Jump to content

Moncton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bearcat (talk | contribs) at 06:50, 12 July 2007 (duplicate category). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the parish, see Moncton, New Brunswick (parish).
City of Moncton
Ville de Moncton
Skyline of Moncton
Skyline of Moncton
Coat of arms of City of Moncton Ville de Moncton
Coat of arms
Nickname: 
Hub City
Motto(s): 
"Resurgo"  (Latin)
"I rise again"
The location of Moncton within New Brunswick
The location of Moncton within New Brunswick
CountryCanada
ProvinceNew Brunswick
CountyWestmorland
Established1855, 1875
Government
 • City MayorLorne Mitton
 • Governing BodyMoncton City Council
 • MPBrian Murphy
 • MLAsJohn Betts
Chris Collins
Joan MacAlpine-Stiles
Mike Murphy
Elevation
71 m (232 ft)
Population
 (2006)[1][2][3]
 • City64,128 rank-79th
 • Urban
97,065 rank-30th
 • Metro
126,424 rank-29th
Time zoneUTC-4 (Atlantic (AST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-3 (Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT))
Postal code span
E1A-E1G
Area code506
Websitehttp://www.moncton.ca/

Moncton is a Canadian city in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.

The Moncton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is the fastest growing urban region east of Toronto and is one of the top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas in Canada; tied with Vancouver with a 6.5% increase in population during the period between 2001-2006. The CMA includes the neighbouring city of Dieppe and the town of Riverview, as well as adjacent portions of Westmorland and Albert Counties.

Moncton is the second largest city in the province with 64,128 residents in 2006, slightly smaller than Saint John. The Moncton CMA however has a population of 126,424 which surpasses the Saint John CMA, making metropolitan Moncton the largest population centre in New Brunswick.

Moncton is named for Lt. Col. Robert Monckton, the British military commander who captured nearby Fort Beauséjour in 1755 and who subsequently oversaw the Acadian deportation.

The municipal coat of arms illustrates Moncton's agricultural, industrial and railway heritages, along with the Petitcodiac River's tidal bore.

Geography

Moncton is located in southeastern New Brunswick, in the Petitcodiac River valley, along the north bank of the river at a point where it bends from a west–east flow to a north–south direction. The sharp bend of the Petitcodiac River at Moncton has figured prominently in the names that have been given to the community by its various succeeding inhabitants.

Aerial photo of Metro Moncton showing "the Bend"

"Petitcodiac" in the Mi'kmaq language has been translated as meaning "bends like a bow". The early Acadian settlers in the region named their community "Le Coude" which means "the elbow".[5] Subsequent English immigrants changed the name of the settlement to "The Bend of the Petitcodiac".

Moncton lies at the original head of navigation on the Petitcodiac River but a causeway to Riverview which was constructed in 1968 resulted in extensive infilling by sedimentation of the river channel downstream. Because of this, the river in the Moncton area is no longer navigable.

The Petitcodiac river valley is broad and relatively flat, bounded by a long ridge to the north (Lutes Mountain) and by the rugged Caledonia Highlands to the south.

Moncton is at the geographic center of the Maritime Provinces. The community has been nicknamed the "Hub City" for this reason, and also because Moncton has historically been the railway and transportation hub for the Maritime Provinces.[5]

Climate

Despite being located less than 50 km from the Bay of Fundy and less than 30 km from the Northumberland Strait, the climate can seem more continental than maritime during the summer and winter seasons whereas maritime influences tend to temper the transitional seasons of spring and autumn.[6]

File:Nb-moncton.PNG
Moncton Skyline in the summer

Winter days are cold but generally sunny with solar radiation generating some warmth. Daytime high temperatures usually range just below the freezing point. There are usually several cold snaps each winter when temperatures can fall to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius. Similarly, there are usually one or two "January thaws" each year when considerable snow melt can occur. Major snowfalls can result from nor'easter ocean storms moving up the east coast of North America, following the jet stream from the southeastern United States. Large amounts of precipitation can result from the counterclockwise rotation of these storms picking up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and dumping it on southeastern New Brunswick as the storms pass by to the south and east of the region. This can be amplified locally by "sea effect" snow squall activity originating from the nearby Gulf of St. Lawrence. In February 1992, a nor'easter lasted for two days and dropped 162 cm (65 inches) of snow on the Moncton area, paralyzing the city for nearly a week. Major snowfalls typically average 20-30 cm and are sometimes mixed with rain or freezing rain.

Autumn in Moncton

Spring is frequently delayed because the sea ice that forms in the nearby Gulf of St. Lawrence during the previous winter requires time to melt and this cools the prevailing onshore winds . The ice burden in the gulf however has diminished considerably over the course of the last decade, which may be a consequence of global warming. The springtime cooling effect has subsequently weakened. Daytime temperatures above freezing are typical by mid March. Occasional snowfalls in late April and early May can happen however and trees are not usually in full leaf until the end of May.

Summers are hot and humid due to seasonal prevailing westerly winds strengthening the continental tendencies of the local climate. Daytime highs usually reach the mid to high 20s and temperatures in the low to mid 30s can occur about a half dozen times per year. Rainfall is generally modest, especially in late July and August and periods of drought are not uncommon. The heaviest rainfalls tend to occur during thunderstorms.

Autumn is influenced by the retention of heat in the nearby Gulf of St. Lawrence and daytime temperatures remain mild until mid October. First snowfalls usually don't occur until mid November and consistent snow cover on the ground doesn't happen until mid to late December. The Fundy coast of New Brunswick occasionally experiences the effects of post-tropical storms.

