🔦 Safety walks in Monday

Good Morning Saint John! On this day in 1926, Saint John’s own Charles Champ Gorman became World Speedskating Champion on Lily Lake. And in 2026, it’s cold enough outside or inside the rink named after him to finally understand what that race must have felt like. 🥶⛸️

Here’s what we’re carving into today:

Let’s get it!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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🦺 Safety team hits the street Monday

You’ll start seeing a new uniformed presence in Uptown, Waterloo Village, and near local shelters next week as the city’s Community Safety Services team begins patrols Monday. The privately staffed, non-police team is focused on nuisance issues, accessibility, and de-escalation, not arrests. 

During Monday’s council meeting, city staff stressed, “They’re not police. They do not investigate crimes and they do not detain people.” Patrol hours ramp up quickly, reaching 24/7 coverage by week four. Council support was there, but not without side-eye over police staffing levels and questions about cost and communication.

🏗️ RICC funding gets its formal yes

Rothesay council is holding a special meeting this morning, and it’s a short one with a clear purpose: officially accepting the funding agreement tied to the new Rothesay Intergenerational Community Complex. The meeting centres on a Regional Development Corporation agreement connected to the province’s $6 million commitment toward the project, which will incorporate a renovated Rothesay Arena and add new community space, including a walking track.

🍺 A Saint John love story

File this under things that could only happen here…a Saint John couple just traced their 25-year marriage back to a beer label at the old 3 Mile Pub. Back in 1996, Ron Savoie scribbled his phone number on the back of a Moosehead Breweries label, slid it across the table, and hoped for the best. She called. They married. They’re still together. The label turns 30 this year.

One commenter suggested this may have been a local mating ritual in the 90s, involving skin tickets passed like love notes. Cue the Gen-Z groan…

🩺 A vote coming back to health care boards

After a few years of being fully appointed, the province is planning to bring elected members back onto New Brunswick’s regional health authority boards. New legislation is coming that would expand board membership and restore elected representation, with consultations starting soon and an eye on the 2030 election cycle.

Elected members were removed from health authority boards in 2022 and replaced with appointed boards in 2023. A recent court ruling found that process didn’t properly consider Charter rights, which helped kick this whole rethink into motion. With health care at the top of the priority list with New Brunswickers, governance is getting another reset, and voters will eventually have a say again.

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Post-Holiday Cleaning Lunch and Learn | January 30
A midday, low-pressure session for anyone ready to reset their space after the holidays. This casual lunch-and-learn shares practical winter cleaning tips, budget-friendly tricks using what you already have, and a few ideas to make the process less painful. Runs Friday at 12:15pm at the Main Branch of the Saint John Free Public Library. No registration required.

Firehall Pond Hockey Rivalry | January 31
A classic winter matchup with bragging rights on the line. The Welsford Volunteer Fire Department faces off against Grand Bay–Westfield Fire-Rescue in their third annual outdoor pond hockey game. Expect friendly rivalry, cold air, and plenty of hometown cheering as two local departments battle it out on the ice. Puck drops Saturday at 1pm at the Welsford Rink on Woods Lane.

Paws & Polaroids | February 1
McKinley & Company Real Estate hosts a pet photo day ahead of Valentine’s Day. Book a time slot, bring your furry friend, and receive your photos in time for the holiday. Runs from 10am–2pm at 154 Hampton Rd. in Rothesay.

Rising Tide Toastmasters Weekly Meetings | February
Rising Tide Toastmasters is holding its weekly Tuesday morning meetings at the YMCA on Churchill Boulevard throughout the month of February. Guests are always welcome to drop in, listen, and see how meetings run in a relaxed, supportive setting. Meetings run from 7:15am–8:30am and focus on building confidence, communication, and leadership skills that carry well beyond the meeting room.

Rocmaura Curling Fun Spiel | February 7
A friendly curling day with a good cause behind it. Teams are invited to throw a few rocks and play four ends at the Carleton Curling Club, with lunch included and plenty of side fun along the way. Expect a relaxed atmosphere, silent and live auctions, a 50/50 draw, and lots of laughs, all in support of residents at Rocmaura Nursing Home. Entry is $50 per team and space is limited. Register by emailing [email protected]

_{^{*Nothing in this section is sponsored, just things you need to know. We’ll always let you know if items are sponsored.}}

Watch this spot each Wednesday for a random snap from somewhere in the Saint John Region. Where are we? Only true locals will know the answer. Some interesting looking rings here…do you know where they’re located? If so, hit reply and give it your best guess. We’ll reveal the location and correct answers in Friday’s issue.

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🌅 7:49am | 🌇 5:25pm

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who can skate like the wind 💨.

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher