Kinsmen bridge is moving closer to completion

Workers moved the stringers that will span the girders and form the deck base. The girders doubled as an elevator to move some of the stringers closer to their final positions. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Construction of the Kinsmen Bridge, which spans Participark, took a significant leap forward last week.

A 770-ton crane, which towered above the valley and was visible across the centre and western part of town, was on site most of the week. The crane lifted the steel piers into place atop the original stone bases, which were reused as part of the design. Support girders were then lifted into place, spanning the distance between the two sides of the gulley across the piers.

The crane also lifted one of the original steel piers from the valley floor onto Veteran’s Memorial Walkway. Council earlier decided the heritage element would be a part of a redesigned walkway, the design of which is still being finalized.

In the next couple of weeks, crews need to install steel stringers, decking, and railings on the bridge, followed by final site restoration.

Carlos Reyes, Director of Operations and Development, said the Veterans’ Memorial Walkway is scheduled for completion by the end of June, “with portions of the site reopened as work allows.” Reyes did not respond to a request for a more specific estimate of when the bridge would be open to the public before the press deadline. Participark is expected to reopen in late May.

The original schedule had the project to be completed in January, but an update in December moved the target to mid-March. A press release issued by the town on March 31, said installation was to be completed in the first week of May. The release also said any costs associated with schedule changes would be borne by the town.

“No additional costs are associated with the revised schedule, and no further impacts are anticipated at this time,” Reyes said.