The stormiest weather of the year, with the greatest precipitation and the strongest winds usually occur during the fall/winter transition (mid December to mid January).

Moncton Climatological Data
Temperature
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Record high °C (°F) 17 (63) 18 (64) 21 (70) 28 (83) 34 (94) 34 (93) 36 (97) 36 (98) 33 (92) 28 (82) 23 (73) 18 (64)
Average high °C (°F) -3 (26) -2 (28) 2 (37) 8 (47) 16 (61) 21 (71) 25 (77) 24 (75) 19 (66) 12 (54) 6 (42) -.5 (31)
Mean Temp. °C (°F) -8 (17) -7 (18) -2 (28) 3 (39) 10 (51) 16 (60) 19 (66) 18 (65) 13 (56) 7 (46) 2 (35) -4 (23)
Average low °C (°F) -13 (7) -12 (9) -7 (19) -.9 (30) 4 (40) 9 (49) 13 (56) 12 (55) 8 (46) 2 (37) -2 (28) -9 (15)
Record low °C (°F) -37 (-34) -38 (-36) -32 (-25) -18 (-.1) -7 (19) -4 (25) 0 (32) -1 (30) -6 (21) -9 (15) -21 (-6) -34(-30)
Precipitation
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Total mm (in) 109 (4.3) 81 (3.2) 103 (4.0) 90 (3.5) 99 (4) 94 (3.7) 100 (3.9) 76 (3.0) 92 (3.6) 100 (3.9) 97 (3.8) 106 (4)
Rainfall mm (in) 42 (1.6) 28 (1.1) 42 (1.6) 58 (2.3) 93 (4) 93 (3.7) 99 (3.9) 76 (3.0) 92 (3.6) 96 (3.8) 77 (3.0) 52 (2)
Snowfall cm (in) 67 (26.1) 53 (21.0) 61 (24.5) 32 (13) 5 (2.5) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 4 (1.4) 20 (7.8) 54 (21)
Data recorded at Greater Moncton International Airport
Data obtained from Environment Canada
Data spans 1971 to 2000 		Annual Averages Temperature Precipitation
High Mean Low Total Rain Snow
°C (°F) °C (°F) °C (°F) mm (in) mm (in) cm (in)
11 (52) 6 (42) 0.6 (33) 1144 (45) 849 (33) 295 (116)

History

For a more complete discussion, please use the link below:

Main article: History of Moncton
Fort Beausejour in 2006
The Deportation of the Acadians had a significant impact on the history of Moncton
File:Forteviot, Jacobsen.jpg
Wooden Shipbuilding was responsible for the initial growth of the community
The rail industry re-energized the community after the collapse of the shipbuilding industry
The Intercolonial Railway was headquartered in Moncton
Moncton has become the transportation hub of the Maritimes
Year Event
1670s Chignecto settlement at the head of the Bay of Fundy established by the Acadian people.[7]
1686 The earliest reference to the "Petcoucoyer River" on the de Meulles Map.[7]
1700 Chipodie Acadian settlement established at the mouth of the Petitcodiac River.
1733 Community of "Le Coude" (The Elbow) established near Halls Creek, at site of present day Moncton.
1751 Fort Beauséjour at Aulac is built by France in response to the British construction of nearby Fort Lawrence.[8]
1755 British forces under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Monckton take Fort Beausejour and rename it Fort Cumberland.
1755 Expulsion of the Acadian people, including from the Petitcodiac River valley. Some Acadians escape into the woods and begin to conduct a resistance campaign against the British.
1758 Battle of Stoney Creek, end of the Acadian resistance.
1761 English Tantramar Township established.
1766 Captain John Hall arrives from Pennsylvania with a land grant from the Philadelphia Land Company and establishes Monckton Township with eight immigrant "Deutsch" families. The community is named "The Bend of the Petitcodiac"
1780s Acadians begin to return from exile and resettle in New Brunswick.
1810s Wooden shipbuilding industry begins to become an important factor in the local economy.
1836 Regular stage coach and mail service starts, connecting Halifax, Monckton Township and Saint John.
1855 "The Bend" is incorporated as the town of "Moncton"; misspelling is due to a clerical error. The first mayor of the new town is the shipbuilder Joseph Salter.
1857 The European and North American Railway opens its line between Moncton and Shediac
1859 E&NA RR opens second line between Moncton and Saint John
1860s Wooden shipbuilding industry collapses. Westmorland Bank falls into bankruptcy. Severe economic recession occurs in Moncton.
1862 Moncton loses its incorporated status.
1871 Moncton selected to be the headquarters of the Intercolonial Railway of Canada.[9]
1875 Moncton able to reincorporate with the motto "Resurgo" (I rise again).
1890 Moncton achieves city status.[7]
1906 Massive fire destroys ICR shops. City successfully lobbies federal government to have the shops rebuilt, preserving the local railway industry.
1912 Moncton selected as the eastern terminus of the National Transcontinental Railroad.
1913 Moncton Public Library opened.[10]
1918 ICR and NTR merge, forming the Canadian National Railroad. Moncton becomes headquarters of the CNR Maritime division.
1920 Eaton's catalogue warehouse opens in Moncton.
1922 Moncton's first radio station, "CNRA" goes on the air.
1926 Capitol Theatre opens.
1928 Moncton Airport established, first commercial air traffic into and out of the city.
1940 CFB Moncton is established as the main military supply base in Atlantic Canada.
1954 Moncton's first TV station, CKCW-TV goes on the air.
1963 Université de Moncton is founded.[11]
1968 The Petitcodiac River causeway is built.[12]
1970s Social unrest as Acadians become politically assertive over minority rights.
1980s Severe economic recession occurs due to several major employers terminating operations in the city, including the Eaton's catalogue division, the CNR shops and CFB Moncton.
1984 Pope John Paul II visits Moncton and stages papal mass for 75,000 celebrants.[13]
1990s "Moncton Miracle" occurs as the economy restructures with a shift towards information technology and call centres, as well as a refocussing upon the retail, distribution, transportation and light manufacturing sectors.
1996 The Wildcats of the QMJHL established.

