New and improved French River snowmobile bridge reopens
Officials were all smiles in French River, south of Sudbury, on Friday as they cut the ribbon on a project that's been a couple of years in the making.Ribbon cutting for the Ronald J. MacGillivray Bridge for snowmobiles in French River. Jan. 20/23 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)The Ronald J. MacGillivray Bridge, for snowmobiles, officially re-opened over the Pickerel River connecting northern and southern Ontario.
"It's fantastic. It's such a great day that we're finally able to reopen the bridge," said French River Mayor Gisèle Pageau.
"It's been closed for a few years because it needed major repairs and funding was difficult to get, and this bridge is extremely important because it links the south to the north."
The bridge had to have some struts repaired along with some of the rotten boards. It also had to be lifted and extended out from the shoreline.
Officials with the French River Snowmobiling Association said the work was made possible through grants from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.
"It's certainly been missed," said snowmobile association president Denis Prevost.
"Just in our club, we have 410 members, approximately. It's a lot of machines for our area, but it does attract a lot of people from southern Ontario because they have less snow and they want to come across."
Prevost anticipates the bridge is likely to attract thousands of people when it's up and running. He said people actually come just to cross the bridge itself and take pictures.
While the area is known for its cottages and camping during the summer months, winter tourism and snowmobiling in particular are important to the local economy.
"We're just so happy to be able to reopen and get the safest way possible to cross the Pickerel River," said Prevost.
He said last winter, snowmobilers had to use a trail that brought them close to the highway.
"It's a great attraction and we're hoping a lot of people will come visit us," Pageau said.
The Ronald J. MacGillivray Memorial Bridge in French River. Jan. 20/23 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)
Getting the bridge would not have been possible without the work of its volunteers.
It's something that Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas was quick to point out, saying she and her husband regularly ride their machines and the bridge is on their list to do soon.
"This has been a long time coming," Gélinas said.
"Those volunteers work so hard. They were able to access a little bit of money … and then they worked really hard throughout the whole summer to get this bridge to be fixed."
She said it is a beautiful loop for anyone who likes to snowmobile.
"It's just a unique feature. People come here to cross it and take a picture, it's one of a kind in the province," said Jason Miller of the Near North Trail Association.
"Winter tourism is critical to northern Ontario, French River included. It brings people from down south, they come, they ride, they stay, eat and spend money and they enjoy themselves because they're back to nature. The French River area is unique landscape as opposed to other areas, so it just adds to the riders' experience."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.