Those who signed the petition and those who wanted to but were unable to sign are coming together now in order to challenge the decision. (File Photo/ NortheastNOW)

By Rachel May

Old Nipawin Bridge

Residents near the Old Nipawin Bridge are hoping it will be restored

May 31, 2023 | 8:00 AM

The Old Nipawin Bridge may be closed but residents aren’t giving up hope when it comes to bringing traffic back.

When the bridge was first shut down, community member Maureen Wolchuk stepped up and created a petition to save the bridge with over 1,600 signatures of support.

“I just thought, well, nobody else was doing something and that you never know, something might happen. So if you don’t try you don’t know.”

After three months of petitions available at local businesses, Wolchuk picked them up to submit them to MLAs, mayors and even the Minister of Highways and Infrastructure.

A response came in short order from the Minister of Highways and Infrastructure, Jeremy Cockrill which Wolchuck shared but it wasn’t what the community had been hoping for.

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Cockrill said in the response that highway safety is paramount and despite the community being upset, they are dedicated to not allowing residents to drive after structural engineers determined the bridge could not operate safely in its current condition.

Wolchuk said that people going to Nipawin will now have to add significant time to their commute or traverse dirt roads to save time getting to the new bridge on Highway 55.

“For us and a lot of our neighbours out here (we) rely on that bridge to run to town. We figured it’d be about an extra 15 minutes but these last few days, it’s been raining. It’s just like slick grease.”

That isn’t the only worry as now first responders need to add that time as a factor when going to help those near the old bridge which Wolchuck stressed could be a matter of life and death.

Although traffic for vehicles and pedestrians has been closed off, there are still things crossing the bridge.

“The train keeps coming across the bridge. I watched it one day and I think there’s something like 32 cars they’re going across so it’s not just a light train,” Wolchuck said.

Now the community is coming together to ask those who signed the petition and those who wanted to but missed the opportunity to sign to possibly have the decision reviewed.

Wolchuck encourages those to call their local MLA, RM Reeve or Mayor in hopes that if enough people get together they can save a piece of history.

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Rachel.May@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RachelMayFM