Atlantic Baptist University relocates to a new campus and achieves full university designation.

1999 Moncton hosts the Francophonie Summit with the heads of state from 52 nations attending the conference.
2001 North American airspace is closed following the World Trade Centre attacks, ten international flights are diverted to Moncton.[14]
2002 Moncton becomes Canada's first officially bilingual city.

Moncton Airport achieves International designation.

2005 Rolling Stones play in Moncton before 85,000 fans. This is the largest crowd on their "Bigger Bang Tour".[15]
2006 New Gunningsville bridge opened.

Metro Moncton becomes the largest population centre in New Brunswick.

Language and demographics

Sunset in Moncton

Moncton's linguistic majority is English, however the city has an active French-speaking Acadian minority population (30%), many of whom speak the Chiac variant of Acadian French.[16] The adjacent city of Dieppe is about 80% francophone and has benefited from an ongoing rural depopulation of the Acadian Peninsula and areas in northern and eastern New Brunswick.[17] The town of Riverview meanwhile is heavily (95%) anglophone.[18] The different linguistic characteristics of the three communities have defeated several attempts at metropolitan amalgamation.

Since the previous national census in 2001 the metropolitan area has grown by 6.5%. This rate of growth is within the top ten amongst major cities in Canada and Moncton currently has the fastest growth rate of any city east of Toronto. The census metropolitan area had a population of 126,424 as of the 2006 national census, which makes it the largest metropolitan area in the province of New Brunswick and the second largest in the Maritime Provinces after Halifax.

Historically, the population of the city has been racially very homogenous with almost all residents originating from northwestern Europe (United Kingdom, France and Ireland). The population has been becoming more diverse over the course of the last couple of decades but it still remains a challenge attracting visible minorities as new immigrants to the city. Inmigration is mostly from other areas of New Brunswick (especially the north) as well as Nova Scotia (13%) and Ontario (9%). Overall, 62% of new arrivals to the city are anglophone and 38% are francophone (Census 2001).[19]

About 40% of the metropolitan population of Moncton is bilingual, (the remainder being mostly unilingual anglophone). The only other cities in Canada that approach this level of linguistic duality are Ottawa and Montreal. Moncton became the first officially bilingual city in the country in 2002.[20]

Economy

File:4lassR.jpg
The Assumption Place Building in Moncton, headquarters of Assumption Life Insurance.

The educational and health care sectors are major factors in the local economy; the two hospitals alone employing over five thousand people. Despite this, the underpinnings of the local economy remain based on Moncton's commercial, distribution, transportation and retailing heritage. Moncton's central location in the Maritimes is the reason for this: 1.4 million people live within a three hour drive of Moncton. This is the largest catchment area in Atlantic Canada.[21] Moncton and Halifax have recently joined together to promote the concept of a Moncton-Halifax growth corridor, building on the strengths of the two cities as well as those of the intervening communities including Truro, Amherst and Sackville.[22] Moncton has recently garnered national attention because of the strength of it's economy. The local unemployment rate averages between 5-6%, which is below the national average. In 2004 Canadian Business Magazine named it the "The best city for business in Canada" [23] and in 2007 FDi magazine named it the fifth most business friendly city in North America (in the small cities category). [24]

A number of regionally prominent corporations have their head offices in Moncton including Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Assumption Mutual Life Insurance, Medavie Blue Cross Insurance, Pizza Delight Corporation, Major Drilling International, and Co-op Atlantic.

The Blue Cross Centre, headquarters of Medavie Blue Cross.

There are 37 call centres in the city employing over 5000 people. Some of the larger ones include Asurion, BBM Canada, ExxonMobil, Royal Bank of Canada, United Parcel Service, Fairmont Hotels, Rogers Communications, Sitel, Minacs and America Online.[25]

A growing high tech sector includes companies such as Whitehill Technologies, Nanoptix, Spielo Manufacturing, OAO Technology Solutions, and Beltek Systems Design.[26]

Several arms of the Irving corporate empire have their head offices and/or major operations in Greater Moncton. These include Midland Transport, Majesta/Royale Tissues, Irving Personal Care, Master Packaging and Cavendish Farms.[27]

A number of major banks have their regional offices located in Moncton, including the Bank of Montreal seen here

There are three large industrial parks in the metropolitan area. The Irving operations are concentrated in the Dieppe Industrial Park. Hub Meat Packers is a major employer in the city and is located in the Moncton Industrial Park. Molson/Coors Breweries is scheduled to complete construction of a new brewery in the Caledonia Industrial Park in summer 2007.[28] All three industrial parks have large concentrations of warehousing and regional trucking depots. The Armour transportation group is based in Moncton.

A new four lane Gunningsville Bridge has just been opened, connecting downtown Riverview directly with downtown Moncton. On the Moncton side, the bridge will connect with an extension of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard as well as to Assumption Boulevard and will serve as a catalyst for growth in formerly industrial lands along the riverfront. An expansion to the Blue Cross Centre has already been completed and construction has started on a new Marriott Residence Inn and on a new Sobeys downtown on the Vaughan Harvey connector. On the Riverview side, the bridge will connect to a new ring road around the town and is expected to serve as a catalyst for development in east Riverview.

