Council remains unclear as to when bridge construction could begin
by Shawn Smith
The province is scheduled to removed trees along the south west corner of the Argyle Street bridge in Caledonia for water and ice surveillance. It’s unclear whether or not this means construction on a new bridge is on its way.
Since joining council, Coun. Craig Grice has been asking for answers as to when construction will begin on a new bridge in Caledonia.
And while he and the rest of the community continue to search for answers on that topic, there is some hope that the province’s recent notice that they will be surveilling water flow around the bridge could be the first step toward the construction of a new bridge.
“Through all the conversations I’ve been having, I did find out that the province is going to be putting in a camera at the southwest side of the bridge, to watch water flow and ice levels as they come down the river,” Grice said.
Grice clarified that “it doesn’t necessarily mean that the bridge is going to start next year,” and that when it comes to bridge construction, he’ll “believe it when I see it.”
The surveillance also means that a number of trees on the bridge’s southwest side will need to be taken out.
“The unfortunate part — although I guess it would happen in the future anyways — is that some trees will have to be removed, so the camera can get a clear shot,” Grice said. “There are trees that will be taken down. They would have to come down anyways when the province puts the new bridge in; that’s where it’s going to come through anyways.”
According to the Southern Highways Program put out by the Ontario government, the bridge replacement has a current target completion date of 2020. No information is available as to when the project will begin or how long it will take.