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.

Whether you have visitors in town and you'd like to show off your city, or you just want to get to know your own city a little better, a city bus tour is a fun way to explore. Tours visit many attractions throughout Saint John, including Reversing Falls and the Old City Market.

Saint John Transit offers two 2-hour guided tours of Historic Saint John throughout the cruise season—on cruise ship days only, from April to October. Pick up/drop off location is just up the street from the cruise terminal on Water Street. All tours are first come, first served, and presented in English. 

Tour times

10:00 a.m. – noon

12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 

Times are based on cruise ship arrival times and may have to be adjusted accordingly.

Cost (cash only)

Our City Publications page provides access to various communication and reporting tools used to inform citizens about City of Saint John services and initiatives. These include:

Newsletters 
Saint John - At Your Service is the Official Newsletter of the City of Saint John. Through a series of articles, photos and video links, each issue shares recent milestones and achievements and describes how City services impact you.

Municipal Minutes
Municipal Minutes give you an inside look at City services and how they impact our community. Taking you straight to the source, these brief videos feature topics that are timely and relevant to our citizens such as how services are delivered, new initiatives, milestone achievements, seasonal activities, special events and more.

My Saint John
Why Saint John? Why do we love it here? What makes the City special like no other? Is it our love of the water, neighbourhoods and nature? Is it because of our family and friends? Is it the cherished memories that are a part of our history? Is it the job that sets the course for our future? Or that familiarity and feeling of being home?
Watch, like, comment on, tag an out-of-town friend and share the #mysaintjohn videos that will be featured on the City of Saint John Facebook and Twitter pages.

Infographics
Infographics are another publication tool the City of Saint John uses to inform citizens. They provide a visual way to display various types of information, from describing how services are delivered to celebrating achievements. Click images to enlarge.
 

Kids need play! Through outdoor play, kids learn balance, agility, and coordination; they learn to express and test themselves; they learn how to form relationships with others; they learn the value of physical fitness; and of course, they have fun! Almost any outdoor space can satisfy a kid’s need to play. But designated playgrounds and splash pads are safe, fun, and popular spots for Saint John kids and families to gather.

Saint John maintains one regional playground, six district playgrounds and several neighbourhood playgrounds in addition to those located on school grounds. Playgrounds are regularly inspected to meet national safety standards. 

Saint John’s three splash pads delight kids with water gun stations, fountains and spouts, bucket-dumping stations and colourful mist-spraying rainbows.  They operate daily from 10 a.m. until  8 p.m. during the summer months.