School District 6 Says No To Province

The District 6 Education Council turning down a request from the province to form a K.V. Elementary School Advisory Committee.

The DEC passing a motion keep fix K-Park Elementary School and building a new elementary school in Quispamsis as the top priorities.

Chair Roger Nesbitt won't go so far as to say the request was a slap in the face. John Oxley of the K-Park Parents Group says discussions about the K-Park renovation have been going on for ten years now.

The motion passing unanimously and a letter will sent to the Department of Education.

Dick Daigle of the K-Park Parents Group is pleased with the DEC's move and its discusssions with Education Minister Jody Carr. The group has met twice with the Minister and will be meeting with him again.

Many Ideas On Developing Colonel Nase Blvd

A hotel, a restaurant, and a gas bar are among suggestions for the development of Colonel Nase Boulevard in Grand Bay-Westfield.

When paving of the new road between Route 7 and River Valley Drive is finished in September, the town will have access to 440 acres of commercial property.

Mayor Grace Losier tells CHSJ News the community supports future development in the area.

Losier says development doesn't happen overnight but she thinks once one business sets up shop on Colonel Nase Boulevard, others will follow.

New Home Starts Sagging

New home construction in the greater Saint John area has taken a nose dive according to figures from Canada Mortgage and Housing.


The federal agency says there were 33-new units started last month -- down from 90 in May of last year.

Fredericton and Moncton were also showing dips in new home construction last month.

New UNB Saint John Building Is Now The Hans W. Klohn Commons

The new commons building at UNB Saint John now has an official name thanks to a huge donation -  the building will be named after longtime Irving business associate Hans W. Klohn thanks to a 3-million dollar donation from the families of Arthur and the late Jack Irving.

Klohn has worked on many projects in the city, such as Harbour Station and the Loyalist Burial Ground. 

He tells CHSJ News he is very thankful and greatly admires K.C. Irving for his business sense.

Vice-President of UNB Saint John Robert MacKinnon says the Hans W. Klohn Commons will help grow the school in years to come as it will attract both international and local students.

The 25 million dollar facility will feature study centres, a library, and teaching rooms.

It is set to open on September 7th.

Traffic Advisory For Harbour Bridge

The Department of Transportation advises that the Saint John Harbour Bridge eastbound right lane and Chesley Drive exit ramp will be closed until 3 p.m. today, Wednesday, June 8th.

The eastbound left side lane will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on June 10th and 11th.

The Chesley Drive exit ramp will be closed from 9 a.m. on June 11th until late September 2011.

The Westbound lanes and the Chelsey Drive on ramp will be closed from 8 a.m. on June 11th for about three weeks.

These temporary measures are in place due to the work of the second phase of renovation of the bridge.

Drivers are reminded to exercise caution while these temporary measures are in place.

Open House Tonight At Landfill

If you have old paint, oil, batteries and computers, you can drop them off tonight during an open house at the Fundy Solid Waste Commission from 5 until 8:00.

The open house being held to commemorate 10 years of composting which began back in 2001 and since then, the landfill has 77 thousand fewer tons of organic material.

There has been a bit of a decline in composting over the past two years which the Waste Commission would like to turn around.

Brenda McCallum of the Waste Commission tells CHSJ News energy is also being generated at the landfill from all that trash you throw away by capturing the methane.

The Waste Commission and Irving Oil will be getting together this weekend to collect hazardous materials and old computers.

Big Lobster Caught In Bay Of Fundy

A fisherman is auctioning off a 40 year old, 22.3 pound lobster that he and his son hauled up Monday from the Bay of Fundy.

Troy Mitchell says the lobster, which he named "Tiny," is the largest he's ever caught in his 30 plus year career.

Mitchell has put the lobster up for sale in hopes someone might want to save Tiny, either to donate to the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews or to set him free.

Troy Mitchell says he will donate the proceeds to the Charlotte County Cancer Society.

If you're interested in bidding on the huge lobster, call 755-2695.

Mayor Speaks Out On City Pension Plan

There will be modifications to what the city proposed as a solution to fix its pension plan after a closed door meeting with provincial officials.

That admission from Mayor Ivan Court who says the two sides will have to talk more in order to find common ground but a solution has to be found in the next two months.

