Tell Us Your Big Idea!

Idea:

In support of Ukraine the city could put blue and yellow lights on City Hall.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your Big Idea. The City regularly works with event organizers and community groups to light City Hall and fly flags to support particular causes.

In the case of Ukraine, City Hall was already lit red to recognize another event, so we were able to work with the local Ukrainian community to fly the Ukrainian flag in front of the building instead. They also held a vigil in the Square outside City Hall.

Requests to fly a flag in front of City Hall can be coordinated through City Hall. Requests to light up City Hall can be arranged through our Special Events Coordinator.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with us!

Idea:

It is a shame to see the poor conditions of playground areas in every park in the city. The young kids do not have stimulated facilities to play outdoor activities. It is not motivated or fun to play at the park.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your thoughts, and we've shared them with Staff. The winter months do provide more of a challenge than other seasons in keeping play equipment safe and accessible for everyone. The City does try to make up for this by providing park infrastructure such as sliding hills , skating rinks and disk golf as winter activities that will continue to be implemented in new and existing park spaces.

Idea:

Benefits to these roof systems: - slows and reduces stormwater runoff - provides the building with insulation from the solar heat in the summer and reduces heat loss in the winter - helps wildlife such as pollinating insects - can plant a food gardend, ornamental plants, or basic cover plants.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your Big Idea! We love this approach and, in fact, the City recognized the benefit of green roofs in both our Adaptation Plan and Community Energy & Emissions Plan. We will be working towards implementing them/encouraging them as a solution where appropriate.

Idea:

Lighting ( solar lighting would be ideal!) along the Northside Riverfront walking trail. Then expand to other trails to make walking safer.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your idea. Lighting trails is something the City will be consider through the future (2023+) Transportation Master Plan.

Idea:

It takes many "clicks of links" to get to actual information of pool schedule, registration for rec swim, etc. Perhaps enhance by putting info all on a quick access page. And if you can't find info online, it would be very helpful if someone actually answered the phone line! Thank you!

Staff Feedback:

Thank-you for providing your feedback to our Big Ideas question! Fredericton aquatic staff are always looking for ways to make it easier for patrons to access information about our many program offerings. This past week, direct links were added to the City of Fredericton Indoor Pool Web Site and moving forward, work will be completed to streamline and improve access to all aquatic content (for both indoor and outdoor facilities) to make all schedules and offerings easier to access. We really do want to hear from you - if our front desk staff is unable to take your call, we encourage you to please leave us a voice mail message or send us an e-mail at pool@fredericton.ca – we strive to respond to all messages within the same day as they are received.

Thanks again, we very much appreciate your feedback as we strive to offer the best aquatics programming and recreational swim experiences possible

Idea:

Heated bus station.

Staff Feedback:

Thank you for your feedback. Fredericton Transit has approximately 70 shelters distributed across the City, which cater to high traffic areas in our city. Although it’s a great idea, heated bus stations are not planned for the foreseeable future and here’s why:

According to Fredericton Transit’s 2019 strategic plan, the capital budget is better invested in other elements that will improve city transit over the next few years, such as upgrading accessibility of bus stops, the development of park-and-rides and marketing, which will attract more ridership. For now, these areas have a more urgent need for Fredericton Transit, as it has a more measurable impact on ridership. Here is a link to the strategic plan if you’d like more information: https://www.fredericton.ca/sites/default/files/roads-parking/2019-transitstrategic-finalreportjan19.pdf

Idea:

Fred-Ezone on Northside and larger area.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your Big Idea! We are currently working to redesign Fred eZone and expect to redeploy it in certain areas of the City in public spaces. Please let us know which specific areas you think it should be located in, and how you would expect to use it. Thanks!

Idea:

We really should consider local small scale electricity production. There are small scale nuclear options, we could look at community solar farms, and even make solar panels a requirement in new building codes. There are lots of options to that could help us have more local control of our electrical needs.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for the ideas, as we move ahead with our Energy & Emissions Plans (Link Below) we will be looking at ways to implement solar energy production into the City with the goal of getting our GHG emissions to Net Zero by 2050. The Small Scale Nuclear Reactors are a little beyond our capabilities but as that technology develops there may be a New Brunswick Solution that involves small scale Nuclear.

https://www.fredericton.ca/en/community/climate-change/energy-and-emissions-plans

Idea:

The VHC is a hazardous and non welcoming facility for everyone entering it and not set up to meet the current needs of clients. A new building could be built onsite in the current parking lot closer to the river and move parking to the other side.

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your submission. The Horizon Health Network (provincial government) administers the VHC so any inquiries should be directed there: Fredericton Addiction and Mental Health Services - Horizon Health Network (horizonnb.ca)

Idea:

I know this is not the right place to talk about Uber but, the taxi service is not good in Fredericton. We should have Uber or Lyft. Or the public transport could be more reliable. We have to wait for 1 hour to get home in the cold weather. There’s no place for sitting around kings place mall .

Staff Feedback:

Thanks for your Big Idea! As the result of a citizen survey and stakeholder engagement process, in late 2019 and early 2020 a number of improvements were made - taxi companies operating on electronic booking platforms, changes to the taxi Bylaw, elimination of fees for drivers to make it easier to attract people to the position, a new class of driver’s license, among others. In addition, in early 2020 the City passed a Vehicle for Hire Bylaw allowing for companies like Uber or Lyft to operate, and are still the only community in Eastern Canada with that kind of Bylaw. Unfortunately, for most of the last 24 months the pandemic has drastically impacted the taxi business and their ability to remain viable. For much of the pandemic the overall taxi fleet in the City has been reduced by as much as 70%, and very little interest from ride sharing companies in expanding to Fredericton.

Although we wouldn’t expect to see an immediate improvement, we’re optimistic we’ll see a gradual return to life as it was before the pandemic, with taxi companies able to return to the fleet size they’ve operated in the past and very optimistic we’ll see interest in ride sharing companies operating in Fredericton.