Hope, concretemix in covered bridge celebration
Fundraising efforts will continue for 2nd phase
BUTTE CREEL CANYON » There were eerie similarities driving up to the Honey Run Covered Bridge “groundbreaking” Thursday, with smoke filling Butte Creek Canyon from current wildfires.
But the sight at the bridge was all positive, with good news mixed in. All the smiles would have been visible except for the pandemic masks.
About a month shy of the two year anniversary of the 2018 Camp Fire destruction of the bridge, Thursday marked many reasons to celebrate what has happened since.
Work on the bridge foundation has been going on for several weeks, but smoke from the North Complex wildfires were reason enough to delay. Finally, the nonprofit Honey Run Covered Bridge Association decided to no longer delay the celebration.
Association Vice President Walt Schafer called it “one page in a long story.”
Crews and equipment from the engineering and concrete companies putting up the pillars were the backdrop for the ceremony, which heralded a project that broughtmany communities together, bound up by hope for the future.
Seeing the covered bridge destroyed in the Camp Fire
symbolized for many the destructiveness of the wildfire. So rebuilding the bridge, which had stood for 133 years, was one of the earliest marks of hope.
The story
Association president Robert Cat alano said two days after he had lost his own house in the Camp Fire came a call asking if the bridge would be rebuilt. Just about two months later came a meeting where residents, supporters and others decided yes it would come back.
Catalano covered the ups and downs of the process, from dealing with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Butte County, landholders, contractors and residents.
As of Thursday, the association had raised nearly $1 million, which covered planning and building the foundation, permitting and mitigations. The project was made even more complicated by the protected salmon run in Butte Creek, which ironically is why the creek is so valued.
Catalano said Phase 2, which includes the bridge floor and structure should begin in April 2021 and be completed by the end of summer 2021 or when the
necessary funds to finish this part of the project are raised.
The bridge covering should be completed by the end of summer 2022, again, depending on available funds. Those two phases are estimated to cost roughly $1.6 million, which is still to be raised.
Also about $300,000 is needed for the new park. That was the other good news for the day.
New park
The Alm Family Trust, which owns about 600 acres on the south side of the creek, has donated about an acre of land where the bridge touches down for a new park. Visitors will be able to walk across the bridge to the south side
and back to the road, which wasn’t possible before.
The fence, which halted access at the south side of the bridge, lay in a melted but artistic heap in front of Thursday’s speakers as a reminder of “the new page” for the bridge. It will become part of a memorial, along with one of the orange pillars, just about all that’s left of the old bridge.
Catalano, before the ceremony, said that he was most grateful for all the cooperation and hard work poured into the bridge effort.
“I am so happy to show you something that’s actually being done, rather than just paperwork.”
Pillars
Catalano described the process of building the pillars:
“Once the hole has been drilled, a sleeve is placed over the hole. The cage is placed into the sleeve. Slurry is pumped into the sleeve to keep the inside of the hole from collapsing. The concrete truck empties its load into the concrete pump which sends it down into the hole. Since the concrete is twice as dense as the slurry in the hole, it pushes the slurry up to the top of the hole.
“The hole is now filled with concrete and the slurry is pumped up to the truck which takes the used slurry off-site. Thus, no waste goes into Butte Creek.”
Later in the week, the existing orange pillars will be removed by a crane. Thenew pillars that will support the bridge will be painted orange as well.
The ceremony included a long list of thank yous, evidence of the great cooperation to rebuild the bridge, including donated work from Chcio State’s Construction Management Program, as well asmany businesses and organizations, plus help from legislators, several of which were in attendance.
Contributions are still being taken, but the association hopes for some major donations so the project won’t lose momentum.
Donations can bemade by check to the association P.O. Box 5201, ChicoCA95927, or through the website www. hrcoveredbridge.org.
Any questions can be directed to info@hrcoveredbridge.org.