Harbour Passage Extension - Tin Can Beach

 

The Harbour Passage cranberry trail now leads to Tin Can Beach in the south end. 

Fort Latour

I wonder what we will learn about Fort Latour when this new interpretation area is finished.

Harbour Passage–Moon Display

I hadn’t noticed this display about the moon at Harbour Passage until walking by at night.  This is below the lookout at the end of Bentley Street.

Harbour Passage Eco Hub

The second TD sponsored eco hub along Harbour Passage is now in place.  Here are a few photos from the new educational area. (Link to Country 94 article about the unveiling)

Harbour Passage

Here is the base of the new Eco Hub interpretation area for Harbour Passage (details about Eco Hubs):

New art from the Saint John Sculpture Symposium now on Harbour Passage:

Harbour Passage Eco-Hub

With financial help from TD, these new information panels and artwork have been installed at a new lookout at the foot of Bentley Street along Harbour Passage.  The panels provide information about the natural environment and the creatures that rely on it in the area.

The city posted more information about the Eco-Hub in this press release:

http://www.saintjohn.ca/en/home/news/newsreleases/harbourpassagehometoecohub.aspx

Council – parks and recreation

Saint John City Council has referred to City Staff a report about the “Sandy Point Road Planning Study.”  I believe this is related to the proposed Rockwood Park land use changes (and potential sale) and will be discussed at a City Council’s session later in the week.

Another referred motion related to “Update on Active Transportation Route Harbour Passage Alternative.”  Before the vote was taken the deputy City Manager explained that he thought that an $18,000 expenditure to create a temporary alternate route to deal with the 18 month closure of Harbour Passage was too expensive and that an alternate route would be under-utilized.

Some councilors debated the manager indicating that they felt that alternate/active transportation needs to be taken seriously.  Councilors Chris Titus and Patty Higgins did not vote in favour of the referral motion.

Patty Higgins (a councilor I am growing to very much enjoy listening to) brought up challenges regarding the Rockwood Park boundary definition and public consultation. Further details will be brought to council.

Spacing Atlantic on Harbour Passage closure

Abad Khan wrote an article for Spacing Atlantic about the closure of parts of Harbour Passage during bridge work above.  Thanks to the reader who sent me the link:

 http://spacingatlantic.ca/2010/05/21/now-closed-saint-john-harbour-passage/

Harbour Passage petition

Lots of folks seem less than pleased about the alternate route put in place after the Harbour Passage was closed during Harbour Bridge repairs.

There’s a petition in place calling for dedicating lanes for pedestrians and cyclists or reopening parts of the walkway.

Alternate Pedestrian route for Harbour Passage during bridge repairs

From the City’s Harbour Bridge project website:

While clearly necessary for safety and logistics needs, this route adds just under a half kilometre if one wanted to walk from Market Square to Green Lee Shoes, or a similar type starting point and destination.

Part of Harbour Passage to be closed for bridge Repairs

The blogger at Active Transportation Saint John alerted readers that part of Harbour Passage (the part under and around the Harbour Bridge) will be closed during bridge repairs:

http://atsj.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/saint-john-harbour-bridge-repair-will-it-impact-active-transportation/

This will be inconvenient for those who commute using the trail as this is a major link between the north end and the Uptown.  The blogger at Active Transportation is calling for alternate routes to be announced for the closure.

A poster at Skyscraper Pages Forum suggests that railroad track short cuts may be required to deal with this.

Atlantic Coastal Action Program – funding and programs

An article in the TJ today covers the concerns of ACAP Saint John, who along with several other similar organizations across Canada may not receive needed federal funding in upcoming budgets.

On a more positive ACAP note, a post at SkyscraperPage Forum, notes that “…the first Harbour Passage Eco-Hub is beginning construction late this Spring (it's already gone to tender and contracts have been awarded)…”

I’m guessing this eco-hub is being funded from the TD donation brought to town by former Premier Frank McKenna last spring.

Developments of the last decade that shape Saint John’s urban landscape

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.

Mayor wants revitalized north end

According to a Telegraph Journal article the mayor of Saint John is hoping the north end will be revitalized with the help of good planning.  Court feels the area, which is close to the uptown as the crow flies, could become a more vibrant community.  The article discusses the value of creating population density to attract business and service development.

In my opinion the north end is under appreciated and underdeveloped right now.  One big problem is the fact that a highway interchange was installed severing the community from the uptown.  Fortunately Harbour Passage has allowed for a more pedestrian friendly link from the north end to the city centre.  Hopefully a new city plan, conscientious developers and an engaged community can bring positive change in this old area of town.

Harbour Passage: concrete cutting

In other Harbour Passage news, workers are busy making cuts in the freshly laid concrete in front of the new Cruise Terminal.

Harbour Passage: Reversing Falls Lookout

  I am impressed with the Harbour Passage lookout added at Reversing Falls. The views are great and I think it’s cool that the path leads to the small walkway under the bridge – a passageway I often thought wasn’t meant for public use.

I assume at some point the red Harbour Passage trail colour will make its way up to this lookout.  For now, one has to walk on the ordinary-colour sidewalk.

UPDATE: Here’s a photo of the view.

Three Sisters Park

Three Sisters Park and the extension of Harbour Passage that links Water Street to Prince William Street are practically done. This is a great highlight for the neighbourhood and a great place for citizens and visitors to enjoy views of the Harbour.

Three Sisters Park, almost done

By far my favourite addition to the Harbour Passage is the Three Sisters Park. The finishes touches, some final brick work and landscaping, are taking shape. I love the view from this part of town and will be glad to sit at the benches that looks over Partridge Island.

While I loved sitting on the grass that covered the slope under the Three Sisters lamp, I think the new design will allow more people to discover how wonderful this part of the uptown can be.

Reversing Falls Lookout

I took a walk along the Harbour Passage and took some photos of the new Reversing Falls lookout. Here are two pictures.

Three Sisters Park

The park being built around the Three Sisters lamps at the southern end of Prince William Street should be ready soon. The park already has a good portion of the red Harbour Passage style trail in place.