Goals and Strategies
Revitalizing Our Community
The RRCA represents residents of the area from the point at which Bay Street becomes Westfield Road to the Grand Bay-Westfield / Saint John boundary. This is roughly 8 KM of community along the Westfield Road. Approximately 5000 people live in 1000 homes in this area.
Short Term goal: Safe passage for pedestrians and vehicles on Westfield Road
This item is the highest immediate priority for the community. The community has been working with Councillors and Staff of the City of Saint John for several years to develop a plan. A design plan for the entire road was financed by the City and completed in 2008 by the Terrain Group.
The Terrain Group has also completed a detailed design of the "Suicide Corner" section from Acamac Backland Road to Belmont. Construction is now underway.
The RRCA established the following recommendations in cooperation with the City staff and Terrain:
a. Replace two bridges that are too narrow to permit safe walking
b. Re-design the intersection at the River Road Coop
c. Design for safe pedestrian and cycling passage along the entire road length
d. Road design that conforms to contemporary road standards
e. Safe access for community mail boxes and busses
In order to achieve these characteristics, the Terrain Group has determined and the City has agreed that the complete roadway requires re-design and re-construction.
Short Term goal: Community improvement
The community will work to improve the overall look and feel of the Westfield Road. Efforts underway include:
a. Community (managed) gardens to be built into the new road work
b. Provisions for community markers to be built into the design of the new road work. These markers will coincide with Mail Box locations
Short Term goal: Strong Community Associations
In addition to the RRCA, which encompasses the community as a whole, community associations include:
a. Ketepec, Belmont, Morna Outing Association (KBM)
b. Crane Mountain Enhancement, Inc. (CMEI)
c. Active Transportation Saint John/Active Transportation Grand Bay/Westfield (ATSJ / ATGBW)
Community members are active in these and other associations, with common goals to re-vitalize this area along the St. John River.
Short Term goal: Support Nature Trust preservation of "Blueberry Hill" property, Martinon
The RRCA supports the efforts of NB Nature Trust to acquire and protect the land behind Workplace Health Safety and Compensation NB for the purposes of land preservation / park.
Long Term goal: Sewage Treatment
The RRCA considers sewage treatment to be vital to the growth, health and wellbeing of our community.
Long Term goal: Water
Densely populated areas along the Westfield Road require a water strategy that will ensure a safe and clean water supply for the long term.
Long Term goal: Landfill Monitoring
This is a tandem item with the long term goal of having a water strategy. The RRCA will continue to work closely with CMEI towards understanding the potential effects of the landfill.
The RRCA’s position is that the landfill management should focus efforts on the following:
a. Modelling ground water flow
b. Monitoring and trending water quality in landfill and community wells
Strategies
In order to accomplish an improved community, an overall community plan should be formulated and well understood by all stakeholders. Whereas the City of Saint John should help create and maintain the strategy, other stakeholders have a strong interest in the enhancement of this community along the Westfield Road.
In addition to the City of Saint John, stakeholders for the area include:
a. The Province of New Brunswick
b. The federal government
c. NB Tourism (as it is part of the lower River Valley)
d. The town of Grand Bay-Westfield (as a transportation route)
e. Community members--South Bay through Martinon