A Martime's View

Moncton.. Boot and River and Hockey. Well, News over the last weeks in the Moncton Area has been about these three major things.. Look at that beautiful blue water of the Petitcodiac River.

And with the causeway open for only a month or so it is clear to see the muddy color of the river changing to a more beautiful site along the banks of Moncton. Probably, the color or when the larger ships docked on the Moncton River edge. Bravo.. Nature has won one battle against Man.

The boot, or Wheel Clamp has capture cars all spring, and opinion about the device and its legal argument has been discussed on the radio and in the newspapers. Where private parking lots in the downtown area have been using the Boot and car owners charged $75 to get it removed; everyone has had their stories. Almost every day there has been something, from Lawyers in Fredericton (N.B.'s Capital) and Moncton declaring it as illegal; to the Riverview, the hub-city twin, wanting to pass an Municipal bylaw which bans the boot. Latest, has been a Downtown organization concern with the effect such parking problems with have on summer tourist; creating signs for all private Parking Lots.

Then there has been the Hockey finals. Montreal in the Stanley Cup has found a lot of support in this Acadian city with two and three MC banners flying from cars. But most hockey attention has gone to the Moncton's Quebec Major Junior Hockey
League, the "TigerCats". After having won the Eastern division against the St-John (NB) Dogs, they are now fighting for the Memorial Cup in Brandon Man. Here the four top teams, each winning their regional finals fight for the 2010 Memorial Cup. Tonight's Brandon Wheat Kings and last years cup winner, Windsor Spitfires start play; with Moncton Wildcats meeting the Calgary Hitman tomorrow.

But my biggest excitement is the Petitcodiac River which I remember from my youth as a major attraction. I knew the Magnetic Hill and was happy to see with all the development there with Zoo, Concert area and Tourist attractions has not changed the Hill. You can still without charge, drive your car to the hill and allow it to roll back up the hill. But where it is normal for me and my companion to go down to the Petitcodiac along the edge of downtown Moncton and watch the Tidal Bore Arrival. It has always been a muddy river, whether downtown or up one of the inlets. Today, the Tidal Bore is higher and in today's paper we have a photo from up river where the river water is blue. Yes Blue...!!! One says we are seeing History as these changes occur. It is good to see the difference in water level, the tidal Bore size, but even greater is the excitement of the fish which are being found in the river.

I can remember as a child in Springhill walking back from Oxford with fishing rods full with Gaspereau caught on the river there. It is a bony fish but about 12 to 18 inches long and does it migration at this time of the river. To those who may have in the old days saw the waters black with Salmons now the Gaspereau will do the same migration treat. Every kid deserve the excitement of a Jigged Gaspereau running up and down the stream or river. If my daughter has experienced that in their youth instead of pond trout fishing; they might still be interested in the outdoors activity.

A ceux qui peuvent avoir dans les vieux jours a vu les rivieres noir avec avec Saumons maintenant le Gaspereau fera le même plaisir, avec leurs migration. Chaque enfant mérite l'agitation d'un Gaspereau sur leur ligne et le laisse accumuler en haut et en bas le ruisseau ou as la rivière. Si mes filles a éprouvé cela dans leur jeunesse, au lieu de leur pêche à la truite; ils pourraient être toujours intéressés dans l'activité de plein air.