HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-08-10, Page 13iynal-Star • Wednesday, August 10, 2011
enesetung Bridge repairs spark fundraising drive
Concrete work needs
to be finished this
year
Creces
h Signal -Star
hen 21 years since a dedicated
of volunteers took over owner-
ld management of the historic
etung Bridge, and once again a
fundraising initiative is under -
keep the bridge spanning the
d for years to come.
ue is concrete work, where aging
acking needs to be addressed.
the third concrete repair project
e bridge was purchased.
've been doing repair work on the
since 1990-1992," said Rod.
LaFontaine, Trail Coordinator for the
Menesetung Bridge Association (MBA).
'We're doing this because we like it. We
know people appreciate the bridge and
the trail."
Work has begun on the wing wall,.
which retains the land building up to
the bridge, and part of the south abut-
ment has been failing for years, LaFon-
taine
aFon-taine said. A large crack in the wallis a
cause for concern to the MBA, and
repair work is estimated at. $100,000.
The bridge association received a
Trillium. Grant for $52,000 from :the
province, however, as part of the grant
agreement the money must be spent by
next June.
"We started the work," LaFontaine
said. "But we can't do it all because we
can't pay for it all.
'This kick-started our fundraising"
The municipalities of Goderich and
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funds, leaving the MBA to raise a final $25,000 to
fully proceed.
This is the last in a list of items that have needed
to be addressed on the bridge for some time, and
LaFontaine said there are two stages to the
repairs.
"This will finalize all the work on the concrete,"
he said. "Six piers in the river and two abutment
wing walls on each end:'
The bridge's other component - the steel girders
and beams - are still in good shape,. with no vehic-
ular traffic across and therefore no salt corrosion.
LaFontaine said the association is looking at the
idea of sandblasting and painting the bridge. How-
ever, since there are no government programs
available for painting a steel bridge; it will be up to
the MBA volunteers to devisea way.
"We can only go so far asa charitable group, get
the bridge in as good shape as we can," LaFontaine
said. "You've got to remember its age. It all needs
to be looked at."
To that end, the Menesetung Bridge Association
has put out a letter asking for support.
And residents, It seems, are eager to help out.
Even before all the letters were distributed in
town, cheques began arriving from people who see
the value In such a well-maintained and well-doc-
umented piece of local history and recreation.
Construction on the Menesetung Bridge began.
in 1904, and the work was completed in 1907. The
cement pillars themselves were completed in. 1906,
paving the way - so to speak - for the 196 -foot,
38 -ton steel beams.
The inaugural train left the Goderich CPR station
September 12, 1907.
Goderich
a1 -Star
Eight deaths recorded in province
over Civic long weekend
OMI Agency
Despite the best effortsof police and emergency
workers, preliminary statistics indicate a total of
eight people died on the roads, trails and water-
ways patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police
(OPP) this past long weekend which began at 12:00
a.m. on Friday, July 29 and ended at midnight on
Monday August 1, 2011.
The OPP Provincial Trac Safety Program has
increased officer visibility and put a strong focus
on four key areas; aggressive driving, driving while
unpaired, the wearing of seatbelts and driving
while being distracted.
"Our thoughts andcondolences go out tothe
families of those who lost their lives on our roads
this weekend. The OPP Is doing everything it can to
make our roads as safe as possible" said OPP Com-
missioner Chris Lewis.
The OPP also focused some of their attention on
the Move Over Legislation, which came into effect
in 2003, and requires drivers to slow down and
move over to leave a lane between their vehicle
and an emergency vehicle with lights Mashing at
the side of the highway if it can be done safely.
"It seems that many drivers were not even aware
that this law exists. We need to continue with the
education and awareness on this piece of legisla-
tion so we ensure our emergency personal can
operate safely," said Commissioner Lewis.
During the holiday weekend, six persons were
fatally killed in six separate collisions on OPP-
patrolled roads throughout the Province. There
were also preliminary reports of one All Terrain
Vehicle death and one marine incident resulting in
the loss of one life.
Province -wide, the OPP laid numerous charges
for various offences over the long weekend, includ-
ing 5,750 for speeding (compared to 5,873 in 2010),
71 street racing charges (65 in 2010), 427 seatbelt
charges (384 in 2010) and 198 charges for driving
while impaireddrugsor havinga Blood Alcohol
p by
Content (BAC) of above 0.48 (223 in 2010). The
OPP also Issued 117 roadside license suspensions
to drivers with a BAC in the warn range of 0.05 to
0,08 (152 in 2010).,
"The Aircraft Enforcement Program also has
been a very successful tool in keeping our roads
safe since being introduced into the OPP," said
Deputy Commissioner for Traffic Safety and Oper-
ational Support Larry Beechey. The aircraft was
used :throughout the holiday weekend to assist
OPP members on the roadways.
Provincial Paye (OPP) resporwkid�o
over 200 calls for service between
Friday July 29 and Monday Aug 1.
Officers were busy on the road as
well as on the waterways. Numer-
ous RIDE programs were conducted
and charges were laid. During RIDE
programs and on general patrol,
Huron OPP officers made contact with
over 2,001 drivers and operators of
vehicles and boats resulting in the fol-
krwMW charges:
LIQUOR IJCENCE ACT 12
HIGHWAY TRAFFIC MT
Speeding•.. r.. ..•. ...... •...............,.... 129
Racing •iifilf•.. 1
Seatbelt•rr••AS$•.•.......•egos Wow •.4••S.•$• 3
Distracted Driving ...•..••• •.t.•o.•...i.•.*.••. 2
Controlled Drugs
Substance Act 5