CITIZENS HELP CITY

SAINT JOHN’SFIRST NIGHT MARKET

CONSTRUCTIONSEASON WRAP UP

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Chris Gaudet,City Arborist

OCTO

BER

2019

SUMMER – Saint John Style 1The Passport to Parks event series wascreated by City staff as a way tocelebrate our vast array of municipalparks, from splash pads and skate parksto beaches, trails, and neighbourhoodsquares. The purpose was to bringenhanced activities to locations rightin our own neighbourhoods thatalready provide all the amenities for afun and active summer in Saint John!Which were your favourites?

Passport to Parks celebrates five years

West side residents now have a new way tobeat the summer heat. A brand new splash padopened in June to the delight of many. Locatedadjacent to the Carleton Community Centreon the City’s west side, the project was led bya group of community stakeholders who gainedcorporate and community support to allow forinvestment from both the Province of NewBrunswick and the City of Saint John. A specialthank you to all corporate sponsors: Port SaintJohn, DP World, CN, New Brunswick Children’sFoundation, and AIM Recycling.

A splashing success

Parks and Recreation staff hostedanother successful eight-week SummerPlayground Program. The free programsaw over 400 registered participants atsix playground sites across the City andemployed 19 summer staff.

The goal of the Playground Program isto provide daily sports, recreation, arts,crafts, games and special events suchas Dominion Beach Day, RockwoodDay, Res Day, Rocket Day and Jr.Olympics Day.

Summer spells fun at City playgrounds

2SUMMER – Saint John Style

The City of Saint John’s first official SummerWelcome Event capped off this year’s annualPassport to Parks summer event series. Theafternoon event blended traditional maritimebeach activities like a BBQ, kayaking andwasher toss with activities that bring amulticultural flare such as Bollywood dancingand a steel drum band. Over a thousandpeople attended.

A welcoming beach party witha multicultural vibe

In June, the City, in partnershipwith the Saint John CommunityArts Board, awarded $51,400 ingrants to arts organizationsand community groups thatengage artists for their projects.These grants help to fund adiverse array of communityprojects and events.

Supporting arts andculture in Saint John

Thursday evenings got even more exciting in the uptownas the first season of the Saint John Night Market hit SouthMarket Street.

Each week saw hundreds of visitors enjoying the goods andservices of up to thirty vendors with a variety of food, crafts,and entertainment. Something a little unexpected was alsopart of the mix, like Picaroons, Quality Block Barbershop,and street performers. Be sure to come out before the seasoncomes to an end on October 17.

Thank you to all who helped make Season 1 such a success.We look forward to Season 2.

Saint John’s firstnight market

3Crews at Work

It’s been yet another successful construction season in SaintJohn so far, with up to $15-million budgeted for 2019 incapital projects. Major projects such as Wentworth Street,Queen Square North, Metcalf Street, Mecklenburg Street,and Chipman Hill all included underground pipe replacementand complete street reconstruction, excavation, backfill,curb, sidewalk, landscaping and paving.

The City also commits another $1-million annually from itsoperating budget for asphalt resurfacing.Rothesay Avenue and Mark Drive weretwo major mill and asphalt resurfacingprojects included in the annual program.

Construction season wrap up

Did you know? City crewspaint 400 km of street lines(a distance from Saint Johnto Halifax) and 3,235 streetsymbols every year?

With 3D open-trench images inspiredby the City’s renewed drinking watersystem and its transformation from thevery first municipal drinking water systemin Canada, Dave’s art provided a uniquelook at the City’s investment in itsunderground infrastructure.

In the trenches withChalkmaster Dave

The cutting edge of sport fieldsThe Parks and Recreation SportsMaintenance crew recentlypurchased two new sport field-lining machines that haveresulted in substantial savingsand enhanced quality. Themachine’s ergonomic designmeans field markings are nowcrisper and last longer. Themachines use latex paint

reducing the use of aerosol oil-based spray paint cans,making the process much greener.

Did you know? The City maintains and linesnine multipurpose fields, lines seven schoolmultipurpose fields and maintains and linesfifteen ball fields -- a total 124,424 square metersof sports turf – for baseball, soccer, football andother turf sports at all levels of play.

Wentworth Street

Wentworth Street

Mark DriveRothesay Avenue

4Crews at Work

Various pieces of woodhave been preserved and,in the coming months, aplan for future use of thewood will be developedand shared with thecommunity. A plan is alsobeing implemented torestore areas in the squarewhere the fallen 200-year-old trees once stood. Thiswork includes the plantingof new trees.

A thank-you messagefrom your Saint JohnEMO

The City is proud of the responsefrom crews, first responders,partner agencies and citizens inthe collective effort to keep eachother informed and safe throughthe impacts of Hurricane Dorian.During the storm, Saint Johnemergency personnel respondedto 145 calls in a 12-hour span.They worked in collaborationwith City crews who successfullyprioritized and managed over60 service requests related tofallen trees.Crews also responded to over500 service requests during theresidential cleanup program.

