Description

East Saint John, affectionately called the East Side, became a part of the City of Saint John in 1967. For decades prior to its merger, the city and east side community of the Parish of Simonds cooperated in many areas of municipal service. East Saint John contained many industries, including the dry dock, Foleys Pottery, and McAvitys, and later K. C. Irving's oil refinery at Silver Falls. During World War II, Fort Mispec was established at Mispec Point, and in 1970, the fort site became Irving Oil's Canaport. More than just an industrial area, East Saint John was the site of recreational fishing and boating and home to the neighbourhoods of Forest Hills, Glen Falls, Champlain Heights, and Jean and Belgrave Streets. East Saint John was also the home of the Moosepath raceway, Exhibition Park, and the Simonds Arena. Rothesay Avenue was the commercial heart of the east side until the 1970s, when new malls and shopping centers opened nearby.