Saint John, New Brunswick: Size And All

Saint John, New Brunswick is a seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in Canada. It is the second-largest city in the province, with a population of 69,895 over an area of 315.59 km2 (121.85 sq mi). The city is known for its historic uptown streetscapes, cultural attractions, and natural wonders. The surrounding topography is hilly due to the influence of two coastal mountain ranges, and the city itself has a bustling uptown area with quirky shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Saint John is also home to Canada's third-largest port by tonnage, with a diverse cargo base.

Reversing Falls Rapids

The Reversing Falls Rapids are a series of rapids, whirlpools, waves and white water rapids on the Saint John River in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The river runs through a narrow gorge before colliding with the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world.

The powerful tides of the bay force the flow of water to reverse against the prevailing current when the tide is high. This creates a unique phenomenon, with the river emptying into the bay at low tide, causing a series of rapids and whirlpools. As the tide rises, it slows the river current for a brief period, known as slack tide, before the tide eventually reverses the flow of the river once again. This tide cycle, from low tide to high tide, takes roughly 12 hours.

The Reversing Falls have also been an important industrial site for over a century. The Canadian Pacific Railway constructed the Reversing Falls Railway Bridge in 1885, which was replaced in 1922 and is currently used by the New Brunswick Southern Railway. The location of the falls has been a site of light industrial operations, including a foundry and a pulp mill, with the latter being criticised for its presence at one of Saint John's prime tourism locations.

The Reversing Falls Rapids can be viewed from several locations, including an observation deck at 200 Bridge Road, Fallsview Park, and Wolastoq Park, which offers a bird's-eye view of the waves and whirlpools. To fully appreciate the phenomenon, it is recommended to view the rapids at low tide, high tide, and slack tide. Visitors can also experience the rapids up close through boat tours, jet boat rides, or kayaking, or by taking a zip line adventure.

Irving Nature Park

The Irving Nature Park is a 600-acre (243-hectare) park located on the west side of Saint John, New Brunswick. The park was created by J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) to help protect the environmentally significant area and opened in 1992. It features six different ecosystems, including a forest, a salt marsh estuary, beaches, and a bog, with a diverse array of flora and fauna.

The park offers 11 km (7 mi) of rugged Bay of Fundy coastline to explore, with eight walking trails of varying lengths, a boardwalk that extends into the salt marsh, and a roadway that encircles the park. The park's highest point is the Lookout Tower, which offers a 360-degree view of the land and sea.

The Irving Nature Park is a great place for wildlife lovers, with over 250 species of birds and maritime mammals like whales and seals that can often be spotted offshore. The park also features the Children's Forest, with a playground and mazes, making it a popular destination for families. It is open from early May to mid-October and offers free admission, complimentary parking, and guided tours.

The park is just minutes from downtown Saint John and offers a special glimpse into the various ecosystems of the Southern New Brunswick coastline. It is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike, with its rugged beauty, boardwalks, and lookout points.

Rockwood Park

For those who enjoy camping, Rockwood Park has a campground with a variety of settings, from open RV sites to semi-wooded tenting sites. The park is easily accessible by car, with free parking available, and can also be reached by taking the No. 20 bus to the Arrow Walk Road stop. The property is free to visit at any time, although there may be fees for certain amenities. Dogs are welcome in the park but must be kept on a leash except in the designated fenced dog park.

Historic buildings

Saint John, New Brunswick, is home to several historic buildings, many of which are recognised as National Historic Sites.

The city's name is always written in full as "Saint John" to distinguish it from St. John's in Newfoundland. Saint John was founded in 1783 by Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution, and there are still a few buildings from this time. However, more than half the town was destroyed in a catastrophic fire in 1877, so many of the distinctive buildings date to the Victorian era.

One of the most notable historic buildings in Saint John is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a Gothic-style Catholic cathedral with a spire that rises to 70.1 m (230 ft). Construction on the cathedral began in 1853.

Another important historic site is the Carleton Martello Tower, a War of 1812 masonry tower built in 1813 to protect the port against possible attack from the United States. It is one of only nine of the original 14 Canadian towers to survive.

Other historic buildings in Saint John include:

• Saint John City Hall, a 15-storey office building standing at 55.2 m (181 ft) tall
• Brunswick House, a 14-storey office building
• Irving Building, a 14-storey office building
• Loyalist House, built in 1817 and one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire
• Saint John City Market, the oldest continuing farmer's market in Canada, with a unique roof structure that resembles an inverted ship's keel
• Fort Howe, a British fort built during the American Revolution
• Fort Menagoueche, a former French fort from Father Le Loutre's War
• Fort La Tour, a pivotal battleground during the Acadian Civil War

Population and demographics

Saint John, New Brunswick, is a seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in Canada. It is the second-largest city in the province, with a population of 69,895 over an area of 315.59 km2 (121.85 sq mi). The city was the most populous in New Brunswick until the 2016 census, when it was overtaken by Moncton. The metropolitan area of Saint John, known as Greater Saint John, consists of 16 municipalities and parishes in addition to the City of Saint John and has a population of 126,202.

Historically, Saint John has been a centre for immigration from all over the world. The city was incorporated in the late 1700s after more than 3,300 Black Loyalist refugees came to Saint John, along with more than 10,000 White refugees after the American Revolution. In the years between 1815 and 1867, when immigration of that era passed its peak, more than 150,000 immigrants from Ireland came to Saint John, dramatically changing the city.

As of the 2021 census, approximately 86.4% of the residents were white, while 10.9% were visible minorities and 2.8% were Indigenous. The largest visible minority groups were Black (2.7%), South Asian (2.4%), Arab (1.5%), Chinese (1.4%), and Filipino (0.9%). The majority of the population is English-speaking, but there is also a substantial French-speaking minority, mostly of Acadian origin.

The median age in Saint John is 44 years, and the median total household income is $62,800. Of the city's population aged between 25 and 64, 24% held a bachelor's degree or higher, 58% held a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, and 32% had a high school diploma or equivalent.

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