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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Summer Boardwalk Events Ready to Go

The warm weather may be a little late, but the line-up of summer events on the boardwalk is ready to go. 

Heather Peterson with the Hardman group tells CHSJ News there's something five days a week starting with Saint John Idol on June 29th.  Country star kicks off on July 7th. 

Peterson says Salty Jam goes July 8th and 9th, and the Buskers are booked for for July 21st-24th. This year a Lumberjack act is coming as well.

For more information about summer events and celebrations follow this link.

Geopark Celebrates First Year

The city's Stonehammer Geopark celebrating the launch of it's first official year.

Executive Director Gail Bremmer tells CHSJ News Saint John's park is the first of its kind in North America, making it a leader for other sites that are trying to become certified.

Bremmer says for people who don't know, a geopark is a an area with unique geological history.

She says the Stonehammer park is 25 hundred square kilometres and stretches from Lepreau Falls to St. Martin’s.

Delegates from the geopark will travel to Norway this year to help develop tourism and economic development for the park.

Waste Commission Benefits From Added Revenue

Two new sources of revenue helping the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission meet bottom line.

General Manager Marc MacLeod tells CHSJ News part of the revenue is coming from their new material recovery centre.

The commission has also started selling surplus power from a new electrical generator.

MacLeod says the more revenue they can make from other sources the less they have to rely on tipping fees, which means costs are kept down for taxpayers.

Construction Kicks Off On Union Street

Extensive construction work begins tomorrow on Union Street with phase one, which will continue until July 8th, at Germain and Wellington Row.

Project Engineer Gerry Mattson tells CHSJ News the project, when completed, will result in a completely rebuilt Union Street including underground electrical wires.

The city is making it clear at no time will Union Street be closed to traffic completely but you might want to steer clear of the area if you don't want to be held up.

An uptown shuttle for parking lots in the South End will be up and running next month. The work will continue until the latter part of September.

Centre Re-named After City Staffer

The North End Community Centre getting a new name.

The 32 year-old building on Victoria Street now called the C. E. Nicolle Community Centre after Nick Nicolle, a city staffer who was instrumental in the construction of the community centre in 1979.

In his 31 years with the city, Nicolle worked as the Director of Recreation and Parks, and also championed for the Charles Gorman and Stewart Hurley arenas, and six of the city's community centres.

The North End centre is set to undergo extensive interior and exterior renovations this fall.

Investing In Uptown Key, Irving Says

President of Commercial Properties John Irving says the uptown is definitely undergoing a renaissance.

Irving recently picking up a trio of awards at the Live Life Awards, which celebrates contributions to the improvement of uptown Saint John.

His honours include Heritage Project of the Year for the Saint John 225 Clock.

He says it's absolutely vital for the entire city to grow the uptown, and he has a particular affinity for it because he used to walk through it to get to school.

Bystanders Perform Water Rescue

The quick action of two bystanders saving a mans life in the early morning hours.

At quarter to one in the morning city fire receiving a call that a vehicle was in the water at the end of Millidge Avenue near the RKYC yacht club.

District Chief Gerry Morris says crews arrived on scene to find a truck submerged about 100 feet off shore.

Morris says two witnesses who were in the area heard the driver yelling that he couldn't swim, and swam out and brought the man to shore.

The man was checked out on the scene but did not need to be taken to hospital.

The truck was pulled out by local residents using their boat and their pick-up truck.

Police seized the vehicle while an investigation is ongoing.