Prince of Wales Bridge gate breached just hours after being installed
Bridge fencing cost about $46K, according to city officials
New fencing was put up Tuesday at the Prince of Wales Bridge to deter trespassers, but it didn't prove very effective.
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Gates put up Tuesday were breached later in the day, and people could be seen on the bridge in the evening.
Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper says the vandalism and trespassing is counterproductive.
"I'm disappointed," said Leiper. "My caution to people who want to use the bridge is that if the chain-link fence continues to get broken, the city is almost certain to go ahead and in order to protect itself from liability ... put in place that more expensive solution."
City may not have choice
The city was initially going to spend more than $250,000 to put up gates prohibiting access, but after public outcry the cost was dropped to about $46,000, according to city officials.
Leiper said if the vandalism doesn't stop, the city may not have a choice.
The city bought the bridge a decade ago for $399,000 with the idea of using it as an LRT extension, but Transport Canada still regulates the disused railway crossing.
After a Dec. 2, 2015 meeting with officials from the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau, Transport Canada wrote to make it clear it expects them to "permanently barricade the bridge to stop trespassers." The letter included a pointed reminder that the city is obliged to protect the safety and security of the public while they're on the property.
