I have lived in the house closest to the Balaclava Street bridge since 1998. It was closed to vehicular traffic in 2000 or so. There was a weight limit sign that someone happened to knock over. Trucks carrying aggregate to build the car park at Canadian Tire found it convenient to park nearby and cross that bridge to deliver their loads. I think that's why it was broken - excess loading.
After that, each winter when I've been around I have shovelled a path across it to let walkers and bikes and small motorized vehicles use it. That has worked out pretty well.
Like the litter abatement that Art nicely described in a recent article, this is an example of how citizens can help the town work more smoothly, and look better too. Let the TH council take the credit, but there's a lot of unpaid work that goes on behind the scenes!
I plan to sell the lovely old house soon, but will still live nearby, at least for a little while. A pedestrian footbridge is a good idea. For reasons both practical and attitudinal, small-town North America loves its motorized vehicles, but I think a footbridge would be an asset to those of us who get around as much as possible on foot or by bike, for exercise, outdoor enjoyment, and other reasons. That bridge is within 200 metres of the Trans-Canada Trail, where it heads west from the old rail yard to Hastings and beyond!
Bridge closure -
I have lived in the house closest to the Balaclava Street bridge since 1998. It was closed to vehicular traffic in 2000 or so. There was a weight limit sign that someone happened to knock over. Trucks carrying aggregate to build the car park at Canadian Tire found it convenient to park nearby and cross that bridge to deliver their loads. I think that's why it was broken - excess loading.
After that, each winter when I've been around I have shovelled a path across it to let walkers and bikes and small motorized vehicles use it. That has worked out pretty well.
Like the litter abatement that Art nicely described in a recent article, this is an example of how citizens can help the town work more smoothly, and look better too. Let the TH council take the credit, but there's a lot of unpaid work that goes on behind the scenes!
I plan to sell the lovely old house soon, but will still live nearby, at least for a little while. A pedestrian footbridge is a good idea. For reasons both practical and attitudinal, small-town North America loves its motorized vehicles, but I think a footbridge would be an asset to those of us who get around as much as possible on foot or by bike, for exercise, outdoor enjoyment, and other reasons. That bridge is within 200 metres of the Trans-Canada Trail, where it heads west from the old rail yard to Hastings and beyond!
Graham Wilson