Province Commits $50-Million to New Museum in Uptown Saint John
SAINT JOHN – The provincial government will contribute $50-million toward the construction of a new museum in uptown Saint John, the premier announced this afternoon at the New Brunswick Museum Collection Centre on Douglas Avenue.
“The New Brunswick Museum promotes culture and our important tourism industry,” said Brian Gallant. “It attracts upwards of 100,000 people annually between its two facilities. It is for these reasons your government is committed to the construction of a new, state-of-the-art museum that will bring all components of the New Brunswick Museum under one roof.”
Nancy Tissington, executive director of Uptown Saint John, was delighted by the news that the new museum will be in the city centre.
“It’s another anchor for the uptown,” she said in a phone interview. “It will help us draw more tourists and residents into the [core of the city].”
Tissington, the former executive director of the Spring Garden Area Business Association in Halifax, said the development will lead to more private-sector developments in the area. She said this happened in downtown Halifax after the new library was constructed on Spring Garden Road.
“When you have an investment like that, it has a domino effect,” she said “[The new Halifax library] spurred development. It was incredible to see the cranes that popped up in that area.”
A site hasn’t been selected yet, and additional funding will be needed from the federal government and the private sector. The province said it hopes to begin site work in the spring of 2018.
Tissington said the building design will be an important component of the project.
“We all have an idea of what’s housed in a museum,” she said. “It’s how well we do the building.”
The Market Square location in uptown Saint John is currently home to the museum exhibits and activities that are open to the public.
The province said it recognizes the heritage value of the museum’s Douglas Avenue property and will work with partners to find a new purpose for the building. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is doing repairs to the building to ensure its longevity.