|
Discover Places to Go and Things to Do
|
|
Moncton, NB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moncton is a Canadian city located in Westmorland County, New Brunswick. Moncton is the most populous census metropolitan area in New Brunswick with a population of 126,424.
The city is situated in southeastern New Brunswick, in the Petitcodiac River valley at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces. The community has the nickname "Hub City" because of its central location and also because Moncton has historically been the railway and land transportation hub for the Maritime Provinces.
Moncton was founded in 1766 and was initially an agricultural settlement but by the mid-1800s, a wooden shipbuilding industry flourished. The shipbuilding economy collapsed in the 1860s but was quickly replaced by the railway industry when, in 1871, the Intercolonial Railway of Canada chose Moncton to be their headquarters. Moncton would then remain a railroad town for well over a century. The town of Moncton was first incorporated in 1855 and was named after Lt. Col. Robert Monckton. The collapse of the shipbuilding industry caused the town to lose its civic charter in 1862 but the community was able to survive and to reincorporate in 1875 on the strength of the developing railway industry. As a result, the city adopted the motto Resurgo.
The city is situated in southeastern New Brunswick, in the Petitcodiac River valley at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces. The community has the nickname "Hub City" because of its central location and also because Moncton has historically been the railway and land transportation hub for the Maritime Provinces.
Moncton was founded in 1766 and was initially an agricultural settlement but by the mid-1800s, a wooden shipbuilding industry flourished. The shipbuilding economy collapsed in the 1860s but was quickly replaced by the railway industry when, in 1871, the Intercolonial Railway of Canada chose Moncton to be their headquarters. Moncton would then remain a railroad town for well over a century. The town of Moncton was first incorporated in 1855 and was named after Lt. Col. Robert Monckton. The collapse of the shipbuilding industry caused the town to lose its civic charter in 1862 but the community was able to survive and to reincorporate in 1875 on the strength of the developing railway industry. As a result, the city adopted the motto Resurgo.
Although the economy of Moncton was traumatized twice; by the collapse of the shipbuilding industry in the 1860s and by the closure of the CNR locomotive shops in the 1980s, it was able to rebound strongly on both occasions. At present, the city's economy is stable and diversified, primarily based on its transportation, distribution, retailing and commercial heritage, but is also supplemented by strength in the educational, health care, financial and insurance sectors. The strength of the economy has received national recognition and the local unemployment rate is consistently less than the national average.
The Moncton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is one of the top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas in Canada and is also the fastest growing urban region east of Toronto. The CMA includes the neighbouring city of Dieppe and the town of Riverview, as well as adjacent areas of Westmorland and Albert counties.
History- For more information see History of Moncton
The earliest known inhabitants of the Petitcodiac river valley were the Mi'kmaq. Moncton is situated at the southern end of a traditional portage route connecting the Petitcodiac River and Shediac Bay on the nearby Northumberland Strait.
French Acadians first settled the head of the Bay of Fundy in the 1670s. The first reference to the "Petcoucoyer River" was on the De Meulles map of 1686. Settlement of the Petitcodiac and Memramcook river valleys began about 1700, gradually extending inland and reaching the site of present day Moncton in 1733. The first Acadian settlers in the Moncton area established a marshland farming community and chose to name their settlement Le Coude (The Elbow)
In 1755, nearby Fort Beausejour was captured by English forces under the command of Lt. Col. Robert Monckton. The Petitcodiac river valley subsequently fell under English occupation. Later that year, Governor Charles Lawrence issued a decree ordering the expulsion of the Acadian population from Le Coude. In 1766 Pennsylvania Deutsch settlers arrived to re-establish the pre-existing farming community at Le Coude. This settlement was known as "The Bend".
The principle economy of the community remained agriculturally based until the early 1800s, when Royal Navy requirements helped to stimulate a lumbering and shipbuilding industry. As shipbuilding gained in importance, The Bend developed a service-based economy and gradually began to acquire all the amenities of a growing town.
At about the same time as the arrival of the railway, steam-powered forced an end to the era of wooden shipbuilding. The industrial collapse that developed from this caused Moncton to surrender its civic charter in 1862.