The Mayor says the worst case scenario would be if the province did nothing pwhich would necessitate a 12 to 14 cent rise in the city's tax rate which does not see happenjing.

Court says his message to Saint John taxpayers is there's no intent to raise taxes to fix the city's pension plan.

The city is asking for changes that under the current legislation cannot be approved by the Superintendent of Pensions.

Harbour Bridge Lane Closures

The Department of Transportation advises that the Saint John Harbour Bridge eastbound right lane and Chesley Drive exit ramp will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. today, Wednesday, June 8.
The eastbound left side lane will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on June 10 and 11.
The Chesley Drive exit ramp will be closed from 9 a.m. on June 11 until late September 2011.

The Westbound lanes and the Chelsey Drive on ramp will be closed from 8 a.m. on June 11 for about three weeks.
These temporary measures are in place due to the work of the second phase of renovation of the bridge.
Drivers are reminded to exercise caution while these temporary measures are in place.

Work Begins On Phase Two Of Harbour Bridge Upgrades

Work on phase 2 of the 35-million dollar Harbour Bridge upgrade will begin this week - and - will be extended over two years with completion set for next year.


Transportation Minister Claude Williams made the announcement in the Legislature this morning.

Work this year will include the Chesley Drive exit ramp and the enter span of the eastbound lanes with the balance of the work on the eastbound lanes scheduled to be completed next year.

Also tenders for demolition of the toll plaza will be called by the end of this month with work on that project to begin by the middle of July and be completed by the fall.

Minister Set To Reveal Some Details About Harbour Bridge Work

The cone of silence is about to be lifted about what's happening with upgrades to the Harbour Bridge.


CHSJ News has learned Transportation Minister Claude Williams will be making a statement in the Legislature today - and - a traffic advisory will be posted shortly after the statement.

The Minister told CHSJ News in early April the toll plaza would be demolished and changes made to the traffic lanes in that area by June -- he also indicated negotiations were underway regarding the planned upgrade on the eastbound lanes of the bridge.

That work was originally scheduled to get undeSaint Jorway last month - but - that was before the deal was announced between Ottawa and the province to remove the tolls from the bridge.

Back To Square One With City's Pension Plan

Uncertainty continues to shroud any fix to the city's pension plan with its estimated 129 million dollar deficit. The city filed papers with the province asking for permission to delay topping up it's employee pension fund.

The province responded by identifiying additional options for the city to consider and will continue to discuss the issue according to the Mayor's office. Mayor Ivan Court will have more to say about the situation this afternoon.

The changes to the plan will be finalized and submitted for the fall session of the Legislature which would be in time for the city's budget deliberations later this year.

The city's pension plan is facing an estimated 129-million dollar deficit.

Fire In The K-V

A fire in a mobile home at 14 First Street in Quispamsis last night. 

K-V fire crews responding to the call around 6:20 last night and were on scene for an hour putting out the small fire. 

No word on a cause and no one was hurt.

Quispamsis Has Plenty Of Water

A model showing how groundwater flows through Quispamsis is now in the hands of town council.

Kent Weazel with Stantec Engineering is one of the people who worked on the model. He says knowing how groundwater flows will help the town when it decides to expand the municipal water system, when it wants to develop a new subdivision or when there is a contamination issue.

Overall, Weazel says the town has lots of available, good quality groundwater but there can be areas that have more or less water than others.
 
Mayor Murray Driscoll says everyone in Quispamsis won't be getting municipal water overnight but it's good to know where the water is for when the town needs to draw on it.
 
Town councillors have been told using municipal water instead of individual wells does have it's benefits including safety.

Debate Continues Over Condition Of Local Roads

The issue of poor road repairs coming up again at Common Council.

Councillor Bruce Court asking Commissioner of Municipal Operations Paul Groody why the city isn't doing road repairs itself instead of hiring contractors given the roads are breaking down too quickly.

Groody says the city used to go that route but it is more cost effective to contract the work out but can take another look at the numbers if council wants to.

The city is looking into adding quality guarantees or extended warranties into all future tenders for road repairs.

Two Local Police Officers To Be Honoured In Ottawa

Governor General David Johnston making two Greater Saint John police officers Members of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces this morning.

Staff Sargeant Steve Patterson of the Saint John Police Service and Rothesay Regional Police chief Stephen McIntyre both receiving the honour in a Rideau Hall ceremony this morning.

