City of Fredericton:
Nestled along the banks of the glorious Saint John River, Fredericton is the capital city of the province of New Brunswick. It was founded in the late-eighteenth century by the loyalists who journeyed north in the wake of the American Revolution to found a new society they hoped would prove "the envy of the American states." The residential homes of downtown Fredericton are wonderful examples of Victorian architecture, an many of the buildings in the downtown core commercial district date from as far back as the colonial period. These buildings are now home to many of Fredericton's acclaimed shops and services. In fact, a number of Fredericton's noted pub-style restaurants are located within buildings that date back over two hundred years! Fredericton is also known for its historic churches. The downtown's Christ Church Cathedral is one of the finest examples of decorated Gothic architecture in North America, and is modeled after St. Mary's at Snettisham, England.
University of New Brunswick
Almost as old as the city itself is the University of New Brunswick. UNB was founded in 1785, and is the oldest provincial university in Canada. Much of the current campus dates to the early post-war period, as widespread expansion and construction occurred to make room for first returning veterans, and then the baby boom. The university has grown to be a major provincial and national institution, offering a wide range of graduate and undergraduate programs in administration, arts, computer science, education, engineering, forestry, law, nursing, physical education and science. The University of New Brunswick is also home to one of Canada's finest electonic text centres, with an active in-house research and electronic publication schedule. Click here to visit the Electronic Text Centre at the University of New Brunswick
Beaverbrook Art Gallery:
There is plenty to do while in Fredericton. For the art lover, Fredericton's Beaverbrook Art Gallery hosts works from its own collection, as well as exhibitions from other galleries across Canada and around the world. The Beaverbrook Art Gallery's collection includes works by such illustrious painters as Cornelius Krieghoff, Emily Carr, and members of the Group of Seven. In addition, the Beaverbrook's icon, Salvador Dalí's Santiago el Grande, is on permanent display.
King's Landing Historical Settlement
A short drive outside the city one will find King's Landing Historical Settlement. Built in the wake of a hydroelectric dam project, King's Landing is designed to illustrate to visitors what life was like in nineteenth-century New Brunswick. To this end, it features a number of period buildings as well as a fine cast of historical interpreters. King's Landing is also where the film version of Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's A Midwife's Tale was shot.
Getting Here and Getting Around:
Travelling to and from Fredericton should prove easy, as the city's airport has daily connections to Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and Boston. Once in town, conference participants will find that despite Fredericton's colonial age and Victorian architecture the city features a number of modern amenities. Two full service shopping centres are found 'up the hill,' and the city offers a well-developed public transit system, with cross-town buses running on an hourly basis. Most locals, however, choose to use taxis as they are plentiful and cheap. A taxi ride across town can be found for less than five dollars.
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