Kennebecasis River - Lower Kennebecasis River Valley

Lower Kennebecasis River Valley

The communities of Nauwigewauk, Quispamsis and Rothesay become increasingly urban as the river approaches its junction with the Saint John River. The lower Kennebecasis River valley is largely a suburban/exurban region for Saint John. The area is outside the summer 'fog belt' for the Bay of Fundy and enjoys more sunshine year-round than Saint John. It is also substantially colder in winter than the Bay of Fundy-climate controlled city proper.

"The Valley" or "KV", as the lower Kennebecasis River valley is called by locals, has experienced dramatic population growth over the past several decades, largely owing to the development of Route 1 through the area in the 1960s. Once a minor dormitory suburb of the Saint John area, the towns of Rothesay and Quispamsis constitute a moderately-sized population centre with some commercial development. Saint John, by contrast, has suffered from an erosion of its tax and commercial bases as population and businesses have migrated away from the urban core.

The Kennebecasis effectively isolates the Kingston Peninsula from suburban sprawl. It is crossed by two ferry services, the Gondola Point Ferry that connects Gondola Point to Reeds Point, and the Summerville to Millidgeville Ferry that connects Millidgeville to Summerville. A third ferry service, the Kennebecasis Island Ferry connects Summerville to Kennebecasis Island. Several controversial proposals have been made in recent decades to build a highway bridge over the Kennebecasis River to the Kingston Peninsula however this has been rejected by numerous provincial governments citing financial pressures as well as the likelihood of suburban sprawl occurring in this farming area as a result.

The Kennebecasis River valley communities have rich histories; many were settled by Loyalists in the 1780s and 1790s who traveled upriver from Saint John to land grants offered by the British government. They became more prominent during the late 1800s following construction of the European and North American Railway through the area, which allowed for easier travel between Saint John and Moncton. Over the ensuing decades, the lower Kennebecasis River valley became a summer vacation destination for wealthy Maritimers, Americans and central Canadians. It is also a popular cruising destination for recreational boating as a result of its connection with the navigable portions of the Saint John River.