Hmmm Nobody has called or wrote me back yet Methinks I should not be surprised N'esy Pas?

---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2018 06:40:41 -0400
Subject: Attn Marcus Kingston and and Jason Jeandron I just called and left a message
To: marcus.kingston@gnb.ca, "terry.seguin" <terry.seguin@cbc.ca>,
jasonjeandron@hotmail.com, "Elizabeth.Fraser" <Elizabeth.Fraser@cbc.ca>
Cc: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>,
 "David.Coon" <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, oldmaison <oldmaison@yahoo.com>,
 markandcaroline <markandcaroline@gmail.com>,  "martin.gaudet" <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, "leanne.murray" <leanne.murray@mcinnescooper.com>,
"mike.obrienfred" <mike.obrienfred@gmail.com>, "mike.obrien" <mike.obrien@fredericton.ca>, BrianThomasMacdonald <BrianThomasMacdonald@gmail.com>

Contact: Marcus Kingston, LEAP Coordinator, (506) 440-4263,
marcus.kingston@gnb.ca

Jason Jeandron
Archaeological Prospectors
jason@archaeologicalprospectors.com
506 461-6626

http://www.fredericton.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/agenda/1agenda-cc-april252016.pdf

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/trees-officers-square-fredericton-1.4680446?cmp=rss

Tree commission chair urges Fredericton to hold off on Officers' Square project

City plans to cut down 19 trees at square and didn't consult its tree advisory group until 2 weeks ago

Elizabeth Fraser · CBC News · Posted: May 28, 2018 11:19 AM AT

12 Comments

Commenting is now closed for this story.



David Amos

Hmmm Methinks I should a few calls N'esy Pas?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/officers-square-trees-fredericton-1.4681846

Pressure mounts to save 19 trees that will be cut down in Officers' Square

Close to 100 people protested against new development at Monday night's council meeting

Gary Moore · CBC News · Posted: May 29, 2018 7:12 AM AT

37 Comments 
Commenting is now closed for this story.

 
David Amos

Well its closing time for this comment section and all I heard was crickets all day. Methinks David Coon's fan club just convinced me that I should run against him in the next election N'esy Pas?

 
David Amos

Hmmm Nobody has called or wrote me back yet Methinks I should not be surprised N'esy Pas?

Content disabled.

David Amos

@David Amos NOPE

David Amos

@David Amos Methinks it is kinda obvious that I am not well liked by "peoplekind" in Fredericton Perhaps I should run for public office there again and tell them awful truth about themsleves N'esy Pas?

 

 
Michael G. L. Geraldson

I have no vested interest in saving the trees, I don't live, work or play there. However, I lost all of my elms back in the eighties to Dutch elm disease and that loss forever changed my property and my appreciation of my tree lined driveway. Think carefully about what you're doing, when they're gone, they're gone for good!

Content disabled.

David Amos

@Michael G. L. Geraldson YUP

David Amos

@Michael G. L. Geraldson Methinks it is rather strange that you are the only soul whom I am not allowed to agree with N'esy Pas?



 Rob Glencross

This reminds me of when the city tried to install a median down the middle of York Street at Kings College Road… at least they reconsidered that one.

David Amos

@Rob Glencross Methinks Brad Woodside set the bar pretty high when its comes to a Fat Fred City Mayor changing his mind N'esy Pas?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-holds-1st-pride-parade-1.946888

  

 Ed Tour

The Mayor and Council forgot to ask the Province for permission to cut trees down in THEIR park. According to the Tourism Minister, Officer's Square belongs to the Province and NOT the City and the City needs permission from the Province to cut any trees. I guess the Mayor should think BEFORE he speaks.

David Amos

@Ed Tour "The Mayor and Council forgot to ask the Province for permission to cut trees down"

NOPE Methinks they don't have to The park is in their jurisdiction and they are responsible for it N'esy Pas?

