Residents of Southern Queens County had their patience rewarded today as Premier Robert Ghiz, Minister of Transportation and Public Works Ron MacKinley, and Minister of Tourism, and MLA for District 17, Kelly’s Cross - Cumberland Valerie Docherty officially opened the brand new Dunedin Bridge.
“Long before I entered politics I knew how hard Minister Ron MacKinley worked to have this bridge replaced,” says Premier Robert Ghiz. “He must have raised the issue a hundred times with previous governments. But it took him becoming Minister to get the job done, and for that he deserves a great deal of credit for following through.”
Premier Ghiz joined Minister MacKinley and Minister Docherty for a ceremonial first crossing this morning at the new $2.2 million bridge. The old bridge had reached the end of its service life. It was subject to weight restrictions and was not amenable to pedestrians. The new bridge is longer by about 50 metres which helped protect sensitive fish habitat and wider by about 4 metres which allows for safer pedestrian access.
“I am extremely proud to be Minister of Transportation and Public Works today,” said Minister MacKinley. “I fought for over a decade to have this bridge replaced for the safety and convenience of nearby residents. So I am very pleased that my peers in this government saw fit to include the replacement of the Dunedin Bridge as part of our 5- year, $500 million economic stimulus plan announced in the Capital Budget.”
The replacement of the bridge was not without its challenges. For one, the design team had to come up with a plan that satisfied Federal regulations for fish habitat protection, while at the same time providing a bridge that would stand the test of time. The project was also a challenge for nearby residents who had to use alternate routes over the course of the five-month project.
“My constituents have displayed a great deal of patience and understanding while the bridge was being replaced,” said Minister Docherty. “And today they have a beautiful new bridge that’s safer and stronger than what was here before.”