Patterson is retiring from the force in September after 40 years on the job. This ceremony will mark the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. 7 police officers and 36 members will be invested in the Order.

City Files Papers For Pension Reform

The city presses on for changes to the pension plan -- the city has filed papers to the province, asking permission to delay topping up it's employee pension fund.

According to a release from the mayor's office, the province has identified additional options for the city to consider and will continue to discuss the issue.

The proposed changes to the plans will be finalized and submitted for the fall session of the Legislature and in time for the city's budget deliberations. 

The city's is currently facing a pension deficit of about 129-million dollars.

Summer Cruise Season Kicks Off

The uptown a beehive of activity today with the port welcoming the first cruise ship of the season.

The Carnival Glory setting up anchor and bringing with it 3500 passengers.

Tourism Minister Trevor Holder tells CHSJ News it's exciting to kick off the season and the  economic spin-offs of the cruise industry are being felt beyond the Saint John area.

He says businesses in Alma extended their tourism season by 3 weeks last year thanks to cruise ship visitors.

The 2011 season will bring 71 ships and over 200-thousand visitors to the city.

The Saint John Port Authority also kicking off a new tradition for the first ship of every season --  Port Chair Stephen Campbell giving the captain of the Carnival Glory a small telescope. 

A Testy Truck Debate Around The Horseshoe

The purchase of over 900-thousand dollars worth of vehicles has been approved by council but not before some heated debate around the horseshoe.
The trucks are replacing 10-year old vehicles used in snow-removal and in the city's sewage department.

Councilor Farren, Higgins, and Court expressed concern over the price tag and and whether it would be better to keep repairing the current trucks.
But David Logan with the city says the vehicles they are replacing are high-use vehicles that deliver critical services like snow removal.

He says the problem is it takes almost a year to build these trucks if they wait for the trucks to be out of service or unsafe then they are without a vehicle for nearly a year.
Logan says the money will be coming out of a reserve fund in the Fleet Replacement Program.

No Bail For A City Man Accused In A Drunk-Driving Death

Bail has been denied a 35 year old Wright Street man who's charged with impaired driving causing death. Vincent Eric Reid was sent back to jail until his next court appearance June 21st at which time he is expected to enter pleas.
Reid is looking at five charges including impaired driving causing the death of Gerald Troy Bridges, who was in his 30's during the Victoria Day long weekend. Three of the other charges are for impaired driving causing bodily harm.
Reid was charged after two trucks collided head on along Golden Grove Road in the early morning hours of that Sunday.

Mail Volumes Are Down In Saint John But, No Walkouts Yet

Saint John is not the site of the rotating Canada Post walkouts yet but, a union spokesperson says when and if that happens, they will not get a lot of notice.
Wally Moore of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers tells CHSJ News the walkouts in other centres are impacting the Saint John operation.

Moore tells us that the company announced mail volumes are down in Saint John and as a result they have begun reducing hours for part-time staff.
He says the workers are in high spirits and they know what they are fighting for..a just collective agreement.


Moncton workers were off the job at midnight last night but, staff will be returning to work tonight.    Moore add talks continue between the company and the union but, the latest offer from the union was rejected.

Lack Of A Seatbelt A Factor In Deadly Sussex-Area Crash

Police say the lack of a seatbelt is a factor in the death of a Sussex woman yesterday in a two-vehicle collision.

It took place on a straight stretch of Route 10 in Kierstead Mountain when a westbound car being driven by a 48-year-old woman crossed the center line and struck an eastbound truck driven by a 58-year-old woman from Long Creek and both vehicles caught fire. 

The driver of the car was not wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene. The driver of the truck was taken to hospital with minor injuries while a 24-year-old man who was a passenger in the truck was not hurt.   An autopsy is being performed on the woman today and her name will not be released until her family is notified.

Effort To Attract Visitors To City Will Be Expanded

The Saint John Destination Marketing Organization giving Common Council it's first update since taking over the city's tourism duties six months ago.

Councillors have been told a big summer campaign is lined up.

Executive Director Ross Jefferson says traditionally, the focus was on selling the city to visitors already in the city but now is marketing outside Saint John.

