Saint John pedway reopens following extended closure

After being closed for eight months, the Saint John, N.B., pedway system is reopened for pedestrians uptown.

The connection between Market Square and Brunswick Square had been closed since early April. During that time a pair of escalators were removed in favour of stairs, with a second elevator added to assist those with mobility issues. There have also been improvements to the upper lobby and skylight area.

The space was slated to reopened at the end of October, but wad delayed due to various issues. The project cost approximately $1.7 million. 

Mayor Donna Reardon is happy to see the vital footpath reopened for uptown pedestrians and admits the importance of the pedway was noticed during its closure.

“You don't miss the water as they say until the well runs dry,” mayor Reardon uses as an analogy to the pedways importance. “So many people use it especially now that with the winter getting colder.”

While the pedway is open for use, it is still not complete. Glass along the railings will still need to be installed in the weeks ahead as material arrives, with plywood holding its place in the meantime. While the newly installed elevator is available for users, the pedway’s existing elevator is still undergoing work.

The mayor says the city thought about keeping the area closed until everything was 100 per cent complete but decided to open now to make getting around uptown a little easier.

“Once you have a Pedway, you can never get rid of it,” says the mayor. “It becomes so convenient for people in the wintertime. It's safe, it’s not icy to cross, so it’s a great asset to have.”

Mayor Reardon says the pedway has played key roles in attracting events to the city thank to its indoor connections between a number of key locations uptown, including the Delta and Hilton hotels, TD Station, and the Saint John City Market.

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