The reopening of the swing bridge in the village of Bobcaygeon, Ont., has been delayed until spring 2022, Parks Canada announced Friday.
In July, Parks Canada anticipated repairs to the bridge spanning Lock 32 of the Trent-Severn Waterway would be completed in December. However, officials said that deadline is no longer achievable.
Parks Canada says in the early fall a new consultant was added to the project to review and finalize the bridge design, focusing on concerns regarding mechanical components and re-fabrication of components for the bridge.
“At that point it was believed that a December 2021 bridge re-opening timeframe was still achievable,” Parks Canada stated in a release. “However, upon review by the new consultant, Parks Canada was recently advised by the contractor that they will be unable to meet this timeframe and that the re-opening of the bridge needed to be pushed to spring 2022 due to issues mainly associated with the mechanical component re-fabrication.”
The enhanced pedestrian access over the upper lock gates and its access paths will continue to remain open, Parks Canada said.
Originally built in 1921, the bridge in the heart of the village has been closed since May 2019. Repair work saw lengthy delays in 202 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the project includes replacing steel superstructure and concrete foundations, mechanical and electrical operating systems and the steel deck with a wooden one to keep with the original heritage structure.
“We appreciate your patience while we undertake these important investments into the infrastructure in Bobcaygeon,” the statement read.