The retail sector in Moncton is increasingly becoming one of the most important aspects of the local economy. Major retail projects such as the Wheeler Park Power Centre on Trinity Drive have become major destinations for locals and for tourists alike. Major tenants of this development include Atlantic Superstore, Costco, Winners, HomeSense, Wal-Mart, Future Shop, Kent Building Supplies, Sears, Staples, Old Navy, Pier 1 Imports, Empire Theatres and the Home Depot.[29] [30]

Arts and culture

The Capitol Theater

Moncton is a culturally vibrant community, which has lively representation from all of the diciplines of the arts, including music, theatre, dance, visual arts, film, and literature.[31]

The Capitol Theatre, an 800-seat, meticulously restored 1920s-era vaudeville house on Main Street serves as the centre for cultural entertainment for the city. The theatre hosts a performing arts series and routinely stages live theatrical performances, and also provides a venue for symphony orchestra and dance performances. The smaller Empress Theatre, located immediately behind the Capitol provides a more intimate location for smaller performances and recitals.

A school for the performing arts has recently been established by the Capitol Theatre. The Atlantic Ballet Theatreis based in Moncton and has recently been garnering national and international attention. Theatre l'Escaouette is a francophone live theatre company that has its own auditorium and performance space on Botsford Street. The Chocolate River Conservatory of Music is located in Dieppe.

The Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral

The Aberdeen Cultural Centre is a major Acadian cultural cooperative containing multiple studios and galleries and is located on Botsford Street. The Centre houses the Galerie Sans Nom, which presents art exhibitions that showcase current trends in visual arts, concentrating on artists from across Canada whose work is innovative and relevant both to art and to society. Also active in the Centre is the IMAGO print workshop, which prides itself by presenting and developing contemporary print works and techniques.

There are two main museums in the city, The Moncton Museum on Mountain Road and Le Musée Acadien at Université de Moncton. Efforts are underway to build a new transportation wing on the Moncton Museum. Historic sites include the Free Meeting House ((1821); a New England-style meeting house located next to the Moncton Museum) and Thomas Williams House ((1883); home of a former city industrialist which is maintained in period style and is now a genealogical research centre and home to several multicultural organizations).

Moncton is home to the Frye Festival, a bilingual literary celebration held in honour of world renowned literary critic and favorite son Northrop Frye. This celebration attracts noted writers and poets from around the world and takes place in the month of April. The Canadian Poetry Association national headquarters is now located in Moncton, partly because of the importance of this festival.

Other notable events include:

Sports and recreation

Sports facilities

File:Moncton coliseum logo.gif
The Moncton Coliseum serves as the citys main venue for indoor sports, concerts and exhibitions.

The Moncton Coliseum is a 6,554-seat arena which has room for 7,200 with standing room included. It serves as a venue for major concerts and trade shows and is the home of the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.[32] The CN Sportsplex is a major recreational facility which has been built on the former CN Shops property. It includes ten ballfields, six soccer fields and an indoor rink complex with four ice surfaces (the Tim Horton's 4 Ice Centre). The Dundee Sports Dome, an indoor air supported multi-use building is also located at the Sportsplex. This building is large enough to allow for year-round football, soccer and golf activities. A newly constructed YMCA near the CN Sportsplex has extensive cardio and weight training facilities as well as three indoor pools. The CEPS at Université de Moncton contains an indoor track and a 37.5-metre swimming pool with diving towers. The only velodrome in Atlantic Canada is located in Dieppe. There a total of 12 indoor hockey rinks and three curling clubs in the metro area. There are many other public sporting facilites scattered throughout the metropolitan area.

Sports teams

Logo Club Sport League (Parent League) Venue Established Championships
Moncton Wildcats
Moncton Wildcats
 Moncton Wildcats Hockey QMJHL (CHL) Moncton Coliseum 1996 1 - President's Cup (QMJHL)
2006 Memorial Cup finalists (CHL)
Moncton Mets
Moncton Mets
 Moncton Mets Baseball NBSBL Kiwanis Park 1980s 7 - NBSBL

1 - Canadian Senior Champ.

Moncton Beavers
Moncton Beavers
 Moncton Beavers Hockey MJAHL (CJAHL) Tim Horton's 4 Ice Centre 1983 1 - MJAHL
Aigles Bleu
Aigles Bleu
 Moncton Aigles Bleu Hockey (M/F)
Soccer (M/F)
Volleyball (F)		 AUS (CIS) Aréna J.-Louis-Lévesque 1964 Mens Hockey - 11 (AUS), 4 (CIS)
Womens Hockey - 1 (AUS)
Womens Volleyball - 5 (AUS)

Major sporting events

Moncton is known for its ability to host large sporting events. Moncton hosted the 2006 Memorial Cup with the hometown Moncton Wildcats losing in the championship final to their arch rivals the Quebec Remparts. Ted Nolan, a former head coach of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (and current head coach of the New York Islanders), coached the Wildcats for their Memorial Cup run.[33] Moncton hosted the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) Mens University Hockey Championship in 2007 and will do so again in 2008.[34] Moncton has been awarded the 2010 IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics. This will be the largest sporting event ever held in Atlantic Canada. The federal and provincial governments have committed to help in the construction of a 10,000 seat outdoor stadium to host this event. This stadium will be built on the U de M campus.[35]

Major Sporting Events Held in Moncton:

Golf

Greater Moncton is blessed with an abundance of excellent golfing facilities. There are nine 18-hole golf courses in the census metropolitan area, two of which are residential courses and two more of which are undergoing residential conversion with courseside housing developments under construction. Both the Royal Oaks and Fox Creek golf clubs can be rightfully considered as championship courses, with Royal Oaks being the first Rees Jones designed golf course in Canada.[36] Other notable courses include the Moncton Golf & Country Club, Memramcook Valley Golf Club and Magnetic Hill Golf Club.