He says they'll be targeting fellow New Brunswickers because 47 percent of the local tourism business is from the province itself.

Jefferson adds the campaign will be a combination of online, print, radio, magazine, and TV ads.

Big Day For K-V-H-S Reach For The Top Team

The Kennebecasis Valley High Reach for the Top team will be getting a hero's welcome this morning.

The championship trivia team will be honoured with a special school assembly for winning the national title in Toronto last week.

Some dignitaries will be in attendance, including Quispamsis MLA and provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs.

This was K-V’s second consecutive National Reach title and only the 3rd by a New Brunswick team in the 45-year history of the event.

The event gets underway 10:00 at K-V-H-S.

East Saint John Being Cleaned Up Today

More than 500 Irving Oil refinery employees will putting on the work gloves and boots today to help out the environment.

Irving Oil is having its 11th Annual Operation Clean-Up today.

Areas around the east Saint John will be cleaned up, including Westmorland, Grandview Avenue, and the Little River Reservoir.

The event coincides with Canadian Environment Week kicking off at 9am and going until 11am.

Route 10 Closed After Fatal Collision

Tragedy after a fiery crash claims the life on one person on Route 10 near Sussex.
The two-vehicle collison west of the Smith road at Keirstead mountain causing a truck to catch fire but both people got out while the driver of the car died at the scene.

Route 10 is closed in both directions until further notice.

Cruise Ship Season Kicks-Off Tomorrow

The Port Authority praying for good weather as the first cruise ship of the season, the Carnival Glory, docks in Saint John tomorrow. 

Betty MacMillan with the Port Authority tells CHSJ News cruise lines keep hearing what a great destination Saint John is and so the industry keeps growing. 

Two new cruise lines will be calling on Saint John this season, bringing an additional 10 thousand passengers.

The Port is presenting an antique telescope to the captain of the Carnival Glory to commemorate the first ship of the year.  MacMillan says it's a tradition they hope will continue.

Deadly Crash Closes Highway Near Sussex

RCMP are on the scene of a fatal collision on Route 10 in Kierstead Mountain-the highway is closed in both directions for the time being.

Two vehicle are involved in the crash and one vehicle was on fire with a person trapped inside.


The people in the other vehicle were able to get out safely.

Speaker Finds A Connection Between Comic Book Superheroes And Business

"If you have never failed you have never lived" that is the message given to a crowd attending a Public Relations conference in the city.

Journalist Sean Wise says superheroes were a means of escape for him as a child as he struggled with bullying and a learning disability.

He tells CHSJ News people are too afraid to fail.
He says in this country if you fail many times you are ready for government work and in the U.S. if you fail a few times you are waiting to succeed.
The conference continues at the Trade and Convention Centre until Wednesday.

Musquash Cleanup Declared A Success

The people at the Nature Conservancy are happy with what they didn't have to pick up in a clean up of the Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve near Lorneville.

Cleanup organiser Ann Morrision tells CHSJ News there wasn't a whole lot of garbage which is a good thing but they did have to do some work on making the coastal trail better for hikers by removing trees and laying down boardwalks where it was muddy because of all the rain we've had.

The volunteers collected three bags of garbage off the beach including four large pieces of styrofoam. The Musquash Estuary is the province's first Marine Protected area and is the last fully functioning estuary in its natural state on the Bay of Fundy.

Reimbursement Not Ruled Out

Premier David Alward not ruling out reimbursement for road repairs the city is making to streets that are a provincial responsibility.  

While Alward couldn't comment on the specifics of Chesley Drive, he tells CHSJ News designated roads are normally looked after based on a five year plan set up by the city. 

Alward says the province works to address the city's priorities with the funds that are available.

Saint John will be paving 3 lanes of Chesley Drive, a road that is provincial property, and will be seeking reimbursement from the province later.

New Cellphone Law Called "Good First Step"

Provincial legislation banning the use of hands held cellphones and fiddling around with your G-P-S while driving is getting cautious support from the Canadian Automobile Association.

The C-A-A's Gary Howard is also opposed to using hands free devices while driving claiming they're just as distracting because your concentration is more focused on who you're talking to instead of the road.

He points to research showing 8 out of 10 accidents are caused by distracted drivers and one second of reaction time can make all the difference in the world.

