A11

Heather Harris

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What a difference 22 years makes! Local barber Anne Stevens recently dropped by my office with a 22-year-old local newspaper that carried the proud headline: "Riverview - N.B.'s #1 town."

This dynamic headline on the slightly yellowed but otherwise wonderfully intact newspaper captured my curiousity and motivated me to engage in a little nostalgia and a quick glimpse into Riverview's development as a town.

For those who are new to our lovely town, Riverview was incorporated in 1973, formed by the amalgamation of the villages of Bridgedale, Gunningsville and Riverview Heights.

According to the old paper, the newly incorporated Town was originally named Coverdale after the name of the original parish but within weeks the name was changed to Riverview.

In 1986, Riverview, the fourth largest municipality and largest town in New Brunswick, boasted a population of 15,638 and the highest disposable income in Atlantic Canada.

With 1,000 street lights, 3,913 single and double family homes, 548 apartment units, 150 mobile homes, 15 churches, 425 fire hydrants and an estimated 6,200 cars, the Town of Riverview was widely touted by Mayor Dave Richardson and fellow councillors as "a great place to live".

Riverview's growing business community was home to 150 companies of a commercial or industrial nature, two shopping malls, two strip malls, medical, dental and eye care centers, a bowling alley and a movie theatre.

While a number of businesses from 1986 have come and gone, a surprising number of familiar names remain including the following businesses mentioned in this 1986 hometown newspaper:

Greco Pizza & Donair, Tim Hortons, Irving, Walton's Bakery, Marwin Interiors, Domac Building Supplies, Riverview Esso, Hairworld, Pizza Delight, Scissors & Comb and the Bank of Commerce.

Although a number of these businesses have since changed owners and/or locations, all are still operating in Riverview today.

Since 1986, Riverview's population has grown to 17,832 and is now home to 6,895 private dwellings.

Records indicate that Riverview residents average $7,700 more disposable income than the CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) and 22% more discretionary income than the CMA average.

Driving around the community today, one can count more than 230 businesses conveniently located to serve Riverview residents. With the recent completion of the new bridge and Gunningsville Boulevard, the Town of Riverview is well on its way to opening up new land for both residential and commercial development.

Town priorities for the near future also include a new trunk sewer which will allow the development of the south-eastern portion of Riverview as well as plans for the new Bridgedale Boulevard which will run from the new Gunningsville Boulevard through the woods to link up with Hillsborough Road by John's Garden Centre.

The next few years look very exciting for the Town of Riverview.

In addition to developing the Town's infrastructure to support future opportunities and growth, Riverview residents can look forward to a greatly improved Town Hall and Public Library, completion of the much anticipated Fundy Gateway Tourism Project, more retail and commercial development, and for the young at heart, a new toboggan hill which will hopefully be ready for the 2008/9 sliding season.

Even though 22 years have passed, I'm confident most would agree with former Mayor Richardson that Riverview continues to be "a great place to live".

(Oh, and by the way! Riverview is now home to 1853 street lights for those who are counting.)

* The Inside Track is provided on a monthly basis by the Downtown Riverview Business Association, and is written by DRBA manager Heather Harris.