Refurbished historic bridge continues to connect Burlington and Hamilton
Published March 25, 2022 at 12:35 pm
The Valley Inn pedestrian bridge, a walkway connecting the cities of Burlington and Hamilton, will be open in time for Sunday’s Around the Bay Race.
In order to ensure the bridge was race day ready, city crews installed a temporary wooden bridge deck.
In April, crews will be back to install a permanent, weather-resistant, fiberglass reinforced plastic deck that has a substantially longer operational life compared to other materials and will keep the bridge in good condition for years to come. The project will require a two-day closure to complete the work at that time.
“This historic connection between Burlington and Hamilton goes back decades and is a piece of local heritage. I am truly grateful to the Patrick J McNally Charitable Foundation for their generosity and donation towards the revitalization of this piece of history to ensure it remains for future generations,” said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.
The Valley Inn pedestrian bridge is located east of York Boulevard in Hamilton, above Grindstone Creek, and was installed in 1964 as a temporary structure after the previous bridge collapsed.
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The Bailey Truss bridge design was developed during the Second World War as a standard military bridge type that was portable, quick to erect, and easy to adjust for different loads and spans. Portions of the bridge remained over time, including the stone abutments that were a part of the original bridge built in 1897.
Reconstruction began in early January and included the removal of the bridge and the installation of a steel truss bridge with timber deck and wooden railings meant to resemble the original.
To maintain the cultural heritage of the bridge, the original 1897 stone abutments were protected, and two 3-metre-long truss sections of the bridge were salvaged and restored for the creation of two interpretive monuments that will be displayed on either side of the bridge.
“As a long time Aldershot resident, I have witnessed many locals would refer to the Valley Inn Road bridge as the ‘Rickety-Rackety bridge’ from the noise that was produced whenever a vehicle would pass over it,” said local councillor Kelvin Galbraith.
“It was closed many years ago to vehicle traffic and subsequently pedestrian traffic, as well due to high-water damage. I am very excited to see this pedestrian bridge reopen that provides a great connection between Hamilton and Burlington.”
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