Moncton's economic depression did not last long and a second era of prosperity came to the area in 1871 when Moncton was selected to be the headquarters of the Intercolonial Railway of Canada. The coming of the ICR to Moncton was a seminal event for the community. For the next 120 years, the history of the city would be inextricably intertwined with that of the railway. In 1875, Moncton was able to reincorporate as a town and adopted the motto "Resurgo" (I rise again). One year later, the ICR line to Quebec was opened. The railway boom that emanated from this and the associated employment growth allowed Moncton to achieve city status on 23 April 1890.
Moncton grew rapidly during the early 20th century, particularly after provincial lobbying saw the city become the eastern terminus of the massive National Transcontinental Railway project in 1912. In 1918, the ICR and NTR were merged by the federal government into the newly formed Canadian National Railways (CNR) system. During the Second World War the Canadian Army built a large military supply base (CFB Moncton) in the city. Railway employment in Moncton peaked at nearly six thousand workers in the 1950s before starting a long slow decline.
Moncton was placed on the Trans-Canada Highway network in the early 1960s after Route 2 was built along the northern perimeter of the city. Subsequent development saw Route 15 built between the city and Shediac. At the same time, the Petitcodiac River Causeway was constructed. This institution became an important resourse in the future development of Acadian culture in the area.
The late 1970s and the 1980s again saw a period of economic hardship hit the city as several major employers closed or restructured. The Eatons catalogue division, CN's locomotive shops facility and CFB Moncton were all closed during this time. These closures threw thousands out of work. Moncton was so despondent by the late 1980s that the city's promotional slogan became simply Moncton - We're OK.
Diversification in the early 1990s saw the rise of information technology, led by call centres which made use of the city's bilingual workforce.
The growth of the community has continued unabated since the 1990s and in fact has been accelerating. The confidence of the city has been bolstered by its ability to host major events such as the Francophonie Summit in 1999. Recent positive developments include the Atlantic Baptist University relocating to a new campus in 1996 and achieving full university status, the Greater Moncton Airport opening a new terminal building and becoming a designated international airport in 2002, and the opening of the new Gunningsville Bridge to Riverview in 2005. In 2002, Moncton became Canada's first officially bilingual city. Moncton officially became a Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in 2006. The 2006 census subsequently declared Moncton to be the largest metropolitan area in the province of New Brunswick.
GeographyMoncton lies in southeastern New Brunswick, at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces and is located along the north bank of the Petitcodiac River at a point where the river bends from a west–east flow to a north–south direction.
The sharp bend of the Petitcodiac River at Moncton has strongly influenced the names given to the community by the various succeeding inhabitants living in the area.
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". 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, however a causeway to Riverview, 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 at Moncton is broad and relatively flat, bounded by a long ridge to the north (Lutes Mountain) and by the rugged Caledonia Highlands to the south.
Tidal boreThe 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. 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 (3.2–6.4 ft) in height and extending across the kilometre (.62 mi) 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/h (8 mph) and could produce quite an audible roar.
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 (328 ft) wide and the bore rarely exceeds 15–20 cm in height.
ClimateDespite being less than 50 km (31 mi) from the Bay of Fundy and less than 30 km (19 mi) 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.
Winter days are cold but generally sunny with solar radiation generating some warmth. Daytime high temperatures usually range just below the freezing point. Major snowfalls can result from nor'easter ocean storms moving up the east coast of North America. Major snowfalls typically average 20–30 cm (8–12 in) and are frequently mixed with rain or freezing rain.
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. Trees are usually in full leaf by 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 sometimes reach highs of over 30 °C (86 °F). Rainfall is generally modest, especially in late July and August and periods of drought are not uncommon. Autumn daytime temperatures remain mild until mid October. First snowfalls usually do not occur until mid November and consistent snow cover on the ground does not 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).
Nearby natural featuresThere are many natural attractions near Moncton. Two major national parks (Fundy National Park and Kouchibouguac National Park) are 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 the nearby town of Shediac. 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:
The Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Preserve, at the base of the Confederation Bridge.La Dune de Bouctouche Irving Eco-Centre, an ecotourism site and beach. It is the longest remaining unspoiled barrier dune system on the mainland eastern seaboard of North America.Cape Enrage, located near Alma. This popular attraction includes an historic lighthouse, fossil cliffs, scenic vistas, and adventure tourism.Le Pays de la Sagouine, an Acadian cultural theme park in Bouctouche.Fort Beauséjour, a National Historic Site in nearby Aulac, New Brunswick.The Sackville Waterfowl Park, in nearby Sackville includes nature trails and a boardwalk over freshwater marsh as well as waterfowl viewing platforms.CityscapeMoncton generally remains a "low rise" city and occupies a relatively large footprint for its size. The city's skyline however encompasses many buildings and structures with differing styles from many periods. Some of the most defining buildings and structures in the city are:
The Aliant Tower, A 127-metre (417 ft) microwave communications tower which was built in 1971. When it was constructed it was the tallest tower of its kind in North America. Assumption Place, A 20-story office building which is the headquarters of Assumption Mutual Life Insurance. This building is 80.8 metres (265 ft) 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.