Urban parks

Metro Moncton is home to many beautiful urban parks. They are an important resource for the many citizens of Moncton who have an active lifestyle. The main urban parks in the Moncton area are:

File:Mapeltonparkducks.jpg
Ducks in Mapleton Park
  • Centennial Park, located in the city's west end; and 0.93 sq. km. in area, the park contains a boating pond, artificial beach, lighted cross country skiing and hiking trails, a childrens splash park, the city's largest playground, Rotary lodge, a children's day camp and Rocky Stone Field, the city's only football field with artificial turf.
  • Mapleton Park, located in the rapidly growing northwest part of the city adjacent to the trans Canada highway and measures 1.21 sq. km. in area. The park contains hiking trails, a skating pond and a Rotary lodge.
  • Irishtown Nature Park, located north of the trans Canada highway on Elmwood Drive and, at 10 sq. km., it is one of the largest urban nature parks in Canada. The park is quite scenic and is known for its beautiful reservoir. The park is principally a wilderness park but has numerous hiking trails and is an excellent venue for birdwatching.
  • St. Anselme Park, located in Dieppe and nearly one sq. km. in area. It contains a Rotary lodge, children's play facilities, hiking trails and the only velodrome in Atlantic Canada.

There are numerous neighbourhood parks throughout the metro Moncton area, the most important of which are Bore View Park, which overlooks the Petitcodiac River and the downtown Victoria Park which features a bandshell, flower gardens, fountain and the city's cenotaph.

There is an extensive system of hiking and biking trails in the metro area. This system is most developed along the riverfront. The riverfront trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail system and various markers, monuments and pavilions can be found, especially along the downtown components of the trail.

Tourism

Historically, the tourism industry in Moncton owes its origins to the presence of two natural attractions; the tidal bore of the Petitcodiac River and the optical illusion of Magnetic Hill.

File:Tidal bore moncton5.jpg
The tidal bore would sometimes rise to over one meter before the causeway was built in 1968

The Petitcodiac River exhibits one of North America's few tidal bores, a regularly occurring wave that travels up the river on the leading edge of the incoming tide, and hence a tidal wave in the truest sense of the term. The bore is as a result of the extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy. Originally, the bore was very impressive, sometimes between one and two metres in height and extending across the kilometre width of the Petitcodiac River in the Moncton area. This wave would occur twice a day at the incoming of the high tide, travelling at an average speed of 13 km/hr and could generate quite an audible roar. Seagulls would flock to the river at the coming of the tide in order to feed. Not surprisingly, a local tourism industry sprang up around the spectacle.[37]

In 1968, a causeway was built to Riverview, across the Petitcodiac just upstream from downtown Moncton. The river channel quickly silted in due to the high sediment burden in the water column. The channel at the bend is now no more than 100 metres wide and the bore rarely exceeds 15-20 cm in height. Not surprisingly, the "bore" is now an object of some derision and is not nearly the tourism generator it once was. Still, seeing the arrival of the bore remains an educational experience and Bore View Park and the adjacent Riverfront Trail provide a pleasant distraction.[37]

Magnetic Hill is located on the northwestern outskirts of Moncton and is now the city's most famous attraction. It is a gravity hill form of optical illusion, where the local topography gives the impression that you are going uphill when in fact you are going downhill. In the early 1930's, it was discovered that on a particular stretch of road near the foot of the hill, that if you put your car in neutral gear, you would seem to coast uphill. Before long, a tourism industry sprang up around the phenomenon.[38]

The "Magnetic Hill Illusion" remains a popular tourism draw and the city and province have built a major tourism development on the surrounding properties to capitalize on this. The complex includes:

Otters at the Magnetic Hill Zoo
  • The Magnetic Hill Zoo, a nationally recognized zoo with over 400 animals which are displayed in themed exhibit areas. It is the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada and features a large gift shop, animal shows and an educational program.
  • Magic Mountain Water Park, the largest water park in Atlantic Canada, with a half dozen large water slides, a lazy river, wave pool, children's splash pool and a 36 hole professional mini-golf course.
  • The Magnetic Hill outdoor concert site, the largest outdoor concert venue in eastern Canada. It was constructed in 1984 for Pope John Paul II to hold a papal mass during his tour of Canada. In the 1990's, the city redeveloped the site to become an outdoor concert facility. The city now holds one or two megaconcerts at the facility every year. The Rolling Stones held a concert there in 2005 in front of 85,000 fans. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will be playing there in 2007.
  • The Wharf Village, a collection of souvenir shops and restaurants.
  • The Magnetic Hill Miniature Railway.

Moncton's central location and large catchment area has made the city a natural as a regional tourism and shopping mecca.[30] The Eaton's warehouse and store was the original destination point for retail tourism but gradually, retail development on Main Street, and later the construction of the downtown Highfield Square shopping centre allowed for increasing choice for out of town consumers.

