The option chosen by the council is a steel infrastructure, more durable than the old wooden deck and able to be accessible all year round. The old footbridge will have lasted only about a dozen years, the wood not having resisted the humidity of the environment.
The footbridge never reopened as planned in spring 2023 because it was deemed unsafe and has remained closed ever since.
The city initially planned to spend $600,000 to upgrade it in the coming years, an amount that was increased to $900,000 in the latest budget. This new increase was unanimously authorized by council on Tuesday. Everyone agreed on the importance of this asset for citizens and visitors.
“We can’t ignore it,” said elected official Danielle Berthold, speaking of the public’s disappointment when the course had to be closed last year. Despite a provincial grant of $200,000, the project was still $1.5 million short of completion.
At this stage, the progress of the file remains preliminary. Asked to specify the degree of uncertainty, the director of the city’s engineering, water and major projects department, Caroline Gravel, considered variations of around 30% possible.
Municipal services anticipate a lifespan of 40 years for this steel footbridge. According to Mayor Évelyne Beaudin, building it in wood was a mistake at the outset.
The material chosen, made of steel with a grid on the ground, should resemble the metal footbridge already existing on the Abenakis dam, very close by towards the mouth of the Saint-François River.
The footbridge near the Abenakis power station, also in downtown Sherbrooke. (La Tribune Archives)
Until a possible opening in 2025, the section to cross the river between Frontenac and Cliff streets will nevertheless remain accessible since it is not the wooden deck.
