FORMER CITY RESIDENT SING'S CITY'S PRAISES
(excerpts from an article published in the Daily Gleaner on October 10/11)

Great to come home | Man says Fredericton impressive

Fredericton native Chris Murray is enjoying life as the city manager for Hamilton. Ont.

During a recent visit to his hometown, Murray said he's impressed with what he sees in the capital city and its management. The 49-year-old Fredericton High School graduate said every time he returns to Fredericton, he sees something new and impressive that captures his attention.

"Fredericton was a great place to grow up," Murray said. "You can see why raising a family here is fantastic. You drive around and you can't help but notice the infrastructure. It's all in remarkable condition."

Two places that attracted Murray's attention during his visit to Fredericton were the newly completed downtown convention centre and the restored York Street train station. "This is a pretty incredible city within the Canadian context," he said.

On Jan. 1, 2009, Murray became manager for the city of Hamilton.

"I never thought it would happen. I have been lucky in being able to pursue what interests me. The first day I got the job, I figured I had the best job in Hamilton. Rebuilding one of the most historic cities in Canada - now that's an honour."

Murray works with an annual budget of $1.25 billion and oversees 6,000 employees.

He said Hamilton is focused on improving service delivery renewal within the municipality and is being assisted in the process by a Toronto firm.

One city that keeps popping up during the process is Fredericton. He said it's great to hear the praises of his hometown being sung by a high-profile firm.