Looking For a Solution to Westgate Flooding

City staff is looking into ways to fix the problem of flooding in the Westgate area and the acting city manager is recommending hiring a consultant. Engineering consultants CBCL Limited has put together a proposal to look for solutions, after a study was conducted by city staff. The proposal has a price tag of over $73 thousand dollars, and aims to conduct a thorough study on the drainage systems in the Westgate Park area.


CBCL has done other drainage studies for the city and this topic will be up for discussion at tonight's council meeting getting underway at 6:30.

A Plea to Plant Spruce Trees

Trees are our best friends..........So says Saint John High teacher Barry Ogden who also chairs the city's Recreation Committee. Ogden spearheaded the Marigolds on main Street campaign and now wants as many people in the city as possible to plant spruce trees.


Ogden says spruce trees would make the city more green in the winter.

Radio Stations Are Getting a Facelift

(Country 94 and 97.3 The Wave From King Street View)
                       (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

Our radio stations are getting a make-over. Country 94 and 97.3 The Wave are under construction and that is why you don't see any one in the studio windows, for now. Phase one includes gutting of the front half of the main floor of the building at 58 King Street. When finished next month, both stations will have new state of the art, store front studios and newsroom.


The stations' reception area has also been temporarily relocated to the second floor if your coming in to pick up a prize. Most of the work will be carried out overnight but you may notice the sound of a hammer or other equipment in the background as you listen through the day. Total cost of the project is half a million dollars.

Weekend Storm Ravages Maritimes

A weather bomb hit the Maritimes over the weekend dumping close to 30 centimeters of snow in the Saint John region. The cleanup is now underway with roads and sidewalks slushy and slippery in spots after the light snow turned to drizzl in the city. A parking ban was imposed in the uptown. City Police tell CHSJ News 15 vehicles have been towed. If you're parked in once of the city lots, your vehicle must be out of there by 7 this morning. Three deaths in the region over the weekend have been attributed to the storm. As of last night, NB Power was reporting more than 100 outages affecting almost 3 thousand people, mostly in the Miramichi. A state of emergency was declared in Port Elgin where two dozen people had to be rescued from homes that were flooded from the storm surge. Some cottages were lifted from their foundations.

NB Power Still Trying to Get Customers Re-Connected

It has been a tough 24 hours for NB Power crews as they have been battling the elements trying to get it's customers re-connected to the grid. Since yesterday's winter storm hit, the public utility had up to 15,000 homes and businesses off the grid due to the highwinds, heavy wet snow and tree branches coming down on top of utility lines.

As of six oclock, 3442 customers are still with-out power, the hardest hit area in Miramichi with 2528 customers in the dark and with-out heat. The Utility says it hopes to have everyone back on the grid by midnight.

Over-Night Parking Ban for South Central Peninsula

If you or someone you know lives in the South Central Peninsula, a reminder that there is an overnight parking ban for the area tonight. As of eleven o'clock, all vehicles parked on a street in the area have to be moved to a designated lot. If you don't move your vehicle, it will be towed at your expense.

There are five designated lots where you can park your vehicle starting at six tonight. The corner of Princess and Charlotte Streets, KIng Street East, Peters Street, Carmarthen Street at the Vineyard Church and Mecklenburg Street at Wentworth. Vehicles have to be out of the lots by seven tomorrow morning.

Plenty More Snow for Kennebecasis Valley and Other Areas

A snowfall warning has been issued for several areas of the Province including the Kennebecasis Valley, Sussex and St.Stephen. Anywhere between 10-25 cm's is expected in those and these areas:



_new_ acadian peninsula


_new_ bathurst and chaleur region


_new_ campbellton and eastern half of restigouche county


_new_ fredericton and southern york county


_new_ fundy national park


_new_ grand lake and queens county


_new_ kent county


_new_ kouchibouguac national park


_new_ miramichi and area


_new_ moncton and southeast new brunswick


_new_ mount carleton - renous highway


_new_ oromocto and sunbury county


_new_ st. stephen and northern charlotte county


_new_ stanley - doaktown - blackville area


_new_ sussex/kennebecasis valley and kings county.

A Request From Enterprise Saint John

Enterprise Saint John wants the opportunity to address city council on the progress it's made during last year. Representatives will present with what the group has accomplished over 2009 and what the goals are for 2010. The request is to ensure council, and enterprise Saint John are on the same page and to further the city as a magnet for innovation, creativity, and business investment.


The request to present will be discussed at tomorrow nights council meeting starting at 6:30.

Marco Polo Replica Close to Completion

With most of the construction of the hull complete, a 23-year old dream is on the verge of becoming reality. The replica of the Marco Polo will be ready to be carried across the harbour later this year to it's yet to be determined final resting place. Chair of the project Barry Ogden tells CHSJ News, it was constructed so anyone wanting to climb on board can do so.


Ogden says a perfect spot for the vessel in his mind is anywhere between Long Wharf and Water Street. The replica is ninty feet long and sixty five feet high, one third the size of the original vessel.

Deputy Mayor of Quispamsis Happy with Progress

No complaints from the Deputy Mayor of Quispamsis on where the town is and the goals it continues to move towards. Emil Olsen tells CHSJ News, the Q-Plex alone is a shining example of the go forward attitude among Town officials.


Deputy Mayor Olsen adds Quispamsis has alot to offer and that bodes well for both commercial and residential development.

Saint John Portland MLA Predicting a Busy Year

(Saint John Portland MLA Trevor Holder)
             (File Photo)

The MLA for the riding of Saint John Portland is gearing up for what he knows will be a busy year. Trevor Holder tells CHSJ News, with a Provincial Election in the fall and the future of NB Power still un-decided, there will be no rest for the weary.


