The support from the community was recognized last month, as a dedication ceremony was held for Wallaceburg’s walking bridge.
Local dignitaries gathered during WAMBO weekend for the grand opening and dedication of the Lou Stonehouse Memorial walking bridge.
“This bridge was really the culmination of huge community support,” said Wallaceburg Coun. Jeff Wesley.
“Everything from local businesses and local Chamber of Commerce who at the time was Councillor McGregor, the BIA, Sheldon Parsons was the Councillor working with me at the time, working with the group that did the petition by having it right on the bridge.
Wesley said many local businesses stepped up to offer materials and volunteer time, however due to liability concerns with the contractor they were not utilized.
“Keith Davis, Dick Primeau, Brad Murphy from Windsor Factory Supply, Gary Labadie with Duchene Paint and Accent Alley, Chatham Building Supply, The Chamber of Commerce and of course Wallaceburg BIA. They offered free labour, materials, work and support recruiting volunteers,” Wesley said.
Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor said she was glad to see the project completed.
“It was quite a process that happened within the community but they were definitely run by some certain people in the community and it gives me great pleasure to be able to acknowledge some of the volunteers and some of the people that helped with the petition,” she said.
“I think it was head off by Marg Furtah. I remember seeing a wonderful picture in the paper last year when that started taking place. Betty Turner, Mary Cole and of course to lead the charge along the way Sheldon Parsons who was councillor at that time but very much was instrumental in leading the path and making sure we kept this bridge in downtown Wallaceburg.”
Parsons said the bridge renovation was needed for the community.
“The phrase is, it takes a village and in our case the community rose up and stated how much they needed this bridge repaired and renovated,” he said. “It was through that public announcement that the community involvement that we were able to convince council that dollars that had been allocated needed to be spent. That’s what started the process to make sure that we continued to have a connection from south side commercial to our north side commercial from our residential community in the south to the north. It makes this an entire complete community.”
A service review by the municipality in 2013 listed the walking bridge as one of many that were to be shut down.
The community rallied together when this news spread.
Petitions were created, signatures gathered and people came forward in support of keeping the bridge in the community.
McLean Taylor Construction Ltd. was eventually awarded the tender for the project for $540,419.07.
– Tami Schram photo: Don Shropshire, Chatham-Kent’s CAO, Jeff Wesley and Carmen McGregor.
