Businesses balk at Walkerton, Ont. bridge project
One of Bruce County’s busiest bridges is about to become a big pile of rubble.
“The bridge is actually Bruce County’s highest driven traffic route. Approximately 12,000 people cross that bridge per day. I’d have to believe it’s more than that, especially on weekends,” said Nicole Thomas, Walkerton resident and downtown business owner.
The Durham Street bridge demolition and reconstruction is expected to start in the spring of 2025.
Residents had assumed that Walkerton would be getting a temporary bridge, better known as a Bailey bridge, to get people from one side of Walkerton to the other. Not unlike the temporary bridge currently being used in Paisley, as the main bridge in their community undergoes reconstruction.
“One person actually said to me ‘Are we not getting Paisley’s bridge?’ The thought is out there, and nobody would expect that anybody would cut us off completely from our own town,” said Thomas.
The plan proposed by Bruce County right now is to send residents on a seven-kilometre detour around Walkerton, to get from one side of town to the other, not to use a temporary bridge during the 18-month construction project.
Proposed detour around Walkerton, Ont. during Durham Street bridge reconstruction. (Source: Bruce County)
“The Paisley project really raised people’s expectations. That was in the neighbourhood of $2.5 million. This Bailey bridge is projected to be $6.5 million. It’s not unthinkable that the County would approve that, but it does raise the stakes, and make it more of a difficult project,” said Bruce County Warden, and Municipality of Brockton (which includes Walkerton) Mayor, Chris Peabody.
Walkerton’s downtown businesses, who fear they’d be very adversely affected without a temporary bridge connecting their town, are petitioning Bruce County to change their tune on the Durham Street bridge plan.
“We’re not on the way anywhere, so to shut down a huge part of our town and keep these people disconnected from this part is a lot,” said Walkerton downtown business owner Jenn Filsinger.
“We worry about the fire department. We’re cutting off 1,700 people. If you’re on that side, you’d be better to shop in a different county. That’s why merchants are worried, and a lot of citizens are worried about their healthcare,” said Walkerton business owner Mike McIntee.
Thomas said she has calculated the extra cost of using the seven-kilometre detour for 18 months as $2,800 in gas alone.
“Cutting us off is essentially cutting off our downtown, plus splitting our town in two. And we’re just asking for the county to find a way to give us a temporary bridge to get us across,” said Thomas.
Although construction isn’t expected to start until the spring of 2025, Peabody said Bruce County council will be deciding by January whether it’s a detour, temporary bridge, or another solution, to bridge the divide in Walkerton.
“The bridge itself is 85 years old. A design of that model in Quebec, the centre joint did fail and the bridge fell into the river, so absolutely the bridge has to be replaced. The contentious issue is whether there should be a Bailey bridge or a detour around town,” said Peabody.
You can learn more about the Durham Street bridge project by following this link.
To learn more about Walkerton business owners’ petition for a temporary bridge, you can contact Nicole Thomas at nicole.thomas@marlintravel.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Killer who stabbed victim 'at least 52 times' dies in B.C. prison
A 72-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for a brutal murder that happened in Chilliwack in 2016 has died, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.
Israeli airstrikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut after another strike destroyed buildings
The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut on Friday in a series of massive explosions that targeted the leader of the militant group and levelled multiple high-rise apartment buildings.
American woman gets SUV stuck in elevator bay at B.C. casino
A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
Hurricane Helene kills at least 44 and cuts a swath of destruction across the Southeast
Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 44 people, snapping towering oaks like twigs and tearing apart homes as rescue crews launched desperate missions to save people from floodwaters.
After decades-long search, northern Ontario man finds vintage vehicle in Larder Lake
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
2 people caught illegally crossing the International Railroad Bridge into the U.S.: border officials
Two Italian citizens have been apprehended after allegedly illegally crossing over the International Railroad Bridge to the United States.
Former military reservist sentenced for shotgun video calling Liberal MP a 'communist agent' for China
A former Canadian military reservist has been sentenced to house arrest after posting a video of himself firing a shotgun at a picture of a member of Parliament whom he accused of being a 'communist agent' for China.
P.E.I. shellfish festival gastrointestinal illness outbreak largest in province's history: health officer
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
Family of man who died in incident involving Calgary police issues statement
The family of Jon Wells, a man who died in an incident involving Calgary police earlier this month, say they are seeking time to grieve their loss.