Drumheller Valley residents to advocate for endangered bridge to be declared a nationwide historic web site and work towards its restoration.
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The East Coulee truss bridge is a beloved — however battered — piece of historical past within the Drumheller Valley that has been largely uncared for for the final 4 a long time.
However one man is spearheading a motion to assist save and restore the storied rail crossing and have it designated as a historic web site.
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“It’s an icon of the Drumheller Valley,” stated John Graham.
“It’s not simply one other bridge. It’s not simply one other historic web site in one other little city that the native individuals need to save as a result of it’s theirs. It is a web site of provincial, nationwide and probably (worldwide) curiosity. It’s the most liked bridge in Alberta.”
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The picket bridge was in-built 1936, offering pedestrian and rail entry to the Atlas Coal Mine — which already has a historic designation — and two different mines on the south facet of the Purple Deer River. Twelve years later, a lot of the bridge was blown up and reconstructed as a result of ice injury attributable to flooding.
The bridge’s archaic building was long-outdated even on the time it was constructed, stated native railway historian Rob Gale. The “Howe Truss” design was patented nearly 100 years previous to the bridge’s completion, and its Douglas fir building was uncommon for up to date bridges, with metal already being the usual of the time.
The bridge has been unused — barring its continued recognition for picture and video shoots — for the reason that Eighties after the mine’s closure within the ’70s. As one in every of solely two bridges of its variety in Canada, it at present sits on The Nationwide Belief for Canada’s high 10 listing of endangered websites.
“It’s an enormous process, nevertheless it’s a really potential process,” Gale stated of a restoration effort. “It’s removed from a misplaced trigger. However on the identical time, you don’t need to wait too lengthy as a result of it’s undoubtedly on its means out.”
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‘You may’t get stuff like this again after it’s gone’
If it continues to deteriorate, Gale stated there are fears the bridge may ultimately collapse into the river, rising flooding threat within the space. Then again, its demolition would imply the lack of a “enormous chunk of the valley’s historical past,” he stated.
“You may’t get stuff like this again after it’s gone — that factor’s made out of wooden in measurements you possibly can’t even purchase anymore,” Gale stated.
“The truth that it’s nonetheless round and nonetheless standing and has stood the take a look at of time though it hasn’t been maintained in 40 years is nothing in need of spectacular. To see it demolished or fall down or be forgotten about can be one of many best tragedies that Drumheller Valley may ever be put by means of.”
Tony Miglecz, the president of the East Coulee Neighborhood Affiliation, stated he’s hopeful {that a} restoration of the bridge may present a pedestrian and biking hyperlink to the historic Atlas Coal Mine web site.
“There may be potential to be used of it, however there must be motivation, and it’s an enormous mission — our little neighborhood right here, we will’t finance one thing like that,” he stated. “It’s a ‘for the higher good’ sort of factor. So if different types of authorities got here in and helped to revive it and made it a helpful piece, you understand, that will be a plus for the entire valley.”
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Graham stated he’s internet hosting a neighborhood assembly later this month to search out extra volunteers and board members for his East Coulee Truss Bridge Preservation Society. As soon as fashioned, the society will advocate for the bridge to be declared a nationwide historic web site and work towards its restoration.
He stated he’s acquired a letter of assist from the native MP — and is awaiting one from the realm MLA — however stated the to-be-determined restore prices would be the greatest hurdle to restoring the positioning.
“Our hopes are that after we get permission to do inspections of the bridge, that hopefully we discover that the price of restoration is just like the price of demolition. That may make it much more possible,” he stated.
Canadian Pacific Kansas Metropolis owns the bridge and is liable for its upkeep. Graham stated he’s grateful for the railway firm’s persistence with the neighborhood.
“They may’ve simply gone and torn it down by now,” he stated. “They’ve been very affected person with us as we attempt to discover methods to save lots of the bridge.”
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