It looks like the bridge across the Irvine River near Salem will get a heritage designation as plans get underway to rehabilitate the 85-year-old structure.
On April 14, Centre Wellington’s committee of the whole heard a report from planner Mariana Iglesias as part of a notice of motion to designate the bridge a heritage structure.
The bridge on Irvine Street, which crosses the Irvine River just north of Woolwich Street/Sideroad 15, was built in 1929.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said the bridge is in good shape for its age and is one of the local bowstring bridges the township intends to designate and look after.
Township staff initiated the recommendation for heritage designation together with the Heritage Centre Wellington committee.
“Bridges represent a disappearing form of cultural heritage,” Iglesias said in her report. “They symbolize the vital role rivers played in our human, agricultural and industrial development. They represent an evolution in materials and techniques.
“It is important to conserve these historic bridges, as they were constructed to be both aesthetically interesting as well as functional. Newer bridges are now typically designed to serve a utilitarian purpose with less emphasis on aesthetics and design.”
The bridge is listed within the recent comprehensive bridge study Arch, Truss & Beam, The Grand River Watershed Heritage Bridge Inventory, which lists a total of 678 bridges within the watershed.
An image of the Irvine Street Bridge was chosen as the cover for that report.
In 2011, Heritage Centre Wellington approached staff and recommended the township consider protecting some of its historic bridges.
“It was determined that the Irvine Street Bridge would be one of the best candidates for heritage protection out of the seven remaining bowstring bridges due to its condition, proximity to the Elora-Salem urban centre, and the relatively low traffic volumes and loadings, particularly for farm machinery,” Iglesias stated in her report.
Preservation and rehabilitation of the bridge was not the only option considered. Others included replacing the bridge with a concrete girder bridge ($1.2 million) and replacing the bridge with a concrete bridge with bowstring elements ($1.7 million).
An assessment of the current state of the 85-year-old structure suggests an extensive amount of rehabilitation is needed in the short term.
Some of the needed repairs include work to the arches, railings, deck, soffit and re-facing of the abutments and wing walls.
Once the work is complete, it is estimated it would be 20 years before additional rehabilitation is required.
The estimated cost of the work is $850,000, including engineering, inspection and contingencies.
In her statement, Iglesias said the Irvine Street bridge is significant because it is representative of the few remaining one-lane, reinforced-concrete, bowstring bridges in the township.
It is one of seven bowstring bridges in Centre Wellington and one of 18 in the Grand River watershed. Such bridges are unique in Wellington County because of their age, style and concentration in numbers.
Centre Wellington is especially known for its concentration of bowstring bridges which represent “a high degree of craftmanship and artistic merit,” Iglesias said, noting the design emulates the first concrete bowstring bridge built in France.
The design was popular because it requires minimal material, was simple to install, represented newer construction materials and could easily accommodate vehicular traffic.
The bridge was built in 1929 and reflects the transition from horse-drawn vehicles to the new motorized age, Iglesias stated.
The quantity of remaining bridges in Centre Wellington and Wellington County attests to this design, “which has stood the test of time,” she said.
The bridge is also significant because of its connection with William Mortimer, who pioneered concrete bridges in this area, and Charles Mattaini of Fergus, a local bridge builder who was responsible for constructing many of the concrete bowstring bridges in Wellington County.
Councillor Fred Morris favoured the cultural/heritage designation.
However, the report states the road is not excessively travelled, causing Morris to wonder what the township would do to promote the location of the heritage structure – “especially since it is on a road which is not highly travelled.”
Iglesias suggested a plaque explaining its significance. In addition, notation would be made on the township website.
CAO Andy Goldie added the structure could also be promoted through the township’s tourism department.
Councillor Walt Visser also felt it important to recognize the bowstring bridges because of the local connections.
Councillor Mary Lloyd asked what happens to the remaining bowstring bridges within Centre Wellington.
Managing director of infrastructure Colin Baker explained that going forward bridges would go through a class environmental process to look at options such as whether or not the bridge is even a candidate for rehabilitation.
He agreed most bowstring bridges are narrow, single-lane structures. These bridges are not conducive for wide farm equipment, Baker said.
Morris said “the bowstring bridges being one lane bridges, are not, really practical in this day and age.”
Council voted to move forward with the designation process.
Of the options considered, the rehabilitation option would keep the bridge as a one-lane structure while any replacement option would widen the structure to accommodate two lanes of traffic.
Baker said the replacement options would bring the road up to modern standards.
He added it would no longer be typical to replace any structure with a single lane bridge.
“When we look at rural bridges with very low volumes, it is not so much the issue of traffic, but farm machinery that is being used today,” said Baker.
“A farm combine can often take up a lane and a half, which warrants a two-lane bridge.”