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.
Urban parksMetro Moncton is home to many urban parks. The most popular is Centennial Park, which contains an artificial beach, lighted cross country skiing and hiking trails, the city's largest playground, and Rocky Stone Field, the city's only football field with artificial turf.
The city's other main parks are Mapleton Park, Irishtown Nature Park (one of the largest urban nature parks in Canada), and St. Anselme Park (located in Dieppe).
The numerous neighbourhood parks throughout the metro Moncton area include 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. The riverfront trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail system, and various monuments and pavilions can be found along it.
DemographyMoncton's linguistic majority is English, however the city has an active French-speaking Acadian minority population (30%). Significant numbers Monctonians speak each English (64.3%) and French (33.4%) as a first language; additionally, 1.0% speak both languages as a first language, and 1.2% speak another language as a first language. About 40% of the metropolitan population of Moncton is bilingual. 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. The town of Riverview meanwhile is heavily (95%) Anglophone.
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 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. The CMA includes the smaller settlements of Dieppe (population 18,565), Riverview (17,832), Moncton (8,747), Memramcook (4,638), Coverdale (4,144), and Salisbury (2,036).
Historically, the population of the city has been racially homogenous with almost all residents originating from northwestern Europe. The population has been becoming more diverse over the course of the past decade but it still remains a challenge to attract visible minority immigrants to the city. Migration 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).
Arts and cultureMoncton's Capitol Theatre, an 800-seat restored 1920s-era vaudeville house on Main Street, is the main centre for cultural entertainment for the city. The theatre hosts a performing arts series and is a venue for theatrical performances, the New Brunswick Symphony Orchestra and the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada. The smaller Empress Theatre accommodates smaller performances and recitals.
The Moncton-based Atlantic Ballet Theatre tours mainly in Atlantic Canada but also tours nationally and internationally on occasion. Théâtre l’Escaouette is a Francophone live theatre company with its own auditorium and performance space. The Anglophone Live Bait Theatre is based in the nearby university town of Sackville. The Chocolate River Conservatory of Music is located in Dieppe. In addition, there are several private dance and music academies in the metropolitan area, as well as the Capitol Theatre's performing arts school. The Canadian Poetry Association national headquarters is located in Moncton.
The Aberdeen Cultural Centre is a major Acadian cultural cooperative containing multiple studios and galleries. Among other tenants, the Centre houses the Galerie Sans Nom, the principal private art gallery in the city.
The city's two main museums are the Moncton Museum on Mountain Road and the Musée Acadien at Université de Moncton. The city has several recognized historical sites. The Free Meeting House was built in 1821 and is a New England-style meeting house adjacent to the Moncton Museum. The Thomas Williams House, a former home of a city industrialist built in 1883, is now maintained in period style and serves as a genealogical research centre and as a home to several multicultural organizations. The Treitz Haus is located on the riverfront adjacent to Bore View Park and has been dated to the early 1770s both by architectural style and by dendrochronology. It is the only surviving building from the Pennsylvania Dutch era and now serves as the city's principle tourist information centre.
Moncton is home to the Frye Festival, an annual bilingual literary celebration held in honour of world renowned literary critic and favorite son Northrop Frye. This event attracts noted writers and poets from around the world and takes place in the month of April.
Other notable events include:
The Atlantic Seafood Festival — held every August.
The HubCap Comedy Festival — held annually in the spring. "Le 15 Aout" — held in August, celebrating Acadia's National holiday. The World Wine and Food Exposition — held every November, this is the largest event of its kind in eastern Canada, with exhibitors from around the world presenting their wares. Le Festival Internationale de Cinema Francophone en Acadie (FICFA) — every September. The Atlantic Nationals Automotive Extravaganza — held each July and is the largest annual gathering of classic cars in Canada.SportsFacilitiesThe Moncton Coliseum is a 6,554-seat arena (7,200 with standing room). 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. The CN Sportplex 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 (123 ft) swimming pool with diving towers. The only velodrome in Atlantic Canada is in Dieppe. The metro area has a total of 12 indoor hockey rinks and three curling clubs. Other public sporting and recreational facilities are scattered throughout the metropolitan area.
