Mayor Upset With Park Advocates

Mayor Ivan Court, these days, is at odds with many of the people who supported him during the last Municipal election who are members of the Friends of Rockwood Park. They claim decisions to allow development to proceed along Sandy Point Road by the park have already been made which the Mayor angrily rejects.

Court points to rumours floating about claiming the golf course and zoo would be moved when the Rockwood Park Advisory Board wants to see them incorporated in the park itself.

Liberal Leader Shawn Graham Resigns

The Provincial Liberals are looking for a new leader. Former premier Shawn Graham quit as the province's Liberal leader today. Graham says he takes responsibility for the party's defeat in September's provincial election. Liberal M-P Dominic LeBlanc says Graham's departure is a loss for the party.


Leblanc says he never met someone who worked harder in public life and he thinks he contributed something to the province that will last.
The Liberal caucus will choose an interim leader tomorrow. Graham says he plans to serve as the member for the riding of Kent for the next four years.

The Dogs Will Not Die On Thursday

A possible death sentence for a pair of dogs owned by a Quispamsis woman has been pulled off the table for the time being. Town Manager Mike Brennan tells CHSJ News, now that the municipality has been served with legal papers by Deborah Quenneville-Clairmont, the matter has to go before a Provincial Judge for a final decision. Brennan adds no word on when that may happen.

The dogs were seized by the Town's Animal Control Officer last week following an alleged attack of a senior by the animals along the Gondola Point Road.

The Lights Are Out At Point Lepreau

Class Four Power has been lost at the Point Lepreau Generating Station due to a fault on the isolated phase bus. That provides power to the unit station transformer and to add insult to injury, the alternative power supply is unavailable as it is under-going maintenance. Spokes-person Kathleen Duguay tells CHSJ News, employee's have been sent home but no word on how many.
She says those don't employees working in the dark but, some workers may help in restoring power.
Duguay says a full assessment as to what caused the outage is underway and no word on when full power will be re-stored.

Work Continues On Bringing A Co-Op To The South End

Even though we haven't heard much about it of late, the push continues to have a CO-OP set up shop in the South End. Spokes-person Jennifer Edison tells CHSJ News, there haven't been very many meetings in recent months but the development is still on the table:

She says some individuals help them prepare a feasibility study and they will be meeting again in the next few months.
Edison says with Giant Tiger expanding it's line-up to include produce and a wide range of groceries, CO-OP is still interested in the proposal but everything is up in the air.

The City Views UNB Saint John As A Priority

The city is recognising U-N-B Saint John as a priority and will be making that clear to the provincial government. The Vice-President in charge of the local campus, Dr. Robert McKinnon says the university has evolved into one of Saint John's major employers and he has plans in mind for a health related knowledge park now that the medical school is established.

Dr. McKinnon told Councillors, in the knowledge economy, a university assumes greater importance especially if you want to attract talent to the city.

Millidgeville Is A Growth Area In The City

Plan SJ has pinpointed 3 rural areas of the city for future residential development........from Martinon to South Bay, Treadwell lake out east and Lorneville. Common Councillor Chris Titus sees Millidgeville as holding huge potential.

Plan SJ's Jacqueline Hamilton concedes developers don't like to see any limitations on suburban growth.

Port CEO Weighs In On Plan

The Port's CEO thinks the business community and it's concerns should be a part of shaping the new municipal plan. Jim Quinn is new to the Saint John Port Authority and tells CHSJ News he was able to sit down city officials last week.

The City of Saint John is gathering input to formulate a new municipal plan to guide city development.

MLA Says Safety Is The Priority With Highway Expansion

The proposal to expand a section of the MacKay Highway to three lanes between the Kennebecasis Valley and Saint John is currently under review. The proposal was first given life when the Graham Government still was in charge and Rothesay MLA Margaret Ann Blaney tells CHSJ News, safety is first and foremost:

Blaney adds with limited dollars and Finance Minister Blaine Higgs doing a complete review of each department to look for savings, the Alward Government is trying to be smart about how money is spent.

Roads Still Closed Due To Flooding

City Officials still have the barricades up on several streets in East Saint John due to flooding. They are Todd and Brown Streets, Ashton Place, Dutch Garden and Simpson Drive between Golden Grove and Tim Street.

Also, the end of Rothesay Avenue is still down to one lane in each direction near Ritchies.

Accusations Fly At City Hall

Development along Sandy Point Road adjacent to Rockwood Park is proving to be as controversial as ever with the Friends of Rockwood Park tearing a strip off the city, accusing it of being one of the worst developers and violating the law by allowing a storm sewer to drain into Harrigan Lake.

Joan Pearce, who chairs the Friends of Rockwood Park, says the recommendations from the planning consultants go against what Plan SJ reports is the will of most people.


Pearce also claims land was bought by the city along Sandy Point Road in April 2003 to boost water pressure, not to further residential development.

Protective Services In Kennebecasis Valley Looking For Increase

The 2011 budgets of the Rothesay Regional Police and Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department are climbing.

The police force wants an increase of 7.3 percent or close to three hundred thousand dollars to be used towards new equipment and the costs of shutting down its telecom centre.

Chief of Police Stephen McIntyre tells CHSJ News, it's never easy dealing with escalating costs.


The Ken Valley Fire Department is looking for a 7.2 percent increase and both budgets now go before the Finance Committee for approval.

Quispamsis Comments On MacKay Highway Expansion

(Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll At The Podium)
                         (File Photo)

The Mayor of Quispamsis thinks safety should be the priority when it comes to expanding the Mackay Highway.

There are reports that the $20 million dollar project is under review by the Alward government.

Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News, he prefers better turnoffs over more lanes.


Driscoll adds he's not sure if the morning and afternoon gridlock would be improved by more lanes or improvements to the on and off ramps.

A Change Looming For The Liberals

(Liberal Leader Shawn Graham)
          (File Photo)

Shawn Graham's time as the Liberal Leader may soon be over.

He has scheduled a news conference for eleven this morning in Fredericton.


After his party's stunning defeat in September to the Conservatives, Graham did say he would step down as leader this month.