits.
Happy new year.
According the the PR News Wire the Caribou Wind Park, northwest of Bathurst has been completed. The 99 MW facility is estimated to be able to produce around 2% of provincial power needs.
For those with wind turbine health concerns, recent research has shown that the there is no link between turbines and health problems are. Of course, this was an industry funded study, but it’s worth considering.
The grass planted on the natural gas pipeline route through Rockwood Park is starting to hide the “industrial corridor.” Of course the overhead power lines aren’t as easy to hide.
An article in the Telegraph Journal gives a good update of the tidal energy research being conducted by Irving Oil and the Huntsman Marine Science Centre. One of the research areas is Cape Spencer – a rocky shore
http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/631606
The Province of New Brunswick and Irving Oil announced some energy related projects today. The Province is working with the State of Maine to set up more energy corridor infrastructure. This will support the Saint John Energy Hub.
If the city can attract an investor for this project, our Energy Hub will continue to expand and diversify, which will likely be good for the city's economic future.
It would be great if some economic development funds were available to encourage innovation and development in this field.
Originally posted 12/16/06 on PersonPlaceorThing.blogspot.com
Some think that a knowledge economy can be created by setting up incubator space, having funky places for smart hip people to hang out at, and passing out grants by the barrel full.
It seems Saint John and perhaps much of the Atlantic Region could get a knowledge economy up and running a different way.
While there is a think tank and incubator concept in PropelSJ and the city's Wi-Fi strategy is catching on, perhaps the idea of focusing on our strengths can lead to a strong knowledge industry.
Saint John already has a lot of energy projects on the go. With Atlantica and a number of private developments in the works it seems that an Energy Hub could help lead to a strong knowledge economy.
With these projects in Saint John, the city should be able to attract engineers and scientists and other educated people to support the energy sector.
As an added benefit mega projects will allow for a strong trades economy over the next years while the local knowledge base is sured up.
This could model might work for Moncton's transportation hub concept as well.
Originally posted 10/20/06 on PersonPlaceorThing.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Weir of Efficiency NB (http://www.efficiencynb.ca/) was on CBC today (around 12:30) discussing energy conservation and the role of homeowners.
It is vital for new home builders to build homes that make efficient use of heating resources as well as space. People need to see “what’s in it for them” to embrace change. Regulations should encourage builders to think long term in designing houses. Further, existing homeowners need to be made aware of the potential saving to their energy needs that can result from retrofitting a home.
The “what’s in it for them” for society as a whole is different than for individuals. Public projects, including public/non-profit housing and government buildings should be made efficient not just for the sake of reduced future costs, but because it will reduce our national energy demands.
Public projects can be examples of how to make efficiency work, by turning the “what’s in it for them” into “what’s in it for all of us.”