Howard is hoping the day will come when it will be socially unacceptable to be using any of these communication devices while you're driving.

Taxi Fares Will Remain Where They Are

Taxi Fares are not going up at the present time.

There had been talk of raising them today by a dollar but CHSJ News has been told by Coastal and Diamond Taxi owner, Gary Williston there will be more discussion and any increase, should it be imposed, will be kept as low as possible.

The taxi industry has been hit hard by the rising price of gas.

Uptown Street Closed To Traffic

The city telling us Wellington Row is now closed at Carleton Street for the duration of construction.

The street had been open during peak traffic times but that has now changed.

Access to businesses and parking on Wellington Row is available via Union Street.

Water Problem On West Side

People who live in the Greenhead Road, Milford and Randolph area on the West side are being advised that there is water pipe leak that may result in limited water pressure or no water in the area.

Work is going on as we speak to fix the problem with crews on the scene.

Fire In City Apartment Building

A fire early this morning at 236 Douglas Avenue. it broke out in a four storey building with five apartments and two businesses.

District Chief Eric Garland says everyone managed to get out safely. The fire started in a ceiling fan but spread to the roof of the building itself.

Meantime, Rothesay Regional Police telling us one man is under arrest in the Bradley Lake Road area for uttering threats and the unsafe storage of firearms.

No More Cellphone Use While Driving In Province

Put that cell phone away- it's now illegal to talk or text on your phone while you drive.

Sgt. Jeff Lafrance of the Saint John Police Force tells CHSJ News they will be approaching the law the same way they do seat belt enforcement.

There will be a transition period where officers will be pulling those drivers they see breaking the law over and giving them a heads up on the new rules.
The fine for talking or texting while driving is $172.50 and three points off your license. Random spotchecks will be set up around the City today.

Lafrance adds if you need to talk or text, the safe thing to do is pull off to the side of the road making sure you are not impeding traffic.

There was a published report over the weekend about cab fares going up today by a dollar but we're told by at least one cab company that's not the case.

Noise Pollution Being Measured In City

A Saint John man was out and about with a decibel meter this weekend to bring awareness to what he says is excessive motor vehicle noise in the uptown.

Sam Blue with Noise Free Saint John tells CHSJ News he plans to record noise levels from Kings Square at least once a month throughout the summer in order to get hard numbers showing Common Council and City Police how bad the problem has become.

Blue says provincial legislation requires cars and motorcycles to have mufflers but it's not being enforced, and noise levels seem to be getting worse instead of better.
 
He maintains part of the problem are cars and motorcycles that have illegal exhaust systems. Provincial legislation requires vehicles to have a muffler but Blue argues it's not being enforced.

Not All Tax On Gas Being Spent On Roads

There's been alot of grumbling about the state of the roads this spring in the aftermath of a very tough winter.

A survey released by the Canadian Automobile Association finds most drivers don't believe all the tax money they pay for gasoline are used to maintain the roads.

The Atlantic Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News that skepticism is not misplaced.

He estimates 38 cents of every litre of gas sold in the province is tax and drivers in New Brunswick are paying six cents a litre more in gas tax now than they were last year at this time but the roads are in worse shape.

Fire Destroys Home In Hampton

Hampton Fire kept busy for two and a half hours last night battling a blaze.

Crews were called out to 335 Cumberland Road at 7:30pm to find a home fully engulfed in flames.

No one was hurt as no one was home at the time but there is nothing left of the house.

And a fire outside Fredericton yesterday leaving a family of three temporarily homeless.

A woman and her two teenage sons got out safely but their cat died in the blaze.

The Red Cross is providing lodging, food and clothes for the family.

No word at this point on a cause.

Commuter Challenge Kicks Off Today

The Commuter Challenge kicks off around the province today and Saint John is in great shape with 18 organisations registered, at last count, with more than 21 hundred employees taking part.

The competition encourages people to leave their cars at home and find other ways of getting to work which include car pooling.



Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News every little bit people do can help the environment.

He says commuters from outside the city limits can do their part by car pooling or taking the bus into the city during the morning rush hour and back home again in the afternoon.

The Mayor says Saint John is leading the green way and winning awards for its efforts.

Thus far Moncton has 4 organisations and 723 people signed up while Fredericton has just 2 organizations with 85 employees.