Greater Moncton has many 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 considered championship courses, with Royal Oaks being the first Rees Jones designed golf course in Canada. Other notable courses include the Moncton Golf & Country Club, Memramcook Valley Golf Club and Magnetic Hill Golf Club.
Major eventsMoncton has hosted many 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. Moncton hosted the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) Men's University Hockey Championship in 2007 and will do so again in 2008. 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 track stadium to host this event. This stadium will be built on the U de M campus. Additional world class practice track facilities will be built on the campus of Mount Allison University and also at Moncton High School. Moncton has been host to many large sporting events including:
1968 Canadian Junior Baseball Championships 1974 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 1975 Intercontinental Cup (baseball) 1977 Skate Canada International 1978 CIS University Cup (hockey) 1980 World Mens Curling Championships 1982 CIS University Cup 1983 CIS University Cup 1985 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 1985 Labatt Brier (curling)
1992 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 1997 World Junior Baseball Championships 2000 Canadian Junior Curling Championships 2004 Canadian Senior Baseball Championships 2006 Memorial Cup (hockey) 2007 CIS University Cup 2008 CIS University Cup 2009 World Mens Curling Championship 2010 IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics
Entertainment and shoppingMagnetic Hill is on the northwestern outskirts of Moncton and is now the city's most famous attraction. It is a gravity hill optical illusion, where the local topography gives the impression that you are going uphill when in fact you are going downhill.
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:
The Magnetic Hill Zoo, a nationally recognized zoo with over 400 animals displayed in themed exhibit areas. It is the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada and features 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 mini-golf course.The Magnetic Hill Concert Site, a large outdoor concert facility which holds one or two megaconcerts every year. The Rolling Stones performed there in 2005 in front of 85,000 fans. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill playing there in 2007 in front of 50,000.The Wharf Village, a collection of souvenir shops and restaurants.The Magnetic Hill Miniature Railway.
At present, the major destinations for shopping enthusiasts are the Wheeler Park Power Centre and Champlain Place, which, at , is the second largest shopping mall in Atlantic Canada and has over 160 stores and services. Finally, New Brunswick's only Bay department store is in Highfield Square.
Crystal Palace, an indoor amusement park with a dozen rides including a roller coaster and a Tivoli swing was built adjacent to Champlain Place in 1990 to take advantage of the tourist traffic generated by the mall. It is a popular family destination and has Top Attraction status with tourism New Brunswick.
GovernmentMunicipal 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.
The greater Moncton area contains seven of New Brunswick's 55 provincial electoral districts: Moncton North, Moncton Crescent, Moncton East, Moncton West, Riverview, Memramcook-Lakeville-Dieppe, and Dieppe Centre-Lewisville. Of the seven members of the Legislative Assembly that currently represent greater Moncton, five belong to the Liberal party and two belong to the Progressive Conservative party.
Moncton is in the federal riding of Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe. Portions of Dieppe are in the federal riding of Beauséjour, and portions of Riverview are in the riding of Fundy Royal. Of the seven members of the Legislative Assembly that currently represent greater Moncton, four belong to the Liberal party and three belongs to the Conservative party.
EducationSeparate Anglophone and Francophone school boards administer greater Moncton's 34 public primary and secondary schools. District 1 is Francophone and administers nine schools in the Moncton area. District 2 is Anglophone and administers 25 schools in Greater Moncton. There are four Anglophone high schools in the metro Moncton area; Moncton High School, Harrison Trimble High School, Bernice MacNaughton High School and Riverview High School. École Mathieu-Martin and École L'Odyssée are the area's Francophone high schools.
There are four universities in Moncton. The Université de Moncton, the largest French-language university in Canada outside of Quebec, enrolls over 4000 students. It offers a variety of undergraduate and post-graduate degree programs, including a School of Law. The Atlantic Baptist University is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches that enrolls over 600 students. It offers degrees in arts, science, education, business, and religious studies. The University of New Brunswick Moncton is a small satellite health sciences campus located at the Moncton Hospital that offers degrees in nursing and medical X-ray technology to over 300 students. Mount Allison University, currently ranked as Canada's top undergraduate university, is located within commuting distance in the nearby town of Sackville. It enrolls over 2200 students and offers degrees in arts, commerce, music, fine arts, and science (including 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.
