(Redirected from Oromocto)
'Oromocto' (
2001 pop.: 8,843) is a
Canadian town in
Sunbury County,
New Brunswick.
The town is located on the west bank of the
Saint John River at the mouth of the
Oromocto River, approximately 20 kilometres southeast of
Fredericton. The town's name is derived from the name of the Oromocto River; "oromocto" is thought to have originated from the
Maliseet word ''welamooktook'' which means "good river".
Oromocto was originally a
shipbuilding town in the
19th century, but went into decline after the industry closed. It remained a small hamlet until it was selected as the headquarters for a large military training area, in the early
1950s. The
Gagetown Military Camp (Camp Gagetown) opened in
1955 as the largest military reservation in the
Commonwealth of Nations at the time.
Oromocto underwent a major transformation during this time as it was designed to be a "model town". It was considered to be at the forefront of such efforts in Canada, along with locations such as
Richmond Hill, Ontario and
Nepean, Ontario. Today, Oromocto's entire economy is dominated by
CFB Gagetown.
The town's location in the Saint John River valley provides lush vegetation and an attractive waterfront on both rivers. A small park and marina occupy an area on the Oromocto River waterfront near the "downtown".
Canadian National Railway abandoned its railway line which ran through the town to CFB Gagetown in March
1996. Today, this railway right-of-way has been developed as a recreational trail and is part of the "Sentier NB Trail" network. This particular portion of the Sentier NB Trail between
Fredericton-Oromocto-
Burton also hosts the
Trans-Canada Trail.
External links
★
Town of Oromocto - official website
★
Oromocto Watershed Association Inc.