 Matt Steele

Officers Square is a heritage area ; and should be left that way , surely they can find somewhere else to build their skating rink . I am surprised that the mayor has not proposed a round about be built in Officers Square as that seems to be his pet project these day.

David Amos

@Matt Steele YUP
 

Murray Brown

A mechanized outdoor skating rink on historic ground like Officer's Square is ridiculous. It's a terrible place to have a skating surface... It may be useful for civil servants for that month or two when it's actually usable... But a better local for an 'outdoor' skating facility would be the Exhibition grounds. In fact, more people lounge about at the Exhibition grounds than at Officer's square on a nightly basis, even during the winter.

David Amos

@Murray Brown YUP

 

Joel Green

You can NOT divulge the consequences of progress AFTER consultations, and after work has been started. Officers Square is the focal point of Fredericton, the City of Elms, and to remove almost all of them is ridiculous. Had citizens and councilors known of the plan to remove the trees, they may have altered their position or been able to propose less invasive options . That is poor governance. Mayor O'Brien, I submit that your chances for re-election are directly proportional to the percentage of trees that remain standing in Officers Square.

David Amos

@Joel Green YUP

 
Paul Bourgoin

New Brunswick, The Canadian clear cut Province!! : - (
SO SAD!!

David Amos

@Paul Bourgoin YUP

 
Brad Little

I wish people would take as much interest in provincial politics and economy as they do in a few trees in downtown Fredericton. The amount of uproar about this is ridiculous. There's more important things to take a stand on in this place.

louella woods

@Brad Little it is not only the removal of the trees... the city is creating a concrete jungle from this beautiful pristine park like area and spending $9 million of taxpayers money to do it. check out the plan.. This is an issue of the economy..

David Amos

@louella woods YUP

Colin Seeley

Progress.

Not in this Place.

David Amos

@Colin Seeley YUP

 

Lou Bell

And to think 3 weeks ago it was just a huge, overflowed septic tank fed by the Saint John River !

David Amos

@Lou Bell YUP

Colin Seeley

19 Trees
vs
bringing peoplekinds together.

Mayor and council need to have one word for these pretenser’s .

NO.

Ed Tour

@Colin Seeley The Province already had a word for the City and that word was "no".

Colin Seeley

@Ed Tour

The Province has not said no. They will review.

The area is an unused dump.

Needs the Reno.

David Amos

@Colin Seeley Nope

  

Roy Nicholl

While the Lorax is speaking for the trees, why not scrap City Halls plan to excavate the majority of the square to install a chiller pad - as both an action to preserve the outdoor skating against fluctuating winter temperatures and as a contribution toward the amplitude and frequency of those fluctuations?

David Amos

@Roy Nicholl That went over my head Methinks I should look up what Tesla said on the topic N'esy Pas?

  

Emilen Forest

Instead of paying for an aquatic centre, ($20 million); a new playhouse, ($45 million) and spit and shine on a corner street, ($8.9 million), why don't we use the money on a new bridge, ($74 million)? Is that not a more logical plan to use taxpayer dollars so that more people can enjoy?

David Amos

@Emilen Forest Good thought but good luck getting a politician to understand logic. Methinks they have not figured out the meaning of integrity or ethics yet N'esy Pas?.

 

Alex Butt

I would rather the city spend the 8.9 million on something that we all could benefit from, like fixing the third world roads, crumbling infrastructure or perhaps hiring more doctors or teachers.

David Amos

@Alex Butt Methinks that common sense does not apply in Fat Fred City when the politician's developer pals can make a buck N'esy Pas?

David Amos

Methinks that nobody should deny that the "peoplekind" in Fat Fred City love a circus N'esy Pas?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/officers-square-trees-fredericton-1.4681909

Not just trees: Archeologist laments possible losses under Officers' Square project

Jason Jeandron says it's up to the province to enforce rules before Fredericton developments go ahead

Elizabeth Fraser · CBC News · Posted: May 29, 2018 8:43 PM AT

Nineteen trees are set to be cut down in coming months to revamp Officers' Square in Fredericton. (CBC)

Pieces of history are at risk of being lost forever as work is done on St. Anne's Point Boulevard and Officers' Square, a Fredericton archeologist says.