Moncton is also home to two community colleges. The English-language New Brunswick Community College - Moncton is largest campus in the NBCC system with an enrollment of over 4000. It provides training in over 30 different trades and technology disciplines. The French-language New Brunswick Community College - Dieppe provides training in the trades and technology and enrolls about 2000.
Moncton's four vocational schools offer practical training in a variety of fields. The Atlantic Business College offers a variety of business, paramedical and paralegal programs. Moncton Flight College is one of Canada's oldest, largest, and most prestigious flight schools. McKenzie College is a visual arts institution specializing in graphic design, digital media and animation. Oulton College, New Brunswick's oldest private college, provides training in a variety of business, paramedical, dental sciences, pharmacy, veterinary, youth care and paralegal programs.
MediaRogers 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. The French-language arm of the CBC, (Radio-Canada (SRC)) maintains its Atlantic Canadian headquarters in Moncton. There are three other broadcast television stations in Moncton and these represent all of the major national networks.
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.
The city's main daily newspaper is the Anglophone Times & Transcript, which has the highest circulation of any daily newspaper in New Brunswick. L'Acadie Nouvelle serves as the city's French newspaper, though it is published in Caraquet in northern New Brunswick. Other publications include , a free weekly publication offering a more youthful perspective on local news, and Boom Magazine, an free weekly alternative magazine.
MilitaryAside 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, a large military supply base (CFB Moncton) was constructed on a railway spur line north of downtown next to the CNR shops. This base served as the main supply depot for the large wartime military establishment in the Maritimes. In addition, two Commonwealth Air Training Plan bases were also built in the Moncton area during the war.A naval listening station was also constructed in Coverdale (Riverview) in 1941 to help in coordinating radar activities in the North Atlantic. Military flight training in the Moncton area terminated at the end of World War II and the naval listening station closed in 1971. CFB Moncton remained open to supply the maritime military establishment until just after 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 slowly being redeveloped. 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 reconnaissance regiment. A small logistical support unit providing assistance to CFB Gagetown is also located at the base.
Health facilitiesThere are two major regional referral and teaching hospitals in Moncton:
The Moncton Hospital has approximately 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 scheduled for completion in 2008 will contain a new laboratory, ambulatory care centre and trauma centre.
The Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital has 347 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. Tertiary medical services include oncology (including radiation oncology) and nephrology. A cardiac cath lab and a PET/CT scanner have been announced for the hospital. The hospital is also affiliated with the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute.
Between these two institutions, Moncton serves as the main medical referral centre for the central Maritime region.
Notable MonctoniansMoncton has been the home of a number of notable people, including 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 Ivan Cleveland Rand, developer of the Rand Formula and Canada's representative on the UNSCOP commission. Robb Wells, the actor who plays Ricky on Showcases hit comedy Trailer Park Boys hails from Moncton, along with Julie Doiron, an indie rock musician and Holly Dignard the actress who plays Nicole Miller on the CTV series "Whistler". Other notable Monctonians include; Roméo LeBlanc, former Governor General of Canada and Antonine Maillet a francophone author, recipient of the Order of Canada and the "Prix Goncourt", the highest honour in francophone literature.
External linksOfficial City of Moncton websitePortal for the City of MonctonGoMoncton.com (tourist information)Moncton Business Information and Community ResourceGreater Moncton Chamber of Commerce ( Business Directory by Local in the Know Publishing Inc.)Moncton guide on Wikitravel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
By SUNNY
9 days
Road Trip from Quebec City to New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and back to QC.
|
|
|
By Arif
9 days
Road Trip from Quebec City to New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and back to QC.
|
|
|
|
3 people reviewed Moncton
|
Top
|
|
|
|
at 8:47AM May 29, 2008
Flew in to the airporte here....its extremley boring and full of trees
|
|
|
at 11:29PM May 28, 2008
Very good place to visit!
|
|
|
at 9:22PM May 27, 2008
Stayed in moncton...saw the magnetic hill, also stayed in Shediac and went to Lobster Fest
|
|
|
|
Add to
My Places
Plan Your Visit
