By David F. Rooney
The City of Revelstoke has just received notice that it will receive $375,000 from the provincial Towns for Tomorrow program. The money is earmarked for the construction of a pedestrian bridge across the Illecillewaet River at the site of the old CPR bridge abutments.
Community Economic Development Director Alan Mason said the cash infusion means the City now has almost $700,000 to build the bridge, which was first proposed several years ago.
“We have major grants and other funding we can use for this project from the Columbia Basin Trust, the Mark Kingsbury Foundation, federal transit funds and Tourism Infrastructure,” he said late Wednesday afternoon. “We hope we can build the pedestrian bridge for less than $700,000.”
Mason said the City will post the project on the BC Bid website. It remains to be seen what kind of bridge will be selected. Potential designs have ranged from a wood-and-steel structure t0 a suspension bridge to a wood bridge reminiscent of old-style train bridges. Whatever design is eventually selected the bridge must span the Illecillewaet at the old CPR abutments at the western end of the Greenbelt giving hikers access to the flats on the south side of the river below the Equestrian Grounds and Arrow Heights beyond.
“I just met with (Engineering and Public Works Director) Brian Mallett to discuss the tender package,” he said. “We think we can get this started in August.”
Click here to read a 2008 report about the project.
