February 21, 2017
The City of Dauphin, Manitoba, knew their new bridge joining their Vermillion Park Walking Trail with their Vermillion SportsPlex would be well-received. But they never expected a rousing cheer with 74 thumbs up the very moment it was placed.
The positive reviews came from 37 Grade Three students and handlers watching the morning lift and install from a safe distance as part of their research project on construction. The class fell quiet as the crane lifted the bridge off the ground and swung it into place in just three minutes. When it was set on its bearing seats they erupted in a spontaneous cheer. Once crews had tightened the anchor bolts and inspected the bridge to ensure all was well, the enthusiastic children were the first to cross the new 20 m span.
Sure, it was a “teachable moment” they’d remember for years to come, but if they’d only done a bit more research, the real learning would’ve come from knowing more about their city’s decision to go with a Custom Prefabricated Algonquin Bridge in the first place. That decision gave their city several key advantages, like:
- Having their bridge custom-designed for their site
- Saving time and money over site-built alternatives
- Getting the quality construction that comes from building in a controlled factory environment
- Knowing that their bridge is made in Canada from quality steel with high recycled content
- Helping preserve their stream’s habitat through less invasive installation and maintenance practices
- Enjoying the zero-maintenance life cycle of the galvanized structure
Walking trail bridge creates a real community event
The Mayor of Dauphin was also on-site to enjoy a more leisurely — but equally pleasing — walk across the bridge shortly after the install. Not long after that, representatives from the local Rotary Club dropped by for a photo-op recognizing their $50,000 contribution to the cause.
For their part, the Fort Richmond Construction crew was pleased that the bridge sections arrived on time and that they were easy to offload and splice together. Plus the assembled bridge fit onto its bearings just like a glove. These sentiments were echoed by city officials we bumped into at a trade show the following week.
