Fredericton, New Brunswick: the Award Wining Capitol of New Brunswick… A Beautiful Journey along the St John River

By: Lise Elsliger

Imagine this. It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon and the leaves are turning brown. You are walking on the path along the beautiful St-John River along the picturesque capital city of Fredericton. Known for its elm trees and calm natural settings, you might stop for a canoe trip and have a back to nature experience. For example, you can join “Ecological adventures Inc” for guided kayak and canoeing tours down the St-John River. They also have Day Camps, historical tours, nature tours, bicycle tours and Canoe Voyager Tours.

So what is Fredericton all about? As the capitol of a province that has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, Fredericton will offer you a taste of all that New Brunswick is known for, be it nature, heritage, technology or the arts. You can make it a back to nature journey by hiking by land or canoe along the beautiful St John River, or make it a journey back in time into Canadian’s history by visiting King’s Landing, the York Sunbury Museum, or Oromocto’s Military Museums. Be sure to take the time to visit  the Beaverbrook Art Gallery,  the greatest art gallery in Eastern Canada with original works  by artists such as Salvador Dali.

Fredericton is also making a name for itself on the national and international business, technology and cultural scene. It was ranked 3rd in Money Sense Magazines as one of the ten best places to live in Canada, based on criteria such as  unemployment rate,  affordable housing and lifestyle elements such as walking and biking to work. Last January, The City of Fredericton was also chosen as one of  the top 7 list of the smartest communities in the world. On top of that, Fredericton has been designated as a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2009 by the Federal Department of Canadian Heritage. 

Some people come for a day, some to stay a while. Along with its two universities , UNB and St-Thomas, Fredericton is best know for its College of Crafts and Design. Also , since it is the capitol city and that the government department sits here, it’s a great place to work.  People who are living here are pretty happy. Results from the 2007 Citizen Attitude Survey say that Fredericton is “an innovative, successful and vibrant city, whose municipal departments do a good job delivering services and programs to the public”.

Even though some people find the place a little clicky, people who stay and get to know its people fall in love with the place. It’ like having everything, from great shopping, great restaurants, bars and heritage, and culture all in one cozy downtown location.

So let’s see a little of what Fredericton has to offer. …

As we get back to our journey along the river, as you approach the downtown area, your will come across Officer’s Square which is the actual place where Officers lived way back when. It has since been transformed into the York Sunbury Museum, a place that reflects Fredericton’s past and the people, native, Acadian and loyalist, who first lived here. During the summer, the large landscape beside the square features free outdoor concerts of musicians such as ECMA nominee Isaac & Blewett or the Downtown Blues Band. It also hosts international jazz & blues names during the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival.

You can literally spend the whole Saturday downtown, starting with steak and eggs at a local pub for breakfast, then go to the greatest farmers market in the province, visit the heritage sites, then head up to Regent Mall. Then you can spend Sunday visiting locations a little outside of the city, like King’s Landing and Oromocto.  How’s that for a memorable weekend.

So let’s find out more about

York Sunbury Museum

Founded in 1934, it  found permanent headquarters in the Officer's Quarters (571 Queen Street) in  1969, in the very heart of downtown Fredericton. Among its most famous artifacts,  is the famous Coleman Frog,  a 42lb stuffed frog  that is said to have lived in the Killarney Lake just north of Fredericton about 100 years ago.  In the museum you will find a whole set-up of artifacts from Fredericton’s early settlers such as the Mi’kmaq-Maliseet native tribes, the Acadians and the loyalists. You can also learn a bit about native culture, with the biggest collection of native artifacts and pictures around.

As the website says: “The York-Sunbury Museum is a gateway into the exciting history and diverse heritage of central New Brunswick. Because central New Brunswick is where New Brunswick's capital is located, and because it served as a meeting place for Aboriginals, Loyalists, Acadian, and other European settlers, the York Sunbury Museum is an excellent place to start. With over 4000 square feet of exhibit space and a collection of over 30,000 artifacts the museum is a fun and exciting way to look into our past.”

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery

Paris has the Louvre and Fredericton has the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Located along the beautiful St-John River and across from  the Legislative Assembly, it was established in 1959 with funds provided by Lord Beaverbrook. In 1994, the Marion McCain Atlantic Gallery wing was added featuring Atlantic Canadian art through itinerant exhibitions and exhibitions of works of art drawn from the permanent collection of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.