Crystal Palace Amusement Park

At present, the major destinations for shopping enthusiasts are the Wheeler Park Power Centre in the northwestern part of the city and Champlain Place in Dieppe which has over 160 stores and services including Sobeys, Wal-Mart, Sears, Toys "R" Us, Sport Chek, GAP, Tommy Hilfiger, Eddie Bauer and the Disney Store. Champlain Place is 816,000 sq ft in area and is the second largest shopping mall in Atlantic Canada. Finally, New Brunswick's only Bay department store is located in Highfield Square.

Crystal Palace, an indoor amusement park with a dozen rides including a rollercoaster and a Tivoli swing was built adjacent to Champlain Place in 1990 to take advantage of the traffic generated by the mall. The facility has been quite successful and also includes a hotel, conference centre, restaurant, eight cinema multiplex and a Chapters bookstore/Starbucks Cafe. It is a popular family destination, especially in the summer months and at March Break.

The largest hotels in the metropolitan area are located in downtown Moncton. Main Street has wide bricked sidewalks lined with outdoor cafes. A Yuk Yuks Comedy club, dinner theatres, elegant restaurants and the Capitol Theatre all provide for a pleasant experience for tourists visiting the downtown area.

Regional tourism

Cape Enrage

Moncton is well situated as a regional tourism destination. There are two major national parks (Fundy National Park and Kouchibouguac National Park) within a one hour drive of the city. The warmest salt water beaches north of Virginia can be found on the Northumberland Strait, only 15 minutes away at Parlee Beach in nearby Shediac and New Brunswick's signature natural attraction (the Hopewell Rocks) are only a half hour's drive down the Petitcodiac river valley. The Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island is only an hour's drive east of the city.

Other nearby attractions (within 30-60 minutes of the city) include:

Transportation

Air

File:Monctonairport.jpg
Greater Moncton International Airport

Moncton is served by the Greater Moncton International Airport (YQM). A new airport terminal with an international arrivals area was opened in 2002. The GMIA handles over 558,000 passengers per year, making it the second busiest airport in the Maritime provinces.[39] Scheduled carriers servicing the GMIA include Air Canada Jazz, Westjet and Continental Express. Current regularly scheduled destinations include Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton and Newark. Charter airlines include Air Saint-Pierre, Air Transat, Canjet, Condor Airlines, Corsairfly, Skyservice and Sunwing Airlines.Seasonal destinations include Paris, Hanover, Orlando, Saint Petersburg, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Varadero, Cancun and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

The GMIA is also a major air cargo centre with both FedEx and Purolator having their Atlantic Canadian bases located at the facility. In addition, the GMIA is the home of the Moncton Flight College, one of the largest flight colleges in Canada.[40] It is also home to the New Brunswick Air Ambulance service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police regional air support service and Transport Canada's regional hangar and maintenance facility.

File:Wheeler blvd at night.jpg
Wheeler Boulevard is the citys main ring road.

There is a second smaller aerodrome in the city as well. McEwen Airfield (CCG4) is a private airstrip located north of the Trans Canada Highway on Elmwood Drive. It is used for general aviation. Skydive Moncton operates the province's only nationally certified sports parachute club out of this facility.

The Moncton Air Traffic Control Centre, located in Riverview, is responsible for high level air traffic control over the Maritime Provinces. All flights between Eastern North America and Europe pass through Moncton Centre airspace.

Railways

Moncton is served by two freight railway companies, Canadian National Railway and the New Brunswick East Coast Railway. The city is also served by VIA Rail Canada, which provides rail passenger service to Halifax and Montreal six days per week with the Ocean.

Highways

Moncton is located on Route 2 (the Trans-Canada Highway), at the junction of two other major divided highways. Route 2 leads to Halifax in the east and to Fredericton and central Canada in the west. Route 15 runs from Riverview, encircling Moncton, intersecting Route 2 on the eastern outskirts of the city, then leading to Shediac and on to Prince Edward Island. Route 1 intersects Route 2 approximately 15 km west of the city, leading to Saint John and on to Maine.

Major urban roads

Codiac Transit

Principal city thoroughfares include Main Street, Assomption Boulevard, St. George Boulevard, Vaughan Harvey Boulevard, Mountain Road, Elmwood Avenue, Morton Avenue, Lewisville Road, Paul Street, and Shediac Road. The Trans-Canada Highway (Route 2) bypasses the northern perimeter of the city. Wheeler Boulevard (Route 15) serves as an inner ring road and is remarkable in that it is a high speed (100 km/h), divided highway bounded at either end by traffic circles.

Urban transit and regional bus service

The Greater Moncton Area is served by Codiac Transit (operated by the City of Moncton), which operates on 24 routes throughout Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview. The city is currently working to double its capacity. Moncton is also a hub for the Acadian Lines interprovincial bus service.

Military

The Moncton Garrison

Aside from locally formed militia units, the military did not have a significant presence in the Moncton area until the beginning of the Second World War. In 1940, CFB Moncton (a military supply base) was constructed on a railway spur line north of downtown next to the CNR shops. This base sorted materiel headed to Europe for the war effort and also served as the main supply base for the large military establishment in the Maritimes. In addition, two Commonwealth Air Training Plan bases were built in the Moncton area during the war. A naval listening station was also constructed in Coverdale (Riverview) to monitor U-boat activity in the north Atlantic. Military air operations were terminated towards the end of World War Two and the naval station was abandoned but CFB Moncton continued to supply the Maritime military establishment until the end of the Cold War.