Jason Jeandron said legislation requires that sections in both areas be excavated before heavy equipment is brought in for development work.

"This is a significant historic site both to the country and the people of New Brunswick and obviously the city of Fredericton," he said in an interview with Information Morning Fredericton.

• Pressure mounts to save 19 trees that will be cut down in Officers' Square 
• Fredericton removing 19 trees from Officers' Square 
• Tree commission chair urges Fredericton to hold off on Officers' Square project

"This is a real jewel, this is one of the things that sets Fredericton apart."

The green space at Officers' Square is recognized by the province and Parks Canada as a historical area.

Most of the trees to disappear are beside the wall along the square, which is getting a facelift. (CBC)

But the city plans to cut down 19 trees in coming months, starting with eight next week, although the trees are part of Officers' Square's character, Jeandron said.

The removal coincides with a planned revitalization of Officers' Square in the next four years. Most of the trees to disappear are beside the wall along the square.

One of the city's arguments for taking down the trees is that their roots would be compromised by major construction work being done on St. Anne's Point Boulevard this summer.

Although there have been protests against the removal of trees, Jeandron said the potential loss of history is just as disturbing.

Digging up the past

"You've got a huge volume of very significant archeology at that location," he said. "Largely, in part, what helps it to be defined as a national historic site and a provincial heritage place."

We've also got the potential for at least 8,000 years of archeological evidence of the ancestors of today's  Wolastoq  in that location.- Jason  Jeandron , archeologist 

He said the space at Officers' Square has at least four triggers for a required archeological excavation.
Excavation would be needed if a location is within 50 metres of a shoreline, the development extends onto a flood plain, if it's within 100 metres of a recorded historic site or if it's on an intervale.

"Any areas that they have the potential to destroy the archeology, then you want to collect all that information," he said.

"That's where the story comes from, it is the artifacts in the ground and how they're placed [with] each other."

A historical site

In 1784, Jeandron said, the British developed a garrison at the site, which grew to more than 50 buildings. Only four of those buildings from the military compound remain today and they were built in the early 1820s.

The Royal Canadian Regiment was formed Dec. 21, 1883, at that location, which Jeandron said gives it a significant place in the history of the Canadian army.

But much more than military history is stored at Officers' Square, he said.

At the northern end of the parking lot by the square is the old shoreline of the St. John River, known to Maliseet First Nations as Wolastoq. St. Anne's Point Boulevard now goes over the area, which was filled in for that purpose.

Jason Jeandron, an archaeologist in Fredericton, said sections of Officers' Square should be excavated before heavy equipment is brought in for development. (CBC)

"We've also got the potential for at least 8,000 years of archeological evidence of the ancestors of today's Wolastoq in that location."

Jeandron said there's also the possibility archeologists would discover early pieces of Acadian and Loyalist settlement in the area.

But if there isn't excavation to uncover artifacts, the information associated with people who lived in the area over the centuries will be gone.

"Apart from a handful of small sites, we have very little information about how people occupied and lived on the banks of the Wolastoq and lived in our community."

Province to enforce rules

Jeandron said it's up to the province to enforce the rules about archeological work before development makes it impossible

Johanne Leblanc, a spokesperson for the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, suggested archeological and geophysical evaluations were done to identify locations of archeological interest at Officers' Square.

Character-defining elements of the area included "large mature trees" and "discovered and yet-to-be discovered archeological resources," she said in an email.

She said the province is considering approving a "site alteration plan," but final project plans will be required before approval can be final.

Information Morning - Fredericton

History of Officers' Square important too.

00:00 16:43

Archaeologist Jason Jeandron says history should dictate what happens to Officers' Square. 16:43

 

Leblanc was asked later to explain what was involved in the evaluations and to elaborate on the "discovered and yet-to-be discovered archeological resources," but at the end of the day she said she couldn't answer.

