Ginoogaming First Nation declares state of emergency over bridge deterioration

Ginoogaming First Nation has declared a state of emergency after an engineering inspection showed the bridge leading to the community should be closed to traffic.

The community announced the state of emergency on Wednesday, after WSP Engineering made the recommendation to close the Making Ground River Bridge. The inspection took place last week, and the community was given 24 hours notice of the closure, which was expected to go into effect late Wednesday afternoon.

Ginoogaming Chief Sheri Taylor said while there is another route in and out of the community, it takes about an hour.

"It's a bush road, so it's not really maintained well," she said. "We've had to put our own resources in to get that road maintained today so that it's ready for our community members to use."

The bridge itself is about 70 years old, a media release states.

Taylor said while repairs have been made to the top portion of the bridge, repairs weren't made to the structure, which has been deteriorating.

"Since I became chief in Ginoogaming I've been trying to get Ontario and Canada, both levels of government, to come to the table to try and rectify this issue," she said. "That way we would have a safe and secure bridge for people."

Taylor said the community hopes to have a temporary solution in place within two to three weeks.

"I can't go any longer than that because we're cut off from the essential services like a fire and ambulance and emergency services that are needed," she said.

The release states the community is asking all levels of government to provide funding for a temporary crossing, and continue a feasibility study for a new bridge, that would be owned by Ginoogaming.