Ihtoli-maqahamok - The Gathering Space [ee-doe-lee MAH-qwah-HA-muck]
For many decades, the space just beyond the intersection of King and Water streets in Uptown Saint John has been used for community gatherings - live music, festivals, and celebrations of all kinds. Now, it is entering a new era of access and expansion.
It is a name that pays homage to the ancestors of the land on which it rests, and to the spirit of the space and the way it has been and will be used: as a place of community and gathering.
As part of the City's waterfront development, Ihtoli-maqahamok – The Gathering Space, is being reinvigorated and reimagined, with the addition of a community skating rink, indoor/outdoor patios, an expanded stage for concerts, film screenings, and other special events. It also includes space for craft and food vendors, and easy access to enjoy the waterfront.
The design elements of Ihtoli-magahamok – The Gathering Space are rooted in three foundations of Saint John: the people, the water, and the rocks. It will be a significant landmark and a place of togetherness. A destination, and a meeting place for locals and visitors to come together.
The City of Saint John would like to thank all those involved in naming and bringing this space to life. The naming process was a multi-phased community effort, with help from Saint John residents, the City’s Civic Commemoration Committee, Common Council, and First Nations’ leaders and Elders from the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick (WNNB).
The Committee acknowledges that this space is important to the Loyalist heritage in the region, which will be recognized through interpretive panels in the area and the meaning of the new name.