4 May 2010

Plan to Reopen Bridge Still in the Works

Peterborough Ontario - Canadian Pacific Railway expects to have a plan "in the next little while" to repair the Edgewater Blvd. bridge that was destroyed by fire last month, says a spokesman.
 
Fire officials at the time estimated damage to the bridge was about $750,000.
 
CP Rail owns the bridge that crosses over the railway tracks, providing vehicular access to Edgewater Blvd., Wallace St., and Bruce St. on the point where the Otonabee River feeds into Little Lake from the north.
 
Police believe an accelerant may have been used in the 13 Apr 2010 blaze.
 
Michel Spenard, spokesman for CP Rail, said engineers have been studying the structure and looking into suppliers since last week and are still assessing the bridge.
 
Fire department Chief Trent Gervais said a day after the blaze that CP Rail figured that "within a month they'll have it up and open again."
 
The city has made temporary improvements to the emergency access to Edgewater Blvd. to provide an alternative route while the bridge is closed.
 
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with arson.
 
He can't be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
 
The teen has been denied bail.
 
The boy briefly appeared in court on Monday.
 
Defence lawyer Trevor Burgis and Crown attorney Kelly Eberhard met with Mr. Justice L.T.G. Collins in the judge's chambers before the boy's court appearance.
 
Burgis said they were waiting for more disclosure.
 
The boy returns to court 10 May 2010.
 
"There will be a conference on that day or a new bail hearing," Collins said.
 
Fiona Isaacson.