Fredericton
Fredericton is the provincial capital of
New Brunswick with a busy commercial district, quiet residential areas, elegant elms that shade wonderfully maintained Victorian and Georgian houses, and a cityscape of green areas and church spires. The St John River runs past the governmental edifices and the buildings of the
university, with river banks dotted with playing fields, walking paths, fountains, willows, and tall elms. The locals know this beautiful riverfront parkland as ‘The Green’.
The Maliseet and Mi'kmaq people first used the area of Fredericton for seasonal farming of corn. The principle village of the Aboriginal tribes, Aucpaque was situated just several miles upriver from what is the present day city of Fredericton. The capital of New Brunswick was founded by the Acadians in 1732 under the name Sainte-Pointe-Anne. In 1759, the British took over, drove away the Acadians, and burnt the town to the ground. United Empire Loyalists settled in the area in 1783 but left in the spring, taking up land grants in different parts of the countryside. With the establishment of New Brunswick as a separate colony, Fredericton became the capital of the province. In 1788, a building was erected for the legislative assembly but destroyed in a fire just 2 years later. The new building of the Legislature building was completed in 1783.
Today, the
economy of the city is stable thanks to the government sector, increased enrollment at the University of New Brunswick, and investment in IT infrastructure. In 2009, the city’s income from tourism was more than $212 million and was visited by close to 1.3 million tourists. As for the local population, Fredericton has 50,535 residents of White, mixed race, Afro, Asian, and Chinese origin. More than half of the population is Catholic. Over 17 percent of the resident population perceives itself as non-religious.
Situated on the St John River, the city is spread over sloping hills on both river banks. At 17m above sea level, Fredericton lies in the Pennsylvanian Basin. The surrounding area is rich in arable soil and water resources, making the region the ideal place for agriculture. The climate in Fredericton is humid continental and milder in comparison to most of
Canada. The median daily temperature in January is -16°C while the temperature in July reaches 26°C. Rainstorms such as hurricanes and blizzards are uncommon in contrast to many coastal cities.
Visitors of Fredericton will enjoy its good quality and inviting restaurants. Dimitri’ Souvlaki offers Greek cuisine with vegetarian options and tavern classics. Visitors may enjoy their meals on the rooftop patio. Chez Raz is another excellent lunch venue where visitors may try delicious tandori chicken and other Eastern treats. Among the must see landmarks are the Old Government House, the Loyalist Cemetery, New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, the Beaverbrook Gallery, a prestigious gallery featuring the Fountain of Indolence by Turner and Santiago el Grande by Dali, and the interactive science museum Science East. The town has a number of well-maintained parks such as Reading Park, Officer’s Square, Odell Park, Queen Square Park, and naturally, The Green.