Park users in Glace Bay angry over state of pedestrian bridge

People who spend time at Renwick Brook Park in Glace Bay, N.S., are angry over the poor condition of the pedestrian bridge near the downtown area.

Cape Breton Regional Municipality has blocked it off due to deterioration.

Anne Pyke, who walks around the park several times a day, said the bridge is in bad shape.

"It's quite dangerous because there's an opening there that is the width of the bridge," she said.

The bridge allows people to make the full loop around the brook.

Pyke said that without the bridge they have to go up to the road and cross the busy street bridge at Commercial Street.

She said it is difficult to maintain physical distancing.

"It's hard to walk six feet apart when you're passing someone on the sidewalk, so you're out in traffic sometimes and that's not good," she said. "It's quite dangerous."

Financial issues delayed repairs

George MacDonald, the municipal councillor for the area, said financial issues caused a delay in planned repairs.

He said another bridge several blocks away on the other side of the park is also in bad shape.

"We had a lot of calls on the condition of the bridge and I assumed it was going to be repaired. But I think what happened was when they got out there to try to make some of the repairs [they found] both bridges are in terrible condition underneath.

He said he believes the federal, provincial and municipal governments "are getting together to try to get some funds together to try to make a complete build of both bridges."

MacDonald said he's working on a short-term plan.

"That doesn't solve the problem right now so I'm still trying to get a temporary repair so that people can use the bridge to walk on at least for this year."

MacDonald, who is retiring from council, said it will be up to the new council this fall to decide what happens with the bridge.

MORE TOP STORIES