Uptown Saint John’s historically unreliable escalators have been both a running joke and a source of frustration among residents and we’ve now heard that the new City Market escalator is down because it has been vandalized.
That’s according to mayor Don Darling who says he was very disappointed to hear this.
“Somebody has vandalized power to that escalator in some fashion. So that’s why the new City Market escalator is not working…it’s a new switch that apparently we need and that’s been ordered,” says Darling.
There’s no word on when the switch might arrive.
“I haven’t heard, I’m hopeful that it’s within a week, maybe I’ll ask tonight if I can go pick it up somewhere and bring it back myself,” says Darling.
This comes as Saint Johners are waiting on the Market Square escalators to get the green light and start operating again — there’s a sense of concern and urgency over the approaching ECMAs. We’re told that work is ongoing between inspectors and the Otis group.
“I know from our citizens perspective, I absolutely get how this could make no sense. Just sitting back saying ‘my gosh how we can get these escalators up and running’ but it’s the inspections and working between Otis and the provincial inspector,” says Darling.
“It’s just some fine details and some fine adjustments.”