Tell Us Your Big Idea!

Idea:

In terms of passion for sport, it is without question that this exists and is vibrant within the small city of Fredericton NB. With approximately 16 grass and turf fields, Football (soccer) has one of the largest grassroots participants which engages more than 1500 players in the summer annually. In contrast, the winter only supports one local facility which is the BMO dome located at UNB. This 1/3 size field comes with a number limitations (i.e., lack of opportunity, lack of access) when trying to support a large number of players which drops to about 200-300 players during the long winter months. This presents many barriers not only for athletes trying to commit to playing the sport they love all year round. Interestingly, as Fredericton continues to diversify with international students, immigrants, and refugees, sports that they are passionate about can be a great asset in terms of integrating families into the community. Having played football with UNB mens soccer and at the professional level, I know first hand how powerful sport is at connecting others. An idea I want to share is the number of reasons why a field house for a full sized turf field could benefit the community of Fredericton. I encourage others to reach out to me so I may share my idea. It will definitely take some time for this to happen, but let's start the discussion now.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks so much for sharing your passion with us! We love the growth of soccer in our community and are pleased with how we've been able to use the current facilities and even host big events. This facility would be a great piece in our community, and we're taking your idea back to staff to determine whether it could be a capital budget item in the future.

Idea:

This would make it easier to sleep at night and improve the experience of being outside in Fredericton.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your input on this. Excessive noise – especially from motor vehicles – has been on our radar for a while, and it's an issue facing many other cities across the county. We have tried in the past to draft a new bylaw to address the issue, but have not been successful.

Moving forward, there are provisions under both the NB Motor Vehicle Act, and the City of Fredericton By-law S13 (A By-Law Respecting Disturbance By Noise) that we feel would help enforce loud vehicle complaints, mostly due to unnecessary vehicle modifications. So please stay tuned: We're planning to engage in further public communication on this very issue soon.

Idea:

The search engine on www.fredericton.ca is non-functioning. I just searched agenda package City Council Meeting September 8 2020 and got PAC agendas. How more precise do I need to be? Thank you for answering.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your feedback. We hear you. The search engine issue is a known problem and we're working to resolve it. In the meantime, a simplified search in the City website using key words like "Council meeting," "Council agenda," or "Council meeting agenda" will find the Meetings of Council landing page. Here you can find the link to the Times & Agenda calendar, as well as the link to the current and archived video livestreams of Council meetings. We know this isn't the ideal, but it should help you find what you're looking for while we work on solutions. Thanks again for taking the time to send your comments.

Idea:

City Council minutes are not available until up to 4 months after the meetings. Some Committee/board/commission meeting minutes are not publicly available at all. All meeting minutes should be available online in a timely fashion after the meetings have taken place.

Staff Feedback:

The City Clerk’s Office is currently in the process of reviewing the minute process for Standing Committees and City Council meetings in an effort to make information more readily available. Thanks for your suggestion. We are working on it.

Idea:

Accessible bus route to travel on the northside, without having to transfer at Kings Place everytime, more bus routes going out to Fredericton West (Silverwood) rather than just twice a day, a bus that heads up the entire length of Regent street, lower bus fares for students and adults.

Staff Feedback:

We're working on updates regarding more accessible bus service! The Transit Strategic Plan includes a recommendation for a detailed route analysis during which northside routes, service on Regent Street and service to Silverwood would be reviewed. Lower bus fares are currently in place for students and adults (seniors) over the age of 65.

Idea:

A more accessible, easier to understand transit system, Sunday service, and an app so people can be alerted to scheduling/potential delays.

Staff Feedback:

Stay tuned for updates on accessible bus service! The Transit Strategic Plan identifies Sunday Service as a “medium term” objective to be implemented in years 3-5 of the 2019 Plan. An app is already in place through a pilot agreement with HotSpot – download the HotSpot app to track your bus or purchase a digital bus pass.

Idea:

Create an aquatic centre that is affordable for the entire population, has programming for all ages, including programs for seniors.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your idea to create an aquatic centre in Fredericton. There is currently a study underway, sponsored by all of the communities in the greater Fredericton region, to evaluate the feasibility of a new aquatics facility and the associated costs to construct and operate it. We expect more discussion on this topic later this fall.

Idea:

Create a Northside market and better shopping for the Northside.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for this! Fredericton's Northside is a strategic focus of the City's Growth Strategy, aimed in part at encouraging growth in the Urban Core (which includes both Southside and Northside). The Growth Strategy was the outcome of a far-ranging public engagement of Fredericton residents. The vision that emerged was translated into nine community goals, which provide a foundation for both the Growth Strategy and the overall Municipal Plan. The Community Goals are:

• Sustainable and Efficient • Green and Healthy • Welcoming and Supportive • Strong and Diverse Economy • Culturally Rich and Diverse • Vibrant Downtown and Riverfront • Complete Neighbourhoods and Distinctive Places • Complete Transportation System • Safe and Inviting Public Realm

You can read the Growth Strategy here:

https://www.fredericton.ca/sites/default/files/fredericton_growth_strategy_2017_06_08_final.pdf

In the meantime, our newest market -The Northside Creators Market, is held in the Picaroons Roundhouse. This is a Saturday-only market, open from 8am – 2pm. Here you’ll find some of the former Northside Market vendors and many new creators. *Please note that masks are required. https://www.facebook.com/nscreatorsmarket/

Ideas:

Would love to see more community gardens in Fredericton especially in the downtown area. Accessible and visible for all to grow and learn.

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Our city experiences high rates of homelessness and food insecurity. Given that many plants which grow food can be equally beautiful as ornamental plants, I would appreciate seeing the city take up the model used in Seattle's Beacon Food Forest - let's grow more food and less wasteful monoculture with city lands.

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I'd like to see one or more community level food forest/forest gardens to provide for more local food security. I'd also like to see more edible tree crops in the regular urban food forest. Think apple/pears/plums/cherries. Also local Liberty Tree Nursery has some nice hybrid chestnut-blight American/Chinese chestnut trees that would be a great addition to the urban forest as an edible food crop.

Staff Feedback:

We appreciate your input on community gardens. As part the Imagine Fredericton Municipal Plan process, residents told us about the importance of community gardens a number of times. This is why the new Municipal Plan contains a Policy (3.7.1) within Part 3: “Building a Successful City” specifically on Local Food.

(25) Encourage local food production where appropriate by:

i. Supporting the development of community gardens;

ii. Allowing small-scale urban agriculture within the Growth Boundary; and

iii. Promoting larger-scale agriculture in appropriate areas outside of the Growth Boundary.

This new policy will become an on-the-ground reality by working with community stakeholders to develop a locate food strategy, hopefully for the spring of 2021.

Idea:

Would love to see a portion of the green space turned into a playground, splash pad, better picnic tables, etc. for multi-use. Love to large open green area as well for games, but this could become such a hub for the community.

Staff Feedback:

We love your idea and we've shared it with the team in the City's Planning & Development Dept!