Public not impressed

At least 1,000 people have signed an online petition calling on the city to put the brakes on the Officers' Square plan.

Close to 100 residents attended Monday night's council meeting to protest against the removing the downtown trees.

People gathered outside of Fredericton City Hall to voice concerns about the tree-cutting, the second rally in three days. (Gary Moore/CBC)

The crowd roared at the meeting when council denied a motion to add an item to the agenda — which would have delayed work at the heritage site.

After the meeting, Mayor Mike O'Brien said he plans to consult with staff to "dig deep" in attempt to save some of the trees but he wasn't promising anything.

With files from Information Morning Fredericton

Pressure mounts to save 19 trees that will be cut down in Officers' Square

Close to 100 people protested against new development at Monday night's council meeting

Gary Moore · CBC News · Posted: May 29, 2018 7:12 AM AT 

People gathered outside Fredericton City Hall on Monday to voice concerns over the city's plan to cut down 19 trees in Officers' Square. This was the second rally in three days. (Gary Moore/CBC)



A development that will force 19 trees to be cut down at Officers' Square will continue as planned, Fredericton Mayor Mike O'Brien.

But after a city council meeting Monday night, O'Brien said he also plans to consult with staff to "dig deep" for a way to save some of the trees.

And time is running out.

• Fredericton removing 19 trees from Officers' Square

• Fredericton residents rally to protect downtown trees from destruction

• Officers' Square in Fredericton about to get $8.9M facelift

"Is there a way to save a couple trees?… I can't promise that, but I know they'll be looking hard to see if there's an opportunity."

The removal coincides with a planned revitalization of Officers' Square in the next four years. Most of the trees that will be cut down are beside the wall along Officers' Square, and vary in age.

Before the council meeting, a crowd gathered on the steps of City Hall to voice concerns about losing the trees.

Irresponsible representation

Inside, frustration continued to grow throughout the evening.

When council denied a motion to add an item to the agenda — which would have delayed work to the heritage site — Lily Smallwood shouted from the upper level, "irresponsible representation" to the mayor and council.

Protesters wrap Officer's Square trees in blankets

00:00 00:53

A development that will force 19 trees to be cut down at Officers' Square will continue as planned, the mayor of Fredericton says. 0:53

At the same time, close to 100 other people erupted with anger, forcing the mayor and council to clear the chamber for several minutes.

Lily Smallwood and her son James Gwathmey were in the gallery during Monday's council meeting. (Gary Moore/CBC)

"We weren't asking them to make a decision right now, we were asking them to talk about it," said Smallwood, who attended the city council meeting with her son, James Gwathmey.

The public was hoping council would reconsider its decision to cut down the 19 trees at Officers' Square in coming months.

This was the second gathering of its kind from the public in just a few days.

Over the weekend, dozens of residents gathered in Officers' Square to protest against the city's plans to chop down the trees.

Not enough public consultation

At the meeting, Coun. Kate Rogers made the request to give city staff a chance to re-examine the construction plans and look at ways to save the trees.

Rogers said not enough public consultation was done on the Officers' Square project.

Coun. Kate Rogers said the public wasn't properly consulted on plans to cut down the trees in Officers' Square. (Gary Moore/CBC)

If council agreed to halt the project, she said, it would take staff only two or three weeks to consider alternative plans that could save the trees.

"To me it's our responsibility as elected officials to respond to the interests of our constituents," Rogers said to reporters after the meeting.

"There was clearly a desire amongst our constituency to have a further discussion on this."
O'Brien said he doesn't know what day the first tree is scheduled to come down, but said it will be soon. 

About the Author

Gary Moore

CBC News

Gary Moore recently moved from Corner Brook, NL to join the CBC team in Fredericton. He's an associate producer with Information Morning.

