Used shipping containers will be turned into 'vendor village' on Saint John, N.B., waterfront
The stage is being set for a new development along the Saint John, N.B., waterfront from the team behind the Area 506 music festival, which would see shipping containers repurposed into a permanent vendor village.
The property, owned by the Port of Saint John, is located alongside the Marco Polo cruise ship terminal on Water Street – it was formerly being used as a parking lot – and will soon be the site more than 60 shipping containers.
"The idea is really starting to become a reality," says Area 506 logistics and operations director Darcy Leblanc. "The ground is breaking for all the infrastructure that has to happen underground – all the power and electrical."
It's a familiar concept for those who have attended the Area 506 music festival – container villages have been part of the programming since its inception back in 2016.
"The shipping container itself is such a critical part of the DNA of Area 506," says Area 506 founder and chairperson Ray Gracewood. "I think right here on the Saint John waterfront, being a port city, it's always been the thing that has set us up as a different kind of event."
They're now accepting expressions of interest for vendors for the site and Gracewood says when it comes to what type – they're casting as "wide a net as possible" and looking for a diverse range.
"Our mandate is to make sure we're populated enough with local products," he says, "so specifically New Brunswick and Maritime-based products – but also national retailers, services, local arts and crafts, galleries … also food and beverage is a big one for us."
The container village is expected to open in June of next year, and organizers say the idea is to mirror the local cruise ship schedules.
"It's going to be something exciting for the cruise ship passengers to come and see as they embark off the cruise," says Leblanc. "Tourists and our local community really have not had a chance to really visit and experience something like this."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it's too late
Christine Roess is a retired consultant. Ezra Bozeman has spent the last 49 years in prison, serving a life sentence for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Against the odds, the two fell in love.