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'Riverview' is a town in south-eastern New Brunswick, Canada located on the south side of the Petitcodiac River, opposite the much larger city of Moncton. Riverview is located in Albert County, New Brunswick. It has an area of and a population density of .

Contents

Municipal status

River crossings

The Causeway controversy

Landmarks

Schools

Further reading

External links

Municipal status

As of the 2006 census it had a population of 17,832. Although this population is sufficient for Riverview to petition the province to be reclassified as a city, the municipal government has opted to remain as a town. This is partly because New Brunswick requires that all cities be officially bilingual. Riverview is 94% anglophone, and there is resistance amongst the populace to taking on this requirement. Riverview also is a bedroom community and has a limited commercial and industrial tax base; these are additional obstacles to attaining city status. Riverview continues to grow however, and with the addition of the new four-lane Gunningsville Bridge connecting directly to Moncton's downtown, Riverview is likely to remain New Brunswick's largest "town".

River crossings

Riverview is connected to the rest of Greater Moncton (which is made up of Riverview, Dieppe, and Moncton) by the three-lane Riverview Causeway and by a new four-lane Gunningsville Bridge (opened in the fall of 2005).

The Causeway controversy

The Riverview Causeway, built in 1968, is, and has been, a subject of much controversy over the years. At one time, the Petitcodiac River, which is a tidal river located at the top end of the Bay of Fundy, enjoyed an impressive tidal bore. However, after the construction of the causeway, silt gradually began to fill in much of the river. The silting process in the river is due the twice daily flow of the tide. The construction of the causeway hassened the proceess. The tidal bore that flows twice daily up the river is barely a few inches in height,is still a somewhat popular tourist attraction.
There is a misconception that the tidal bore was impressive. In fact, it was rarely anything more that a small wave. The tidal flow in and out of the river, kept the waterchurned up gave it a brown muddy appearance.
The supporter of the compaign to remove the causeway are claiming that it will restore salmon populations to the river. However, studies have shown that the salmon population is in decline throughout all the rivers that flow into the Bay of Funday and the decline in salmon in the Petticoriac River is not because of the causeway.
The controversy revolves primarily around the future of Lake Petitcodiac. This body of water was formed above the causeway when it blocked the normal flow of the river. Some groups would prefer to see the causeway gates opened. They clain that doing this would gradually return the river to the way it once was. Other groups dispute this claim, and want to see the gates remain closed, because opening the gates would drain the lake, destroying its recreational value and lowering the land value of current lakeside properties.
Another aspect to the lake is that is now is a thrieving, stable ecosystem and home to a diverse variety of fish and birds. To removal of the causeway will distroy this ecosyatem
Two landfills were also situated on the Moncton side of the river, and there is some concern that dangerous substances could potentially leach into the river, especially if the gates were opened, and the silt flushed down river.
The projected cost of removing the causeway is $68,000,000. This estimate is now 3 years old and the actual cost is expected to be much higher.
The town of riverview is on record as opposing to the removal of the causeway and the loss of the lake.

Landmarks

★ Byron Dobson Arena

★ Riverview Town Hall and Library

★ Moncton Golf and Country Club

★ Dobson Trail

Schools

★ Claude D. Taylor Elementary

★ Frank L. Bowser Elementary

★ Gunningsville Elementary

★ Lower Coverdale Elementary

★ West Riverview Elementary

★ Riverview Middle School

★ Riverview High School

Further reading

★ C. A Pincombe and Helen Renouf, eds., ''A History of the Town, Riverview: Amalgamating Bridgedale, Gunningsville, Riverview Heights'', Hantsport: Lancelot Press, 1986.

External links

★ Riverview Town Portal

★ Town Map

★ News, Businesses, Events in Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

★ Google Map