AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village

Entered by: Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth AgencyIn 2016, a passionate team of locals embarked on a journey to start a music festival, AREA 506, for New Brunswick Day weekend. Their initial venue was the Saint John waterfront, a challenging landscape filled with plain asphalt, stark cement, and industrial machinery. Despite these hurdles, the team was determined to rejuvenate and redefine the space. As Ray Gracewood, one of the organisers, reminisced, "Our vision was to shape the waterfront's identity, making it the heart of the New Brunswick Day celebrations."Their eureka moment came when they decided to repurpose the ubiquitous shipping containers dotting the waterfront in a unique way. These containers were transformed into vibrant hubs for vendors and food operators, creating a lively portside village for festival attendees. Gracewood proudly noted, "This approach was not just distinctive to Saint John, but it also perfectly complemented the waterfront's essence. It offered a dynamic platform for local vendors and redefined our site layout, allowing visitors a captivating space to meander and discover."The festival's success spurred Gracewood and his team to dream even bigger. They envisioned a permanent village, a haven that would beckon many more to experience its charm and uniqueness.AREA 506 was conceptualised to celebrate the rejuvenated spirit of Saint John and the entire province of New Brunswick. The vision was to merge local products, entertainment, culture, and the province's natural wonders. The planned village would bring together this essence, offering a wide variety of activities and experiences in a vibrant, unique setting. Dozens of shipping containers would be modified into dynamic spaces and stand as signature architectural elements; some with sides removed to create unique shops and display areas, some would be stacked to offer panoramic views, and others became stages for performances.Vendors would be chosen to mirror New Brunswick's diversity, from culinary delights such as maple goods and craft beer to iconic spots like Parks NB and the Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark. Furthermore, the spotlight would also be shared with local artisans and their creations. The envisioned location on the Saint John waterfront at Port Saint John, in the heart of uptown, was central to this concept.Saint John has a distinctive position as the sole city on the Bay of Fundy and is a premier cruise destination on the Atlantic Canada Seaboard. As the region’s growth agency, Envision Saint John also established a Welcome Centre for visitors and new residents within the village – ensuring proper navigation services within this inclusive space.Reflecting on the potential, Gracewood remarked, " I think local residents have something to point to with a real sense of pride when they have friends and family come to visit. A place where they can go and have a great shopping experience. There are events scheduled, it’s really robust, full of energy, and there’s always something happening. All those things together make for a well-rounded event space.”In June 2022, what was once just an industrial waterfront parking lot blossomed into a top tourist hotspot. Coinciding with this opening, Saint John proudly hosted the national Memorial Cup hockey tournament, marking the city's debut major event after the pandemic.As part of the festivities, AREA 506 hosted the tournament’s Bash on the Bay, featuring 11 consecutive days of concerts showcasing national talents like Alan Doyle and Matt Andersen. This celebration was widely broadcast on TSN, amplifying Area 506's reputation nationwide. The festivities didn't stop there: an outdoor film festival, a grand opening weekend with a July Talk concert, and a visit from the world's largest cruise ship rounded out their opening weekend.The Waterfront Container Village has become a big part of the city’s vibrant uptown core. It not only offers a warm introduction to Saint John and New Brunswick but also reimagines the potential of a port city. AREA 506 has reshaped perceptions, painting Saint John as a buzzing, modern destination. All that from a few dozen shipping containers and a dream. Cruise ship passengers arriving in Saint John are immediately embraced by AREA 506’s unique charm.Greeted by clusters of containers, visitors can stroll through Graffiti Alley, a lively passage lined with lifestyle and food vendors, and colourful murals that can be enjoyed from various seating areas. Even without venturing further, visitors get a vivid taste of the city's spirit right at the port.AREA 506 stands out in the region, continually evolving to offer fresh experiences to visitors. For both tourists and locals, it remains a dynamic, ever-surprising attraction that captures the essence of Saint John. The energy is truly infectious.“To get to that point very quickly, that's exactly what we were looking to do,” says Gracewood. “I think that this is the first time in a long time that there's been an incredible new piece of product on the Saint John waterfront that the residents of Saint John have embraced. It's bringing people uptown for the first time in ages, it's bringing people into the city for the first time in ages.” In its second year, AREA 506 has added another large weekend music festival, Boxcar Country Music Festival, bringing thousands more visitors through their doors.The village hosts a weekend concerts series, has hosted weddings, pride festivities and more, further augmenting both the visitor and local experience, and attracting more visitors and locals to the venue. It's also a key part of the city’s long-promised waterfront revitalisation. During public consultation, City residents have overwhelmingly asked for the waterfront to be more accessible. Major construction projects are underway for retail, offices, apartment complexes, and more public spaces, and AREA 506 is adjacent to them.

AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village

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