Holder says he will also keep a close watch on what the Graham Government has planned for the future look of the Cresent Valley project.

Robbery on Rothesay Avenue

Even with the weather as miserable as it was last night, a thief found time to hit a business on Rothesay Avenue. City Police tell us someone broke into Kustom Auto Sound just after one this morning.


The good news is the thief stole nothing and took off from the store as quick as he broke in.

No Major Accidents to Report From Storm

As for accidents.......Police Forces in the metro area are reporting a good night. City Police tell us they were called to a few fender benders late yesterday afternoon but for the most part, no serious accidents or injuries to report. Same story for the Rothesay Regional Police. A reminder that the snow is heavy, so take you rtime and save your heart and back some pain.


The Saint John Airport is reporting all runways open and flights are arriving and leaving on time. As for the highways, there is a new service you can call.......511 to check the area your might be travelling to around the Province.

Snow Clean-Up Continues

The first snow storm of the new year was a beauty. It snowed all day in Greater Saint John and left roads, driveways and sidewalks full of wet, heavy snow. The clean-up has been on-going since yesterday and the Deputy Commissioner of Municipal Operations for Saint John Kevin Rice tells CHSJ News, this storm kept crews busy because as soon as they would clean a street, it would need another pass in less than an hour.


Rice adds they had a few issues with vehicles parked on the street but for the most part, had good access to most area's. Rice also reminds private operators and home-owners that there is a bylaw about plowing snow on to sidewalks. You could face a fine of up to $500 dollars. As for the gear and the crew, Rice says both are holding up just fine.

Plenty of Snow to Clean-Up

(Snow Fall on King Street During Recent Storm)
            (Photo by Dave Briggs)

So Just how much snow did we get? Environment Canada tells anywhere between 20-25cm's fell in Greater Saint John. Bathurst appears to be the early winner of the snow-fall contest with 27cm's of fresh powder. Meteorologist Andy Firth tells CHSJ News, it is a slow moving system, just south of Maine and give more snow this afternoon and into this evening.


NB Power continues to be plagued with problems. As of ten o'clock, the public utility is reporting 10,739 of it's customers around the Province are with-out power. 599 in the Sussex area, 1629 in Moncton, 2846 in Miramichi and just over 700 in the Fredericton area.

Update on Latest Blast of Winter

It's just past 10:00pm and the snow has changed over to rain. There is a lot of snow down since it started falling last night but no officially word on how much at this point but we can tell you it is heavy.  An accurate number is going to be tough considering the amount of drifting snow due to the high winds. City Police report a few minor accidents and Rothesay Regional tell us most people are playing it safe and staying off the roads unless they absolutely have to be out.

NB Power crews are out battling the conditions trying to get thousands of it's customers back on line. As of 10:08pm Saturday night, 7947 customers are off the grid with the largest area in Moncton with 3823 homes and businesses off the grid. 291 in the Grand Bay Westfield area, 120 in Quispamsis, 321 in Sussex and 128 in Fredericton. Saint John Transit took the fleet of forty foot limos off the roads at 8:30pm and Municipal Crews along with Department of Transportation are trying to get the roads cleaned up.  

Here is the latest forecast from Environment Canada:Tonight:

Snow at times heavy and blowing snow changing to rain at times mixed with snow near midnight. Snowfall amount 10 to 20 cm. Heavy winds as well. Temperature rises to 3 by the morning. Periods of snow tomorrow mixed with rain and windy. Temperature falling to zero by the afternoon. Flurries tomorrow night and a low of -1.

More snow in the forecast Monday and a high of 1. Flurries expected on Tuesday.

Seadogs Vs Wildcats Game at Harbour Station Has Been Cancelled

If you had tickets for tonight's game at Harbour Station between the Wildcats and the Seadogs, you won't be able to use them tonight. Due to the winter storm barreling down on this region, the game has been cancelled. Seadog officials tell us the Wildcats started out for Saint John but quickly turned around as conditions grew worse.


Officials also tell us no make-up date for the game has been scheduled but all tickets purchased for tonight's game will be honored when the make-up date is announced. Again, tonight's game between the Wildcats and Seadogs at Harbour Station is cancelled.

Winter Storm on it's Way

Make sure the shovel is handy, and the snow blower is gassed up, The first storm of 2010 is on it's way .

Environment Canada is a winter storm warning in effect, and the snow is expected to begin this morning, about 10 centimetres, with winds reaching 40 to 60 kilometres an hour this afternoon.
Snow is expected to continue this evening, accumulating about 20 centimetres.
The radar is showing the warmer, wetter weather is heading towards Nova Scotia, but appears to have stalled over Maine.
Drivers are being warned to watch out for whiteout conditions on highways.

Rothesay Looks Ahead to the Next Twelve Months

               (Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop)

Finishing the Renforth Wharf, cementing plans for the field house project and finishing up the infrastructure project which runs water lines from Grove Avenue to Fox Farm Road. All on the to do list for the Town of Rothesay in this new year. Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News, he has heard the continuing chatter concerning amalgamation and doesn't believe Quispamsis is interested.


Mayor Bishop says the feed-back he is hearing from home-owners is positive with how the Town is being run.

Quispamsis Ready For a New Year

(Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll Chatting With
  Residents at January.1st Levee at Town Hall)

Completion of the Q-Plex, an expansion for the library and finishing up sewerage lines along the Hampton Highway. Just a few of the projects the Town of Quispamsis looks to finish up over the next 12 months. Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News, they are also keeping an eye on any new commercial development.


The first phase of the Shannex Development at the end of Millenium Drive is due to open in March and the ribbon on the Q-Plex is scheduled to be cut in the fall.