With the closure of CFB Moncton in the early 1990s, the military presence in Moncton has been significantly reduced. The northern portion of the former base property has been turned over to the Canada Lands Corporation and is awaiting redevelopment. The southern part of the former base remains an active DND property and is now termed the Moncton Garrison. It is affiliated with CFB Gagetown. Resident components of the garrison include the 1 Construction Engineering Unit and 4 Air Defence Regiment (regular forces). The garrison also houses the 37 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters (reserves) and one of the 37 Brigades constituent units; the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's), which is an armoured reconnaisance regiment. A small logistical support unit providing assistance to CFB Gagetown is also located at the base.

Education

Post-secondary education

Although Moncton is not a "university town" in the same sense as Halifax or Fredericton, there are still a variety of options available for post secondary education in the southeastern New Brunswick region.

Universities

File:U de moncton.jpg
Université de Moncton
  • Université de Moncton - The largest French language university in Canada outside of Quebec. Enrollment is just under 5000 students. U de M is a comprehensive university with a wide variety of undergraduate and post graduate degree programs including a School of Law.[41][5]
  • Atlantic Baptist University - A private Christian liberal arts and science institution, affiliated with the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches. Enrollment is over 600 students. Degrees are available in arts, science, education, business and religious studies.[5]
  • University of New Brunswick - UNB Moncton consists of a health sciences campus located at the Moncton Hospital. Degree courses are available in Nursing and Medical X-ray Technology.
File:ABUArialview.jpg
Atlantic Baptist University
  • Mount Allison University - Consistently ranked as one of Canada's top undergraduate universities. Mt. A is located within commuting distance, only 25 minutes away in the nearby town of Sackville. Enrollment is over 2200 students. Degree programs include Arts, Science, Commerce, Music and Fine Arts, and masters degrees in Biology and Chemistry. Mount Allison provides first year and extension university courses in Moncton and is planning a formal affiliation with the Moncton Flight College to allow for a bachelors degree in aviation.[5]

Community colleges

Private colleges

  • Atlantic Business College - A variety of business, paramedical and paralegal programs.
  • Moncton Flight College - One of Canada's oldest and most prestigious flight schools, is also one of the largest flight schools in Canada.
  • McKenzie College - A Visual Arts institution, specializing in graphic design, digital media and animation.
  • Oulton College - New Brunswick's longest-established private college, providing leading edge skills in a variety of business, paramedical, dental sciences, pharmacy, veterinary, youth care and paralegal programs.

Public school system

File:NBDistrict02.gif
School District 2, the English school district in Metro Moncton.

There are 34 public schools in greater Moncton which are administered by separate anglophone and francophone school boards. District 1 is francophone and administers nine schools in the Moncton area. District 2 is anglophone and administers 25 schools in Greater Moncton.

High schools in Metro Moncton

Health facilities

There are two major regional referral and teaching hospitals in Moncton:

The Moncton Hospital

The Moncton Hospital has 400 active treatment beds and is affiliated with Dalhousie University Medical School. It is home to the Northumberland family medicine residency training program and also hosts UNB degree programs in nursing and medical x-ray technology. Tertiary medical services include neurosciences (including neurosurgery and neurointerventional radiology), vascular surgery, orthopedics, trauma, burn unit, medical oncology, and neonatal intensive care. A $48 million expansion to the hospital (currently under construction) will contain a new laboratory, ambulatory care centre and trauma centre.[43]

The Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital

The Hôpital Régional Dr-Georges-L.-Dumont (Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital) has 350 active treatment beds and operates a satellite medical training program affiliated with Université de Sherbrooke Medical School. There are degree programs in nursing and medical x-ray technology which are administered by U de M. The hospital is also affiliated with the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute. Tertiary medical services include oncology (including radiation oncology) and nephrology. A cardiac cath lab and a PET/CT scanner have recently been announced for the hospital.[44]

Between these two institutions, Moncton serves as the main medical referral centre for the central Maritime region.

Media

Rogers Cable NB Headquarters

Television

Rogers Cable has its provincial headquarters and main production facilities in Moncton and broadcasts on two community channels, Cable 9 in French and Cable 10 in English. Broadcast television stations in Moncton represent all of the major national networks and include:

Radio

There are 14 broadcast radio stations in the city covering a variety of genres and interests, Ten of these stations are English and four are French. These stations are:

Print

File:Monctontimesandtranscript.png
The Times & Transcript, Monctons daily newspaper.
  • The Times & Transcript is anglophone and is the city's main daily newspaper. It is also New Brunswick's largest circulation daily newspaper.[45]
  • L'Acadie Nouvelle serves as the city's French newspaper, but is published out of Caraquet in northern New Brunswick.
  • [here] is a free weekly publication which covers local news from a more youthful perspective.

Cityscape

The Aliant Tower
See also: List of tallest buildings in Moncton

Moncton generally remains a "low rise" city and occupies a relatively large footprint for its size. The citys skyline however is unique, encompassing many interesting buildings and structures with differing styles from many different periods. Some of the most defining buildings and structures in the city are:

  • The Aliant Tower, A 127 metre microwave communications tower which was built in 1971, it is the tallest structure in New Brunswick. It was was formerly known as the NBTel Tower.
  • Assumption Place, A 20 storey office building which is the headquarters of the Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Corporation. This building is 80.8 metres in height and is tied with Brunswick Square, (Saint John) as the tallest building in the province.
  • The Blue Cross Centre, A nine story building in downtown Moncton. Although only nine stories tall, it is architecturally distinctive, encompasses a full city block and is actually the largest office building in the city in terms of square footage. It is the headquarters of Medavie Blue Cross.
  • The Delta Beauséjour Hotel, A 310 room, ten floor hotel. The Delta is the city's premier hotel and major conference facility, it is scheduled for major renovation in 2007.[46]

There are about a half dozen other buildings in Moncton that range between eight and twelve stories in height, including the Brunswick Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Terminal Plaza office complex. None of these buildings however are imposing enough to really help define the city.

