Pedestrian bridge in bad shape.
Glace Bay span closed due to cumulative deterioration, must be replaced says study
GLACE BAY — An engineering study into the condition of a pedestrian bridge in Glace Bay's Renwick Park recommends that the span be replaced.
The examination and subsequent report that was carried out by the local engineering firm Dillon Consulting Ltd. estimates the cost of replacing the 35-year-old bridge to be about $350,000. Approximately half of the cost would go toward the installation of seven new precast spans.
However, the report also noted that the life of the bridge, presently closed to all traffic, can be extended by one year with some short-term repairs, including the removal of loose and deteriorated concrete, the covering up of surface holes with thick aluminum plates or the construction of timber ramps covered by asphalt shingles.
According to the summation, large holes were identified on a concrete deck slab, the edges of the slab are deteriorated at many of the guardrail post locations and a number of the concrete piles were found to be negatively affected within the brook's tidal range.
Earlier this week, Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Cecil Clarke, Glace Bay MLA and Business Minister Geoff MacLellan and Cape Breton-Canso MP Mike Kelloway met at the deteriorating bridge to discuss how the three levels of government might work together to obtain the funding needed to replace the aging span.
And that's good news for Mary Pat Mombourquette, executive director of the Glace Bay Miners' Museum and a daily user of Renwick Park.
“That's good to hear because up to now nothing has been said about it — we expected it to be repaired but obviously that hasn't happened yet,” said Mombourquette, adding that pedestrians looking to cross Renwick Brook at the harbour end of the park are now forced to contend with vehicular traffic on the bridge connecting Commercial Street and South Street.
“This has been a real loss to the community — it was quite a busy little pathway. I know we're still dealing with COVID, but I am still disappointed that people aren't enjoying the park anymore.”
Glace Bay Coun. George MacDonald said the condition of the bridge has been an ongoing concern of his constituents for some time.
”I get a lot of calls on this — there are holes on that bridge where a small child could put their foot through and it's not good for our elderly residents, too, it's just not safe,” said MacDonald, a three-term councillor who recently announced he will not be seeking re-election in the Oct. 17 municipal vote.
“This is a very well used little park — people are out there every day walking around. And what a lot of people don't realize is that there is a path on the other side of the bridge that goes down toward Water Street to the harbour.”
MacDonald added that an extension of the park to the harbour has been talked about for years and that he remains hopeful it will someday become a reality.
In the meantime he still expects the short-term repairs to be carried out this summer.
As to a replacement bridge, Clarke, MacLellan and Kelloway all expressed their support for the undertaking with each vowing to do the best they can to come up with some funding from their respective governments.