SJ Community Foundation Turning 35

The Greater Saint John Community Foundation celebrating a milestone this week.

The Foundation recognizing it's 35th Anniversary this Thursday at the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal by giving a grant of 30 thousand dollars to the city's Teen Pregnancy Committee.

The Foundation is also presenting Franklin Leger with an award for community service for his work over the last six decades.

Since the Foundation was created in 1976 it has distributed 5.4 million dollars to local charities and causes.

Still No Timeline For Harbour Bridge Repairs

Premier David Alward saying work will go forward on the East bound lanes of the Harbour Bridge, but no word yet on a specific timeline.

Transportation Minister Claude Williams hinted in an interview with CHSJ News in early April that phase two of the 35-million dollar upgrade involving the east bound lanes may be spread over a two year period.

Alward tells CHSJ News he knows it's important work that needs to get done.

The provincial government took ownership of the Bridge through a federal-provincial agreement that saw the removal of the tolls this April.

District 6 On The Social Media Bandwagon

District 6 Education Council making an effort to keep up with the growing world of social media.

Superintendent Andrew Hopper tells CHSJ News they do see a lot of people flocking to the district website and twitter account.

He says social media has been a helpful tool when it comes to getting the word out about late buses and school cancellations.

Hopper says school websites will be changing format in the fall to a universal format in order to create more consistency and make it easier for school staff to make updates.

New Cell Phone Law Starts Tomorrow

Time is quickly running out if you talk or text while you drive. As of tomorrow, it's against the law to do that in this province.

Sgt. Jeff Lafrance of the Saint John Police Force tells CHSJ News there will be a transition period where officers will be pulling those drivers they see breaking the law over and giving them a heads up on the new rules.

He tells us the penalty if you get caught is three points off your license and a fine of $172.50.

Officers will be conducting random spotchecks throughout the city tomorrow.

For more info on the new law, follow this link.

Waterloo Village Holds Neighbourhood Clean-Up

One of the busiest parts of town will be getting a face-lift this weekend as a community clean-up is held in the Waterloo Village area.

Penni Eisenhauer with Vibrant Communities tells CHSJ News nice weather does help, but she's hopeful they'll get a big crowd regardless. 

Eisenhauer says they're hoping to get 50 to 100 people out.

The clean-up kicks off at 11am at the Corner of Cliff and Waterloo Street or at the highrise on Brunswick Drive. Gloves and bags will be provided.

Conservation Important For Musquash Trail

The Nature Conservancy of Canada working to clean up an area of Musquash that is environmentally sensitive.

Ann Morrison with the Nature Conservancy of Canada tells CHSJ News they'll be hiking and sprucing up the Five Fathom Hole trail today to help get the public interested in Conservation.

Morrison says the trail is part of the last fully functioning estuary in the Bay of Fundy so it is important to protect.

Morrison says litter isn't so much of an issue along the trail but they will be bringing garbage bags to collect any debris that have washed onto the trail's beaches.

Emergency Response Test-Run At Lepreau

Have no fear, it's only a test -- Point Lepreau will be conducting a one-day security exercise today involving the plant's nuclear response team, police, and provincial emergency crews.

Emergency vehicles will be in the Lepreau area throughout the day.

Station Director Wade Parker says the exercise is to test the effectiveness of their emergency response strategy as part of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act.

Car Found In Flames

A vehicle reported as stolen found in flames on the city's outskirts.

A call coming in at 8 o'clock last night that a car was on fire on the Sand Cove Road near the Nature Park.

District Chief Gerry Morris says crews arrived on scene to find the 2009 Hyundai fully engulfed in flames.

Morris says a call came in 30 minutes earlier that the vehicle was reported stolen from the uptown area.

Morris says the fire was definitely set and city police are investigating.

Crews also responding to a minor fire at the Charles Gorman Arena on University Avenue.

One of the flood lights catching fire at 10 o'clock last night but burnt itself out by the time crews arrived.

Get Out Your Hiking Boots- It's Internatinal Trails Day

Get out and enjoy some hiking and nature as today is International Trails Day.

Nathalie Rayne with the NB Trails Council says there are events happening throughout the province.

She says given the downturn in the economy, more and more people are turning to trails as free form of entertainment and exercise.

For more information and a schedule of events celebrating International Trails Day, click here.