Tell Us Your Big Idea!

Idea:

It seems that chronic homelessness, due especially to mental health issues and addiction might not be solved by only providing affordable housing, as these homeless may not have the capability to manage those logistics without support. Malcom Gladwell speaks about this in an article "Million-Dollar Murray". Providing a safe place for people to get the support they need and access to active social workers may end up saving the tax payers money in health care, policing and loss of business (especially downtown).

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your thoughts on the important and complex issue of chronic homelessness. We've shared your comments (and a link to the Malcolm Gladwell article) to the relevant staffers.

Idea:

For a city to be considered for many larger IT company data center and logistics projects, availability of green energy and other programs are very important, especially with regards to public relations. Positioning Fredericton as a "Green City", to get included on lists like : https://www.expedia.ca/travelblog/17-greenest-cities-canada/ Is very attractive to businesses and people looking to move. This would be a comprehensive plan: Solar on buildings, increasing transit use, Saint John River cleanup and conservation.

Staff Feedback:

We like your green ambitions - and we share them! The City of Fredericton plans to release it's new Corporate and Community Energy and Emissions Plan in February and we've been working on implementing our Climate Change Adaptation Plan, released last March. Like many of the cities on the list you provided, we are an active member of ICLEI (with recent leadership positions on their Canadian and North American Executive Boards and as a member of their Global Covenant of Mayors Showcase Cities Pilot to accelerate climate planning in Canadian cities) and we participate in the Partners for Climate Protection program to track and reduce our GHG emissions. Our new plans outline our commitment to further action and define our future low carbon path forward. Thanks so much for your thoughts!

Idea:

Glass is literally the most recyclable material on earth. WHY are we not recycling glass jars or containers?? I’m fine to take bottles to a bottle depot, but throwing away a perfectly recyclable glass jar in the trash is so irresponsible when we know there’s a better, greener way. There’s only so many jars I can repurpose in my home. The city should partner with local businesses (like Picaroon’s, Greystone, and construction companies) to start a glass recycling initiative across Fredericton and the surrounding areas. Bottles can be recycled to make more bottles for the brewing companies involved, and the construction companies can take the glass aggregate to use for their own projects (like fixing potholes, or whatever).

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your interest in this topic! About 4 or 5 years ago, the City proposed development of a non-mandatory recycling collection program for multi-unit apartment and condominium buildings. Staff consulted with representatives of the apartment owners’ association on this project but, in the end, Council at that time did not support the proposed program.

However, staff is looking to improve the recycle depot program through the purchase of additional recycle bins, painting and new decals for the bins. We've also begun searching for a second south-side recycle bin depot location.

Idea:

I'd like to see the park at the top of Melvin Street cleaned up a bit. It's a beautiful little green space (probably 1/2 acre) but it's not looked after. Trees and branches fall down and stay there for years. It's in the middle of a neighborhood filled with families but there's not really anything to draw people to it. I'm not looking for a giant investment, but maybe a better path between Melvin and Broad Streets and one that connects to Epworth Circle? Even defining the boundaries of the park would help. There was playground equipment at one point, something like that, even one or two pieces, would be great.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention! Parks & Trees staff will add Melvin Park to the list of City properties in need of brush removal, which will re-establish the park's open space boundaries. As well, P&T leadership will request that the City's Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Committee consider adding playground equipment to the park.

Idea:

The rent here is outrageous. The prices need to go down or have some kind of a rent cap. I think this is one of the main reasons we have so many homeless here. Plain and simple they can't afford to rent even a room or a bachelor apartment. For me personally I would love to see a Whole Foods here. And more recreational thing's for teens. Peddle boats on the river would be great.

Feedback:

Thanks very much for sharing your ideas with us! Your thoughts have been shared with staff in the relevant departments of City Hall.

Idea:

Implement a by law requiring developers to allocate a certain % of each new housing unit to lower income housing. Implement a rent cap/increase cap. Stop approving the development of high end condos and apartment complexes when there is a need for affordable housing for students, as well as young, low, and middle income families. Stop bulldozing homeless camps and provide housing and services for the homeless. All that is being done is chasing the "problem" (aka human beings in need of help) around the city.

Feedback:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this very important topic of homelessness in Fredericton. Your comments have been shared with staff.

Idea:

Busses on sundays. Affordable housing for low income folk. Clean up the drug problem.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for sharing these ideas with us. They've been shared with staff in the relevant departments of City Hall.

Idea:

Create tiny homes in the downtown area by the Victoria hospital (2 people per house) . Offer a city clean up job to those interested in sharing one of the houses. With the house and the job are requirements tho. Must pay a minimum rent towards the house, will have small amount of pay put into a savings account each pay cheque. Have 6mnths to 1yr depending to find permanent housing so others can have turn to have help to get on their feet. Those interested in having help and getting on feet will be interested in the opportunity those not will dislike the idea. For those who have no interest in getting help offer an area in an industrial environment away from the populated parts orf the city for them to have a tent city with areas that visible shapes containers can be, volunteers or medical workers can check in and food donations can be dropped off as people want to help.

Feedback:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the plight of homeless people in our city. Your idea has been shared with staff.

Idea:

The NB Association for Community Living and other advocates have great ideas.

Staff Feedback:

Great idea! Thanks for your interest in improving accessibility in Fredericton. Please send any specific suggestions for to traffic@fredericton.ca. We'd love to chat.

Idea:

Cycling needs to be developed in our city. Forcing cyclists to ride a narrow strip of pavement with faint markers is far from ideal and dangerous. In Europe I have seen cities like Bolzano Italy that ( because space is limited in an ancient city) assign sidewalks on one side of the road as cycle paths while pedestrians use the other side. Think of University which has long sidewalks on both sides and for the most part utilized by a sprinkling of pedestrians.at any one time. By using sidewalks for cycle paths , we could enhance access to the downtown area. In more crowded sections of town, we need to build dedicated access routes. In Spain I saw wide sidewalks and on one half the cyclist is given priority - but these cyclists were protected from the vehicular traffic. Better and safer cycle paths would reduce traffic, increase fitness, create new opportunities for tourism. We also need to develop new opportunities for tourism and recreation. A good idea would be to extend the trail past Springhill all the way to Mactaquac and from there connecting to the TransCanada Trail on the north side of the river. Thanks for listening! Cheers

Staff Feedback:

Thank you for taking an interest in Cycling Safety in the City. As part of infrastructure renewal each year, improvements are being made along corridors to better accommodate cycling. This starts at the design stage for corridors to ensure when they are rebuilt they that provide improved mobility to walking and cycling where feasible. Some examples of work undertaken in this area include adding a multi-use trail along the side of Wilsey Road when it was upgraded in 2019 and adding curb separated bike lanes on Brookside Drive in 2020 in the first of a 3-year phased project. Our aim is to continue these types of upgrades whenever it's financially feasible in the years ahead.

We agree it would be fantastic to have a multi-use trail running all the way to Mactaquac on the old rail bed! Unfortunately, when the rail lines were divested in and around the City, the Dept of Natural Resources and the City retained the lines within the City for future use (trails); however, the lines outside the City on the south side of the River where you describe were sold to the abutting property owners. Looking back, it is very unfortunate given how use of the trail system has expanded, but it would be very challenging to convince all existing property owners to sell the former rail line back to create the trail.