04/03/2025
THANK YOU MONCTON !
I was born the 6th child to my parents here in 1973 and was raised in a houseful of heroes.
Growing up on Mountain road chasing my over-achieving siblings filled my days with what felt like magic- my father would turn Grampy’s farm fields into streets named after us, his partners would build homes and families would move in. All of a sudden we had a neighbourhood and friends….to a young kid playing in a sandbox watching all of this, it would certainly feel like magic.
Over the years Moncton North’s growth exploded -Dad bought the Hamilton farm which became Hamilton Heights/Evergreen Park.
He provided the land to the province for Evergreen Park School and donated the land to the City for what became Mapleton Park.
Dad then turned Peter King’s woodlot into Kingswood Park-
All the brothers spent their summers cutting streets out of it, paying our ways through university.
Our parents made sure that college/university was a must and all 6 of us made it through.
Once I graduated from biochemistry
and finally pharmacy in 2000, I was fortunate enough to come home and partner up with Jean Coutu- first at 1116 and then 1789 Mountain road….
Literally a stones throw away from those fields/streets I grew up in.
I could not be more proud of the staff there, who helped raise my children in these aisles.
They have been with me through it all….seven days a week for 25 years and have answered the call, opening early and closing late.
They stood arm in arm with each other during Covid, fighting to get our community back on its feet, designing and operating massive vaccine drive thru clinics and staying open while so many others could not.
I was raised in a houseful of heroes and was lucky enough to work in a building full of them.
Two years ago I was approached by a young local pharmacist, Dave Wadden, who wanted to someday own a Jean Coutu franchise.
We brought him on board and he immediately thrived- a super intelligent, kind and caring health professional, who customers and patients immediately related to.
He teamed up with Chantal Vallée, a successful PJC pharmacist owner, who brings years of experience and professionalism, as well as new modern ideas to this franchise.
Together they will take this pharmacy and turn it into a beacon of healthcare for the rapidly expanding Moncton North.
I could not be happier knowing that this community is in much better hands than mine going forward.
In no better words can I say “thank you” to all the staff, customers, patients, physicians, nurses, suppliers, and of course my family, as I step away and start the next journey.
Sincerely,
Monte Steeves