“Thank you to all ofyou. I’m so proud tolive in a city thatbanded together forthis. To see linesmen,first responders andtree trimmingcompanies workingall night to make surewe’re safe.#SaintJohnProud”T. Albert

Honouring the fallen trees fromour cherished King’s Square

“Thanks, team,for all you do!”N. Mullin

“Good job!”C. Brophy

“Proud to be aSaint Johner.”S. Lavery

“Well done!! SJEMO a busy dayand night foryou all.”S. Chowdhury

In the Community 5Develop Saint John, in partnership with Anglophone SouthDistrict Education Council, held a community open houseon September 17 to unveil the community vision for anew k-8 school on the city’s central peninsula. Servicesoffered within the school will be delivered through a partnermodel that will include a preschool, after school care andother finishes designed for community needs.

Heather Chase, Chair of People United in the Lower SouthEnd (P.U.L.S.E) and a member of the Central PeninsulaSchool Task Force, says the school will offer “learningenvironments that encourage contemporary, collaborativethinking within the school and extend to embrace andtransform the entire neighbourhood.”

As more and more students are choosing to studyin Saint John, staff from the City’s PopulationGrowth Office and Geographic Information Serviceput their heads together to develop a helpful app.The app provides assistance to post-secondarystudents who wish to secure housing within acertain proximity to NBCC and UNBSJ campusesand Saint John Transit bus routes.

Check out the City’s newonline app for students

New school coming to central peninsula a‘game changer’ for the neighbourhood

Propelling positive changein the Central PeninsulaCity Planner, Jennifer Brown, and Heritage Officer,Emma Sampson provide insight into the CentralPeninsula Plan and how it has propelled changes tothe City’s Heritage By-Law to better support propertyowners in our Heritage districts, and enable catalystevents like AREA 506 and the Saint John Night Market.

Ride the new trails in Rockwood Park this fallTwo brand new mountain bike trails will officiallyopen this October in Rockwood Park. “MilleniumFalcon” and “Jedi Academy” are nearing completion,adding over 1.5 km of new trail for beginners andintermediate riders. With lumber and gravel providedby the City, the trail was built entirely by a volunteergroup who call themselves “The Trail Miners.” Partof the Saint John Cycling Club, the group fundraisedto cover costs to build the trail and expect to clockin over 1,400 volunteer hours by the time the trailis completed.

In the Community 6

Not every hero wears a cape.Plan and practice your escape.TM

That is the national theme for Fire Prevention Week 2019,which kicks off October 6. The City of Saint John’s FirePrevention Service promotes a proactive approach to firesafety and prevention throughout the year. Public educationefforts include school visits and participation in communityevents with the 30-foot Emera New Brunswick Fire SafetyTrailer. By touring the trailer with a firefighter, children learnhow to best respond to a fire and are taught about potentialfire hazards in the home.

First responders step up to theplate for memorial ball gameThe Saint John firefighter team took home the trophythis year for the 5th annual Donnie Dwyer Memorial BallGame among first responders. In 2014, the field wasrenamed in honour of the late Donnie Dwyer, a Milfordresident and police officer who was instrumental inintroducing family protection and youth services to theSaint John Police Force. A sincere thank you to all thosewho support the event every summer.

Meet Your Police Service DogsFive-year-old Axel and four-year-old Diesel, both German Shepherds,support the Emergency Tactical Services and Public Order Units ofthe Saint John Police Department. They each respond to all types ofproperty and person crimes, including robbery, break and enter, andassaults. They are also very useful assisting with lost or missing personsand work with New Brunswick Ground Search and Rescue.

AXELDIESEL

658-4455 service@saintjohn.ca www.saintjohn.ca @CityofSaintJohnNB @CityofSaintJohn

Safe, Clean, Drinking Water… 7City Hall at Work

The City’s enhanced community standardspilot program addresses issues that impactthe aesthetics and enjoyment ofneighborhoods, including unsightlypremises, garbage issues, zoning infractionsand general upkeep of properties that cannegatively impact property value andquality of life for citizens. Property ownersare generally very cooperative and feedbackfrom neighbourhood residents has beenpositive. Since the beginning of 2019, theprogram has resolved over 280 cases!

STAY CONNECTED

Keeping up with property upkeep

A centralized waste collection and compost program was launchedin City Hall service areas in June by the Continuous Improvementteam. By removing individual garbage cans at desks andimplementing a new centralized modular system, twenty-eightbags of compost were diverted from the landfill in the first month!

Take the challenge; consider making your office building morewaste wise!

Waste wise challenge acceptedand extended to YOU

This past spring, over 500 citizens contributed to“The Budget Simulator,” a digital tool designed forresidents to give input into the upcoming ten-yearlong-term financial plan. The simulator containedinformation about current service offerings, andhow funding decreases or increases could affectthem.

While 195 participants (35%) balanced theirbudgets, 358 (65%) participants were not able tobalance the budget, leaving a deficit.

Participants recognized that there is not one singlesolution to address the City’s financial challenges.The response rate was considered a success andparticipants were generally pleased to be involved.

“I have enjoyed this exercise. Although it is limited anddoes not allow people to dreamily add revenue fromtax reform initiatives, it is a good engagement tool forcitizens and will help people understand the challengesthat council faces.” ~Participant

Citizens help City with long-term financial plan