The Smithers Rotary Club hopes to begin construction on Canada’s longest foot suspension bridge in 2015.
A delegation from the service organization attended the regular Town of Smithers council meeting on Jan. 14 to seek support for the project and also to ask if the town would accept the bridge as a gift once it was completed.
“Rotary is in the business of building, but we’re not in the business of maintaining,” Bruce Graff, chair of the suspension bridge development committee, said.
“I think it’s a great project and 99 per cent of the people I talk to think it’s going to be a great project.”
The Rotary Club has been looking at the project for the last 10 years, Graff said, but the group is now ready to begin fundraising to make it happen. They hope to start construction in 2015.
At 185 metres, the proposed bridge would be the longest in Canada three metres longer than the current record holder in Thunder Bay, Ont. It would cross the Bulkley River at the end of Main St. and connect the Ebenezer Flats area with Smithers.
On the Ebenezer side, there will be an observation deck at the top of one of the 30-metre towers that frame the structure.
The construction cost is estimated at between $1.6 and $2.5 million. The Rotary Club is now officially starting the drive to raise the funds needed for the project.
Councillors questioned the delegation about maintenance costs and the lifespan of the structure.
The life span of the bridge is 100 years, Graff said, and the annual maintenance cost is estimated at between $5,000 and $12,000.
“You also have to look at replacement,” said Counc. Charlie Northrup. “It’s an expectation from people when you provide a service or a facility or a bridge that’s it’s replaced. So, if it’s going to last 50 years, we also need to budget for a capital replacement program to replace it in 50 years.”
Besides the added convenience for Ebenezer Flats residents, the Rotary Club said they see this project as one that will bring tourists to Smithers and encourage them to stay longer.
“Through tourism, we believe this is going to be a source of revenue for the community of Smithers,” said Rotary Club president Steve Kerbrat. “The benefits will far outweigh the costs.”
Compiling a detailed engineering design is next step for the Rotary Club.
Smithers council will discuss the matter further at their next regular meeting, Jan. 28.