Mayors Message – Summer 2026
Hello Rothesay Residents,
After three terms on Council, including two terms as your Deputy Mayor, I’m deeply honoured and humbled to step into the role as your Mayor. Thank you for the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me. Serving Rothesay is one of my greatest privileges and I’m committed to maintaining your trust.
On June 8th, our 2026-2030 Council was officially sworn into office. We’re ready to get to work for all residents of Rothesay. Your hard-working team is dedicated to listening to residents, fostering a vibrant and welcoming community, continuing to invest in important services and infrastructure, and ensuring that Rothesay remains an exceptional place to live, work, play, raise a family, and retire.
We’ve had a busy spring recovering from another long winter season, but there is now finally warmth in the air. Rothesay staff, volunteers, and community organizations have been hard at work preparing our parks, trails, and facilities for the season ahead. As we move into summer, a time when we slow down and spend time with family and friends, there is much to talk about and much to celebrate. I think you will agree that there is plenty happening in Rothesay.
One of the most exciting developments over the past year has been the significant momentum we have built behind the Rothesay Intergenerational Community Complex (the RICC). Through collaboration, planning, and community support, this generational project will become a cornerstone of community life in Rothesay for decades to come. Building on the momentum, your new Council recently approved an additional $4 million capital commitment for the project, which brings our total secured funding to approximately $31 million! After years of hard work to get here, it’s extremely exciting to see this project so close to being fully funded. But, if you haven’t donated or want to donate again, there are still many opportunities to support the RICC and help us achieve our $36 million goal!
Work is underway at East Riverside Kingshurst Park on a new floating walkway along the Kennebecasis River. Work crews are currently building an anchoring system near the picnic shelter, which will lead to a ramp and the floating walkway of connected docks along the shoreline. The sections of dock were originally purchased by the Town to provide temporary access routes across flooded streets and low-lying areas following the unprecedented floods of 2018 and 2019. Fortunately, the community has not experienced flooding of that magnitude since, and the dock sections have remained in storage. Rather than leaving the docks unused, the Town is now repurposing the sections to create the floating walkway. We’ll share more updates as the project progresses.
Summer in Rothesay is not complete without Canada Day celebrations on the Rothesay Common. Join us on Wednesday, July 1st from 12–3PM as we celebrate Canada’s 159th birthday. Activities begin at noon with a Flag-Raising Ceremony, followed by remarks from Premier Susan Holt, Rothesay MLA Alyson Townsend, and yours truly. Afterward, we have tons of activities and fun for all ages and abilities.
Summer in Rothesay also means the return of Concert in the Common. Thursday nights in July and August from 7–8PM is your free ticket to live outdoor music. Bring a chair, a blanket, a loved one, or a friend and enjoy some great local talent right in the heart of town on the Rothesay Common stage.
I wish you and your family and friends a happy, safe, and enjoyable summer 2026. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or suggestions about Rothesay, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Hearing from residents is an important part of serving as Mayor and I am happy to assist where possible.
Dr. Matt Alexander
Rothesay Mayor
