Saint
John is starting to get the message that Pride Week is not just for the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, it's for the entire
community.
That's
according to Pride Week Vice-President Amanda Hensey who tells CHSJ News
in the last year alone they've noticed a positive shift in the city's
attitude towards the celebration. Their theme this year is Pride In
Community, and Hensey says the community is now giving back to them, and
they love it.
The 11th
annual Pride Parade is happening today with walkers meeting at 1 in the
afternoon, and the parade itself is happening at 2 at the top of King
Street. You don't have to be a member of the LGBT community to march in
the parade, everyone is encouraged to take part.
Right after the parade is the Pride Community Festival in Queen Square, featuring barbeque, games, music and more. Click here for more information and for a list of events.
A car on fire was a little too close for comfort to a building, prompting an early morning evacuation.
Arriving
fire crews saw a Ford Escape fully engulfed in flames, so they and City
Police got everyone living at 39 Coronation Court to get out of the
building as a precautionary measure. After the car was towed away, the
residents were allowed back in the building.
The fire department got the call just before 1:30 in the morning. Crews were on the scene for about 40 minutes.
The Saint John Fire Department putting out a fire at 268 Milford Road.
They got
the call just after 1:00 in the morning, and arriving crews saw heavy
smoke pouring out of the top of the building. They were on the scene for
about two hours.
The top of the building has major fire damage while the bottom has some water damage. Nobody was hurt.
Three adults and six children are homeless after a fire in an apartment building in Saint John's North end.
The
blaze at 37 MacLaren Boulevard was reported shortly before 6:00pm.
Platoon Chief Barry Oickle of the city fire department says fire crews
could see very heavy thick black smoke and fire coming out of the
windows of the first floor apartment. The blaze was quickly knocked
down.
The
first-floor apartment was heavily damaged by smoke and fire while the
apartment above it sustained minor smoke and fire damage—because
of the damage, several other tenants are temporarily displaced while
their apartments are cleaned and ventilated. No humans were hurt,
however, four pets died in the fire.
The
Canadian Red Cross is helping the victims, giving them a place to stay,
food and clothing. A housing coordinator will be working with the nine
people who are permanently homeless to find them alternative housing.
