London Ontario - A new Hyde Park subdivision will have a focal point that honours London's past in two ways, an historic railway bridge flanked by a park named for Olympic wrestler Harry Geris.
 
The Hampton Group plans a subdivison on the north side of Sarnia Road with about 120 single-family homes north of the Canadian Pacific tracks and 170 townhouses on the south side.
 
The two halves of the property are linked by a timber bridge over the railway that city records indicate was built in 1895 and reconstructed in 1990.
 
David Tennant Jr. of the Hampton Group said the bridge will be part of a development plan submitted to the city as multi-use pathway that will link to existing municipal laneways.
 
"When we saw the bridge, we saw it as an opportunity, not a negative to our development."
 
Tennant said Hampton Group also proposes a park on the north side of the bridge named for Londoner Harry Geris, an Olympic wrestler in the 1968, 1972, and 1976 Summer Games.
 
Geris died of a heart attack in 2008 at age 60.
 
His son, Shawn, launched an online petition this year asking the city to name a street or park after him.
 
Donna Szpakowski, president of the Hyde Park Business Association, said the group is asking the city to designate the bridge a heritage property and turn the municipal laneway south of the bridge into a multi-use path.
 
The old bridge is a natural gathering place and link for bus commuters, students walking to Banting secondary school, and shoppers headed to the Hyde Park retail area, she said.
 
The property was owned by Helen Dickie, a noted horse fancier.
 
Hampton Group bought it after Dickie died.
 
Kyle Gonyou, a heritage planner, said the bridge doesn't have heritage designation that would provide some protection against demolition.
 
Hank Daniszewski.