News Highlights for Southwest New Brunswick for May 18-25, 2021

At a press conference in Fredericton on Tuesday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell announced that New Brunswickers age 18 and older are now eligible to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Russell says she's confident New Brunswick is on target to meet its vaccination goals. Public Health released a graph this week showing the number of New Brunswickers in each age group who've already received at least one dose of the vaccine, with around 90% of New Brunswickers over age 70 having received at least one dose. The province as a whole is just days away from passing the halfway mark with regards to the number of residents who've had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

St. Stephen celebrated its 150th anniversary on Monday, May 17th, with festivities kicking off near the waterfront at Chocolate Park. Members of the community placed 27 different caplets containing meaningful items and letters into a time capsule box, which will be buried beside a plaque in the park and opened in 25 years on St. Stephen's 175th birthday.

A new mural was also officially unveiled on King Street by artist Geoff Slater depicting St. Stephen between 1871 and 1877 before the great fire of 1877, which destroyed much of the original King Street and former Water Street area. Historian Darren McCabe was Slater's historical advisor for the painting. McCabe is well versed in St. Stephen's rich past, and he believes St. Stephen's best years have yet to be written in the history books.

Due to COVID-19 regulations, the number of attendees at the anniversary events was limited. St. Stephen 150 chairperson Ghislaine Wheaton says COVID-19 regulations were part of the inspiration for commissioning a mural that everyone in the community could enjoy and experience on their own time. 

Finally, a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Saint Andrews Wellness Centre located at the WC O'Neill Arena took place on Friday. The new wellness centre is not only home to long-time Saint Andrews family dr. Brian Peer, it also attracted a second family physician, Dr. Julie Levesque-Taylor, to the community. Levesque Taylor, who is originally from Moncton, spent the last 23 years working outside of Winnipeg and jumped at the opportunity to relocate to her home province with the opening of the new wellness centre. The centre also has a physiotherapist and an athletic therapist on site and hopes to a dentist and a gym to the facility soon. Saint Andrews Mayor Doug Naish said the new wellness centre is the greatest accomplishment of the 5-year term of the current council.