“Behind us there are bridges,” said Merrifield. “Eighty-year-old bridges that need some refurbishing—although, I noticed they’re not so depleted that we were too nervous to drive across them today.
“But, we’re investing. This is something that will keep the infrastructure here for another 80 years.”
The funds will pay for new concrete decks, sidewalks and railings, said Marion Lee, manager of highway services. Construction will likely begin next month.
“The first order of business for the contractor is to repair the sidewalk,” she said, noting that there will be pedestrian bridges built by Parks staff to allow access to the area during construction.
“We’ve ordered the materials and are working on building two new pedestrian, bike access bridges to allow people to come off the Red Squirrel Trail and access the bridge by foot or by bike.”
“Because it’s a popular place, of course there were lots of concerns about being able to access some of these areas,” said Fenton. “That’s why we’re working hard with the highway service centre staff and the rest of my team to get temporary access.”
There will also be new pull-out spots for rafting companies that utilize the area, said Fenton, mentioning the old well site and the confluence of the Maligne and Athabasca rivers.
The Old Fort Point bridges were built in the 1930s. The one spanning the Athabasca River “replaced a wooden structure that provided the main access and entry point into, first of all, tent city and then what became Jasper Park Lodge after that,” said Fenton.
The repairs, paid for by the “Fees at Work” program, are necessary as the bridges are reaching the end of their serviceable life.
In the past two years the funding program has reinvested $4 million into infrastructure in Jasper National Park. Some of those funds have gone into upgrading the Toe of the Glacier day-use area at the Columbia Icefields, installing playgrounds and new interpretive trails at Jasper’s campgrounds, and helping in the implementation of the Three Valley Confluence Trail Plan.
“We have 44 national parks across Canada and this one is the best,” said Merrifield. “But we do need to make certain that we keep the infrastructure solid.”