Government

Municipal government consists of a mayor and ten city councillors elected to four year terms of office. The council is non partisan with the mayor serving as the chairman, casting a ballot only in cases of a tie vote. There are four wards electing two councillors each with an additional two councillors selected at large by the general electorate. Day to day operation of the city is under the control of a City Manager.[47]

The current mayor of Moncton is Lorne Mitton (elected May 2004).

Councillors:

Moncton City Hall
Kathryn M. Barnes At Large Norman Crossman Ward 1
Merrill A. Henderson Ward 2 Brian A.Q. Hicks Ward 3
Louisa Barton-Duguay Ward 4 Pierre Boudreau At Large
Steven Boyce Ward 1 Doug Robertson Ward 2
Steve Mitton Ward 3 René (Pepsi) Landry Ward 4

Provincially, seven ridings (out of 55 in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly) are in the greater Moncton area. Elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) (and party affiliations) include:

Template:Canadian politics/party colours/Liberal/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Liberal/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Liberal/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Liberal/rowTemplate:Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives/row
Mike Murphy Liberal Moncton North
John Betts PC Moncton Crescent
Chris Collins Liberal Moncton East
Joan MacAlpine-S. Liberal Moncton West
R. Bruce Fitch PC Riverview
Bernard LeBlanc Liberal Memramcook-Lakeville-Dieppe
Cy LeBlanc PC Dieppe Centre-Lewisville

Moncton is in the federal riding of Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, which is represented in the Canadian House of Commons by Brian Murphy, (Liberal). Mr. Murphy had previously been a highly regarded mayor of Moncton. Portions of Dieppe are in the federal riding of Beauséjour, represented by Dominic LeBlanc,(Liberal), and portions of Riverview are in the riding of Fundy Royal, represented by Rob Moore, (Conservative).

Famous Monctonians

Main article: List of famous Monctonians

Moncton has been the home of a number of famous and/or influential people. The impressive list includes National Hockey League Hall of Famer and NHL scoring champion Gordie Drillon, World and Olympic champion curler Russ Howard, The distinguished literary critic and theorist Northrop Frye, the former Governor-General of Canada Romeo LeBlanc, and former Supreme Court Justice and Rand Formula developer Ivan Cleveland Rand. To view the complete list, please use the link above.

Neighbouring municipalities

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data". Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Population and dwelling counts, for urban areas, 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data". Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b "Population and dwelling counts, for census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data". Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e "Moncton". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-07-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) Cite error: The named reference "Moncton Article" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Moncton Climate data". Environment Canada, Climate of New Brunswick Report. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-07-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b c "Brief History of Moncton". MonctonNet. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Info on Fort Beauséjour". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  9. ^ "History of railroad shops in Moncton". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  10. ^ "Moncton public library history". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  11. ^ "Musée acadien info". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  12. ^ "info on the causeway". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  13. ^ "Info on Papal mass in Moncton from TIME". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  14. ^ "Transport Canada responds to September 11 attacks". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  15. ^ "Rolling Stones rock Moncton". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  16. ^ "Moncton profile from 2001 census". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  17. ^ "Dieppe profile from 2001 census". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  18. ^ "Riverview profile from 2001 census". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  19. ^ "The Greater Moncton Economy "Towards a Vision"" (PDF). Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  20. ^ "Moncton becomes the first officially billingual city in Canada". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  21. ^ "Downtown Moncton at a Glance". Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  22. ^ "Halifax - Moncton Growth Corridor". Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  23. ^ "Moncton named best for business in Canada". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  24. ^ "Moncton named 5th most business friendly in NA". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  25. ^ "Moncton profile from Colliers International". Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  26. ^ "The Greater Moncton Economy "Towards a Vision"" (PDF). Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  27. ^ "Irving Moncton Group of Companies". Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  28. ^ "Information on new Molson Brewery in Moncton". Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  29. ^ "The operative word for Moncton during 2006 was "up"!". Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  30. ^ a b "Living in Greater Moncton" (PDF). City of Moncton. 2003-07-15. Retrieved 2007-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "Arts and Culture in Moncton". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  32. ^ "The Moncton Coliseum". Retrieved July 3, 2007.
  33. ^ "2006 Memorial Cup hosted by Moncton". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  34. ^ "2007 CIS Mens Hockey Championship hosted by Moncton". Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  35. ^ "Moncton awarded 2010 IAAF World Junior Championships" (PDF). Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  36. ^ "Royal Oaks architect Rees Jones". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  37. ^ a b "Info on the Tidal bore in Moncton". Legion Magazine. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ "Magnetic Hill". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  39. ^ "GMIA 2006 Report" (PDF). GMIA. 2007-03-13. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ "Moncton Flight College Receives Civil Aviation Authority of China Approval to Train Chinese Pilots". CANLink Global. 2006-05-15. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. ^ "Info on U de M". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  42. ^ "Info on NBCC Moncton". Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  43. ^ "Info on the Moncton Hospital expansion". Retrieved 2007-07-09.
  44. ^ "[[CBC News]] reports on the new cardiac labratory announced for The George Dumont Hospital". Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  45. ^ NADBank Weekly Readership by Resident Market newspaper readership
  46. ^ = July 4, 2007 "The Delta Beauséjour Hotel schedulaed for major renovations". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  47. ^ "Moncton municipal government". Retrieved 2007-07-09.


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moncton&oldid=144132604"