Sistema is Coming to St. Stephen, New Brunswick

On June 12, 2024, the Municipal District of St. Stephen convened its monthly Committee of the Whole meeting at the Garcelon Civic Centre's Moosehead Room. The meeting, attended by council members, municipal staff, and community representatives, covered a range of community issues and updates.

The session began with a presentation from Sistema New Brunswick, an organization focused on social development through music education. Catriona McLanaghan, Community School Coordinator at St. Stephen Elementary, discussed the positive impact of the Sistema program on local students. “Sistema New Brunswick is designed to counter the negative effects of poverty,” McClanahan explained. “It teaches confidence and perseverance. Part of learning a musical instrument is about learning how to do hard things and practising until you can do that thing.”

McLanaghan requested financial support from the municipal district to sustain the program in St. Stephen. “The community of St. Stephen needs to raise 30% of the budget to have the program continue here,” she noted. Council members appeared supportive, with Mayor Allan MacEachern expressing interest in finding ways to assist, though formal decisions were deferred to budget discussions.

Council then moved on to updates on various local projects. Councillor David Hyslop provided an update on the World’s Oldest Basketball Court, emphasizing ongoing efforts to secure funding and recognition for the historic site. “Work is continuing on the annual Archie golf tournament down in St. Andrews,” Hyslop said, highlighting the progress being made on fundraising efforts despite challenges.

Community safety was also addressed, with the council reviewing the RCMP’s quarterly report. The report drew mixed reactions from council members. Councillor Emily Rodas expressed concerns about the clarity of the information presented. “It would be great quarterly, even just to have [Sergeant] Scott [MacKenzie] here to just ask a couple of questions,” Rodas said, referring to the local RCMP officer. Her sentiment was echoed by other councillors, who felt that more localized data and direct interaction with law enforcement would better serve the community’s needs.