The City of Fredericton announced on Friday (Jan. 10) that a Request for Proposals (RFP) has been issued to hire a professional planning firm to assist in the creation of a site development plan for the land at Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. (NBEX), home of Fredericton Raceway.

The RPF is being distributed by the Joint Land Development Committee, appointed by the City and NBEX, to oversee the creation and execution of a plan for the 12.5-hectare (31-acre) property in Downtown Fredericton. Qualified applicants are asked to submit a proposal by 3 p.m. on January 31, 2020.

Following the closure of the RFP, the committee will evaluate the proposals and select the most qualified consultant to undertake the development of the site plan. Public engagement will be required as part of the planning process. In addition, the plan should align with the following principles:

• Will contribute to the sustainability and evolution of the NBEX at the current location
• Will maximize the value of the site to the City of Fredericton and further define development uses compatible with adjacent land uses as outlined in the City’s Municipal Plan
• Will reflect community development values from a diversity of perspectives and promote universal design to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities
• Will support other City and NBEX plans, initiatives or priorities, (e.g. transit service, parking, City Centre planning)
• Will be environmentally friendly and not increase the potential for climate derived problems in the City (e.g. localized flooding)

“The Exhibition Grounds holds much potential for development, both for the future of the NBEX, as well as the needs of a growing community,” said Mike Vokey, NBEX CEO and interim Co-Chair of the Joint Land Development Committee. “The goal is to have the plan finalized and ready for approval by both the City and NBEX sometime later in 2020.”

“The Land Development Committee has met regularly since last Fall to develop the RFP,” said Jeff Trail, Deputy CAO, City of Fredericton and interim Co-Chair of the Joint Land Development Committee. “The Committee remains optimistic that a plan will be developed that not only reflects the aspirations of both the City and NBEX, but the community as a whole.”

For more about the Joint Land Development Committee and its mandate, as well as to see the RPF, visit the City website at www.fredericton.ca and search NBEX Land Development Committee.

About the NBEX Land Development Committee

It was announced on February 25, 2019 that the NBEX and the City of Fredericton would be entering into a new era of collaboration with the signing of a Letter of Intent to cement their commitment to working as equal partners in the future development of the NBEX site.

That announcement identified that a joint Land Development Committee would be established with the goal of exploring development options for the site. The call for interested city residents to fill vacancies on the committee was issued April 15, 2019. The committee appointments were finalized in July 2019.

The committee has been meeting since that time to determine a plan of action to create and execute a Site Development Plan for the property.

(With files from City of Fredericton)