Officers' Square reopens in downtown Fredericton after years of construction

Six years of sometimes controversial transformation came to an end in downtown Fredericton on Friday evening as a large crowd came to Officers' Square for its long-awaited reopening. 

The historic public plaza has been under renovation since 2018, and is now the home of a skating rink in the winter and  a gathering place during warmer months.

Dignitaries from the city, province and Wolastoqey Nation joined a crowd of more than 500 people on a warm, sunny evening to kick off a weekend of festivities in honour of the new space.

With performances from the Muskrat Singers drum circle, Wolastoqiyik Dancers and Sisters of the Drum, the opening ceremony reflected a strong theme of friendship and collaboration between the city and First Nations.

"I want to thank Mayor Kate [Rogers] and city council members for building those relationships with us," Sitansisk First Nation Chief Allan Polchies told the crowd.

"But more importantly, building the relationship with this whole city. This project here took a few years, takes time because you've got to collaborate with the residents."

The project has not been without controversy and pauses in work. Activists called on the city to drop the project altogether in the beginning, even wrapping trees in blankets to protest their removal. 

Construction workers also dug up British, Acadian and Indigenous artifacts.

Wolastoqey Grand Chief Ron Tremblay told the crowd the relationship between his nation and the city hasn't always been positive. 

"At the beginning, we were opposed to the building of this here," Tremblay said. He explained that the previous mayor and council didn't consult with First Nations.

"That's what we were concerned about, if they found any remains or any tools that our people used way back when," Tremblay said. 

But when Mayor Kate Rogers and her council created a liaison position to go between the city and First Nations, the attitude changed, he said.

"Thanks for building this continuous relationship," Tremblay said.

In an interview with Information Morning Fredericton on Friday, Rogers said the opening of the square feels like an  accomplishment.