Tree commission chair urges Fredericton to hold off on Officers' Square project

City plans to cut down 19 trees at square and didn't consult its tree advisory group until 2 weeks ago

Elizabeth Fraser · CBC News · Posted: May 28, 2018 11:19 AM AT

Nineteen trees are expected to be cut down in coming weeks and months to make room for new development in Fredericton's Officers' Square. (Philip Drost/CBC News)



A commission set up to help manage and protect Fredericton trees wants the city to delay a project that will remove all but four trees from Officers' Square this summer.

The Fredericton Tree Commission only learned from city staff about two weeks ago about plans to take down 19 trees at the downtown gathering and performance space, said Sarah Weatherby, chair of the advisory group.

"They've been working on the plan for about four years," Weatherby said Monday. "And two weeks ago that was the first time that we were involved.

• Fredericton removing 19 trees from Officers' Square 
• Fredericton residents rally to protect downtown trees from destruction

"That was the first time we had heard just how many trees were actually being removed. It was a bit of a shocker."

The tree removal could start as early as this week, with eight trees on the block.

The removal coincides with a planned revitalization of Officers' Square in the next four years. Most of the trees to disappear are beside the wall along Officers' Square, and they vary in age.

Sometimes with these new developments, we're losing sight of what's really important.- Sarah Weatherby , tree commission

Greg McCann, a project engineer with the city, said earlier that the 19 trees won't survive a sizeable construction project planned for Point St. Anne Boulevard this year.

Coun. Greg Ericson, who is council's representative on the tree commission, said that although the chair and some members of the commission were never briefed on the Officers' Square plan, at least two members — two city staffers on the committee —  knew about it for years.

He cited a communication problem but couldn't say why the collaboration with the commission, which would be expected on such projects, didn't happen.

The group will meet Thursday night to "straighten things out" and discuss how it should proceed as a group with respect to a stance on the tree-removal issue.

Mayor Mike O'Brien also planned to raise the issue at Monday's council meeting.
"The larger part is still off into the future," said Ericson.

The planned makeover for the square includes an oval skating track around the outside of the lawn, a performance stage, playground, and food and beverage area.

The city said it will eventually plant 40 trees in the area, a majority of them elms.

Construction season has begun in Fredericton

00:00 01:43

 

There are 22 major construction projects taking place in Fredericton this summer, which will cost more than $30 million. 1:43

When the removal is finished, four trees will be left standing at Officers' Square.

"I did feel a little bulldozed," said Weatherby, who has been a part of the commission for four years.
"They [city] definitely weren't coming to talk to us about our advice … they were telling us, 'This is what's happening and why.'"

At that meeting, the commission made recommendations to city staff, including using a tree spade — a giant shovel — to remove some of the trees along the wall in the square to a new location.
But Weatherby said she's hoping the city will hold off on the upgrades altogether and assess the real need for them.

After discovering 19 trees will be cut down in Officers' Square, Sarah Weatherby, chair of Fredericton's tree commission, is hopeful the city will rethink its development plans for the area. (CBC)

"I really think they need to rethink the development," she said.

In the past, she said, the tree commission has been contacted early on by the city about plans involving trees.

"This is a fairly big development," she said. "But we were definitely brought in quite late in the game."

Public not impressed

Over the weekend, dozens of residents gathered in Officers' Square to protest against the city's plans to chop down the trees.

Protesters argued the loss of trees will destroy the history and beauty of the park.

O'Brien said he couldn't commit to anything except a promise to take the protesters' comments back to council and staff for a discussion about whether anything can be done.

Protesters gathered in Officers' Square on Saturday to send a message they want the trees saved. (Sarah Petz/CBC )

Weatherby applauded the public's passion for keeping the trees and its efforts to put pressure on council.

She said the trees provide more than just shade. They lower heating and cooling costs, they take away pollution from the air, reduce storm-water runoff and sway people to spend more time in the downtown, which is good for the city economy.

The commission will meet with the city in July to discuss the new trees being planted and other suggestions.

"Sometimes with these new developments, we're losing sight of what's really important," Weatherby said. "The trees are an important part of the infrastructure downtown."

With files from Information Morning Fredericton