Damaged Saint John courthouse remains closed

Saint John's new courthouse is still closed to any legal proceedings after a ruptured pipe caused extensive damage and there is no word on when the facility will be re-opened.

The courthouse was supposed to open on Jan. 1 and many staff had already moved into the new building.

But a burst pipe caused damage from the fifth floor to the third floor and forced staff to relocate back to the old law offices.

The Department of Justice cannot confirm when the new justice building will re-open.

A department spokesperson says the contractor, Bird Construction, is still in control of the building and is still completing repairs.

Pat Gallagher, a Saint John lawyer, has been working at the old Charlotte Street courthouse in the meantime. She said it's hard to believe the rumours of when they will move into the new building.

"The date for going to the new building seems to be a constantly moving target," she said.

She said there are signs at the existing courthouse that a move may be imminent.

"We have a phone that still isn't connected in the barrister's room. We always used to have a phone. I guess someone's optimistic that we'll be back, that we'll be in the new building soon because they never connected our phone."

In January, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said the opening of the law courts would be delayed by another two or three months. But the date continues to be pushed back.

John Barry, a Saint John lawyer, said the continued delays are disappointing, but he said he isn’t bothered by them considering how long he has waited for a new courthouse.

"We've coped with the courthouse as members of the court have and the people who work in the system at 110 Charlotte Street and the old provincial building for over 50 years. And another six months, in the context of all that time is not going to have a significant change," he said.