Construction begins on pedestrian crossing bridge near Fort York

Construction on a pedestrian bridge near Fort York began early Saturday morning years after political uncertainty around the project.

The first of the two bridges for the new Garrison Crossing started to be constructed early Saturday.

In 2011, the idea for this project was shot down and then revived later in the year at an estimated cost of just under $20 million.

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“We put the first lift in at about 2 a.m. in the morning last night,” Mike Wheelen, VP of Major Projects for CreateTO said.

CreateTO is a new agency created by the city to manage municipal real estate.

“It’s going to be a vital part of providing connectivity and access across the city,” Wheelen said.

Once completed, the crossing will connect the area around Trinity Bellwoods Park in the north to Fort York grounds in the south.

Currently, the two areas are divided by train tracks and the only way to go around is by either Bathurst Street in the east or Strachan Avenue in the west.

The Garrison Crossing bridges will cross over the two sets of train tracks between Bathurst Street and Strachan Avenue and will be open to pedestrians and cyclists.

The second bridge is scheduled to go up in September and the whole project is expected to be completed by the late fall.