Ottawa River pedestrian bridge to close again for the winter [Video]

The City of Ottawa says a popular pedestrian bridge over the Ottawa River will close again for winter, despite many calls from residents and councillors to keep the pathway open for winter activities.

A memo to councillors from the city on Tuesday said the bridge will close as it did last year for the season, as the bridge was not designed to be open during the winter. The exact date of the closure will be determined when weather conditions make the bridge unsafe.

“The original railway bridge’s steel structure and timber plank surface does not allow for safe plowing, salting or grit operations. While staff have explored alternative de-icing products, none have been found to be suitable for the type of structure or the location of the bridge within the source water protection zone,” said Alain Gonthier, the city’s general manager of public works and Dan Chenier, general manager of …