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Following the September opening of the New Walterdale Bridge, the adjacent historic steel grating-decked bridge that accommodated traffic over the North Saskatchewan River for over 100 years is now in its dying days. Formerly called the 105 Street Bridge, the 1913-built piece of civic infrastructure was a project launched by the Dominion Bridge Company, and borrowed its name from settler John Walter who operated a ferry nearby.
Demolition was scheduled to begin with the removal of the north truss this weekend, but issues with the crane temporarily put those plans on hold. That section of the bridge is now expected to be lifted out of place this week, followed by the dislodging of the south truss, and concluding with the centre span. The three sections will be transported to the south shore to undergo dismantling. The last step in the demolition would see the removal of the concrete piers and the bridge abutments. The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2017.
The steel will reportedly be recycled, with small parts to be saved for use in an unnamed future project. The City has considered a variety of schemes that would prolong the lifespan of the salvaged pieces, including using the leftovers as public art features or landscaping material.
The City of Calgary's removal of the 12 Street SE Bridge in May spurred comparable impassioned pleas from heritage preservationists, who decried the plan to scrap all traces of the local landmark. After collecting input from Calgarians, the City decided to retain and incorporate parts of the bridge into public spaces on both sides of the Bow River.
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