Major Atlantic Canadian artists represented in the permanent collection include Alex Colville and Contemporary Acadian artists such as Francis Coutellier and Roméo Savoie.The Gallery has an extensive collection of paintings by Cornelius Krieghoff(1815-1872) which are permanently on display. Also in the permanent collection are works of art by members of the Group of Seven, and Emily Carr .The Gallery's icon, Salvador Dalí's Santiago el Grande is on permanent display

Boyce Farmer Market  

Everyone in Fredericton goes to the Boyce Farmers' Market on Saturday  morning. There are over 215 vendors of fine local crafts, foods, fresh meats and vegetables, and more.

The actual building was constructed in 1951 but Fredericton has had a long history of the farmers market. It’s great because it’s huge. The place is actually used as a venue during events such as the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival.

The market is located at 665 George Street, Fredericton NB (at the corner of Regent Street and George Street). Free parking for the market may be found on street, in the market parking lot, in the Centennial Building parking lot, or at the Brunswick Street Parking Garage.

Many Wonderful Festivals

You can also attend one of the many festivals held all year round, such as the award winning Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival.  There's the Fredericton River Festival in June, the Highland Games and Scottish Festival in July, the NB Summer Music Festival in August, Dragon Boats and Fine Crafts in September, Canada's first Whiskey and Spirits Festival in October, the Silver Wave Film Festival in November, WinterFest in February, along with many more.

The City's biggest weekend is the third week of September when 350 artists perform more than 130 shows at the nationally-recognized Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival.

To find out more about the Fredericton festivals and Festival Schedules go to http://www.tourismfredericton.ca/en/festivalsentertainment/index.asp.

Odell Park & Odell Arboretum

If you want to take a break during your journey, visit Odell Park is a 175-ha (432-acre), year-round park. Located  within the heart of Fredericton, it has  a duck pond, barbecue pits, picnic tables, a children's playground and a lodge. There are also 16 km (10 mi.) of trails. Some of the trees in the park are more than 400 years old! In the winter, visitors can skate on the outdoor rink, slide down the hills and cross-country ski on groomed trails. The Odell Park Lodge is a popular meeting location.

The park is also home to the Odell Arboretum and New Brunswick Species Collection. Since no natural resource is more present in New Brunswick than the trees that make up our great forests, it is especially fitting that the province's capital city features an arboretum containing all the tree species native to New Brunswick. The 2.8 km (1.7 mi.) arboretum trail winds through the woods past 41 separate sites where individual tree species grow naturally and are identified by interpretive plaques.

A little Bit Outside of Fredericton you will find:

King’s Landing
Visiting Fredericton can mean more than a journey through the capital city. There is also much to be seen in its surrounding community.  Find-out more about the loyalist people who were among the first English community of British descent in the area by visiting the award-winner Kings Landing Historical Settlement in Mactaquac Country (37km away)” The exhibitions at this historical site serve to bring to light the struggles and hardships endured by early settlers in the Fredericton area. Celebrate the music, tales and dance of the people who built Canada performed by over 20 entertainers throughout the settlement

Hazen Park Marina 

For a taste of nature and its beauty visit the picturesque Hazen Park Marina in the nearby town of Oromocto, a result of a 2004 government grant enabling  the town of Oromocto and the Oromocto Boat Club to renovate the old water wharf . This ranked the Marina as a top international boating destination making it the  largest Marina on the St. John River.

Military History in Oromocto

Oromocto itself is well worth the visit. Mayor Fay L Tidd describes the municipality as “CANADA’S MODEL TOWN”, a progressive and prosperous community developed around Canada’s Canadian Forces Base Gagetown; one of the largest military training bases in the Commonwealth. If military history interest you, you can visit CFB Gagetown Military Museum or the CFB Gagetown Military Museum.

Oromocto is basically is a nice little place to visit to spend time near the St-John River, as Mayor Fay explains, it is also “known as a community that is deeply rooted with a very diverse culture and heritage. With a population of about 9,000, we are nestled along the Oromocto and Saint John Rivers. These pristine waterways are among the finest in North America.” You can also catch a game of golf.