ELORA – The Save Middlebrook Bridge group made another attempt to save the historic bridge that is slated to be removed in 2028.
Stephanie Lines-Toohill and Mark Walker, founders of the group that has grown to 3,000 members since it formed in 2021, spoke to council at its May 29 meeting.
They highlighted the group’s message that the bridge is used, valued, and an important piece of active transportation infrastructure in both Centre Wellington and Woolwich townships that should be repaired and saved.
At least it was used, Lines-Toohill said, reminding council that steel blockades were put at each end of the bridge in 2021 – a shock to hikers, anglers and cyclists who regularly used the bridge.
The bridge was built circa 1910 and spans the Grand River, linking Centre Wellington and Woolwich Township.
It is accessed off Middlebrook Road on Centre Wellington’s side and 8th Line East in Woolwich Township.
It is a rare structural example of a pin-connected steel truss camelback through truss bridge and is one of only four surviving steel truss bridges in the Region of Waterloo and one of only three in Woolwich Township.
The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 2013 and a municipal class environmental assessment (EA) was done in 2018.
That assessment eventually led to both councils deciding to remove the bridge. That is slated to happen in 2028.
In April 2021, barricades went up closing it to pedestrians too.
“But the EA failed to include active transportation” as a measure of the bridge’s value, Lines-Toohill said.
“And it failed to consider the long-term tourism benefits. And there was no effort to look at alternative funding.”
In 2022, at the urging of the Middlebrook Bridge group, council of the day passed a motion to reconsider and directed staff to update costs for the various options on the bridge.
Cost to remove the bridge was pegged at $720,000; to rehabilitate was $1.1 million. Costs would be split between the two townships.
Centre Wellington stuck with its original decision to demolish and Woolwich was not open to reconsideration at the time.
But with new councils here and in Woolwich, and with growing community support, the group decided to try one more time to save the bridge.
Lines-Toohill acknowledged that $1.1 million is a lot, “But you can spend $720,000 and have nothing, or for another $380,000 you have something the community can enjoy,” she said.
Council wondered if the group would be willing to fundraise for the bridge. Its members are, they said.
They also thought the township might qualify for grants.
The group will have to present again to Woolwich council and convince them to take another look at its decision.
Lines-Toohill said she hopes the public will be consulted this time too, as the public voice on Middlebrook bridge hasn’t really been heard until now.
Councillor Lisa MacDonald put forward a notice of motion to reconsider the decision to demolish. Her motion will be discussed at a future meeting.
