Fredericton busses won’t stop on hills during winter weather
City transit officials are telling users to walk to the top or bottom of a hill if they want to catch a bus during messy winter conditions, if they want to get a ride.
In early December, the city decided busses will no longer stop on steep hills when snow is on the roads. This impacts students on campus looking to catch bus on Windsor Street.
The change is a result of safety concerns raised by drivers and passengers about sliding busses when roads become slippery. It also becomes challenging for a bus to continue up a hill in slick conditions after losing momentum during a stop.
Riders can check the Fredericton Transit Facebook page for updates on when the new policy goes into effect.
University presidential search committee selects finalists
The University of New Brunswick’s joint nominating committee, tasking with hiring a new president, has determined two candidates for its shortlist.
The committee has employed Kenniff Leadership, a Montreal-based search consultant, to assist in finding and contacting candidates.
“The level of interest was encouragingly high and there have been many applications to consider,” committee chair Jane Fritz wrote in an email to students and faculty.
The committee conducted several rounds of interviews by Skype and face-to-face to determine its final shortlist. The finalists recently met with a number of university community members from both campuses, confidentially.
The joint nominating committee has decided to hold closed sessions with the candidates and selected community members, in order to respect their privacy. Historically, UNB has held open town halls where any student or faculty member could pose questions.
“From the perspective of most candidates, being required to publicly declare their interest in the position has implications for their relationships at their current institution; their concern is significant enough that some well-qualified candidates consider withdrawing from consideration,” Fritz wrote. “This decision was not taken lightly; it is one that carefully balances the need for further consultation with the Committee’s responsibility to find the best candidate.”
The committee expects to have selected a finalist by the end of January or early February.
UNB researchers aim to reduce falls through senior exercise program
Researchers at the University of New Brunswick are partnering with Horizon Health Network and Fitness NB to start Zoomers on the Go, a free fall prevention exercise program for people 50 and over.
The 12-week program hopes to assist aging adults meet physical activity guidelines through a variety of activities, and will start in the Fredericton area in spring of 2019. Two 60-minute sessions will be offered per week.
Danielle Bouchard, assistant professor in the faculty of kinesiology at UNB is leading a team of UNB researchers that will evaluate the participants’ health. She said Zoomers on the Go is a sustainable, replicable model.
“Unlike most programs that often neglect rural areas, this project can be accessible to almost any older adult in the province,” Bouchard said in a news release.
The program aims to increase older New Brunswickers’ ability to remain independent, promote social inclusion through exercise, and social networking opportunities that combat isolation.
Zoomers on the Go is currently recruiting people age 50 and over, to participate in the free program. It will be offered on the north and southside of Fredericton.
