winter has arrived. oh, i know — there’s no snow on the ground yet, at least not as i write this. and it’s been unseasonably warm lately. meanwhile, every nhl team still has a chance of winning the stanley cup this season.
but i don’t look on snow, cold and dashed hopes as the first signs of winter. the first signs of winter are when ottawa’s paths, stairs and bridges — yes, bridges — become impassable, and not because they’re actually impassable, but because people in positions of authority have decided that we shouldn’t use them for the next several months.
one soon-to-be victim is the chief william commanda bridge — formerly the prince of wales bridge — that crosses the ottawa river at lemieux island. a recent memo from the city’s public works and recreation, cultural and facility services departments noted that the old train bridge, which opened to the public in 2023 following extensive refurbishment, will close for the winter season out of concern for — what else? — people’s safety.
location of chief william commanda bridge.
robert cross
/
postmedia
i know it’s a fool’s errand to argue against anything done in the name of safety, but here we go …
first, though, and in all fairness, the bridge was not reopened with four-season use in mind, even though the memo states that its potential to support winter activities such as cross-country skiing, as part of the kichi sibi winter trail, is at least aspirational. last winter, however, there simply wasn’t enough snow to properly assess the feasibility of grooming the bridge’s wooden deck.