Issue 69 February / March 2020 sjcommunitynewspaper@gmail.com Published six times a year by the Saint John Human Development Council
Bike Share Program Expands to West Side
Civic Tech is now in Saint John!
Civic Tech Saint John’s launch drew an appreciative and diverse crowd for project pitches, pizza, and great conversations (Photo: Heather Acker)
By Lorna Brown, Editor, Around the Block
CCC volunteers receive their first shipment of bikes. Left to right: Wayne King, SJBS tech; Zach Northrup and Mike Roberts, CCC volunteers; Ann Barrett, CVRC board president. (Photo: CRVC)
By Anne Driscoll, Crescent Valley Resource Centre (CRVC) The Saint John Bike Share program (SJBS), based at the Crescent Valley Resource Centre, is branching out again. After expanding the program to the Waterloo Village area, the active transportation program now has a satellite service at the Carleton Community Centre (CCC) in the Lower West Side of Saint John. Volunteers from the CCC will work with the SJBS to repair and maintain bikes for West Siders. “This is a fantastic opportunity for families in our neighbourhood. People often forget about how isolated the Lower West Side can be; introducing this program is a small step to remedying that,” said Dustin Leclerc, Director of the CCC. “We’re excited to be partnering with Crescent Valley to bring this amazing program to local residents this spring.” Anyone interested in volunteering with this program should call the CCC, 658-2920. A special thank you to Mike Roberts for leading this project.
Proud Sponsors of Around The Block
Civic Tech Saint John launched with a bang on January 28th, 2020 at ConnexionWorks! More than 40 people showed up to learn how they can both help and have fun addressing community challenges together. Huge thanks to Pomodori Pizzeria and Moosehead Breweries for the treats! Civic Tech is “Technology for Social Good.” It connects people to work as volunteers on solutions to community challenges, to make Saint John a better and better place to be. We had all ages; men and women; community organizations with challenges to present and software developers and data analysts with the skills to help them; long-time “Johners” and many newcomers! Civic Tech Saint John is a community having a weekly conversation in which everybody is welcome. Email us at civictechsaintjohn@gmail.com or just drop in sometimes, any Tuesday at 6:30 pm at ConnexionWorks, 1 Germain Street, 3rd floor (unless the schools are closed for a storm day). Do you believe that if we want a great community, it’s not enough just to vote and pay your taxes? If so, come join us! Civic Tech - it’s not a commitment, it’s a community!
From the Editor’s desk Lorna Brown,
(506) 647- 4850, sjcommunitynewspaper@gmail.com It was very cheering to read about the bike program expansion to the Lower West Side - a real example of people helping people, a good idea that has moved to several neighbourhoods. Around the Block has always celebrated the people of the priority neighbourhoods and how they help those around them. If you are a regular reader you will have noticed over the last year that we have moved away from themed issues such as Safety or Strong Women, to give you a greater variety of stories to read. But we have always had, and always will have, one ongoing theme: good news from our communities. And any time is a good time to read great news about strong women or a successful move from education to employment. Contact your neighbourhood association if you have a story you think it is important to share. The other thing you probably notice is more articles and interviews about serious issues. The latest Child Poverty Report Card contains some sobering numbers; it is disheartening to see one child in five living in poverty as an improvement. That’s only because thirty years ago it was one in four. The Human Development Council’s recommendations to government (page 12) are a positive - and there is hope. The Canada Child Benefit has made a huge difference; increasing it would lift even more children out of poverty. Keep the conversation going in your neighbourhood. When we listen to all voices and then speak as one, loudly, things can change! Page 1