The City of Airdrie has received funding from the Alberta government to help complete its restoration of the 1928 Nose Creek Bridge to the Elevators – Airdrie’s first Municipal Historic Resource.
The restoration project, which had been ongoing since May of last year, reached its completion on Oct 29, 2020, with City staff and council members commemorating the opening of the bridge to pedestrians and cyclists with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Funding in the amount of $29,050 has been granted to the City as part of the government’s Heritage Preservation Partnership Program (HPPP). The program provides matching grants and scholarship funds to support initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta’s heritage, according to the government’s website.
“We are very pleased to receive financial support from the Province,” said Mayor Peter Brown in an emailed statement. “Very pleased to see the province recognizes the importance of protecting and preserving our history [and] heritage.”
The grant money will be directed towards the restoration previously completed on the bridge last year, including the replacement of damaged wood.
The restoration project came as a result of a 2018 Cultural Needs Assessment in Airdrie, indicating there is an interest among the community to see historical resources protected.
In July of 2019, the City passed a bylaw protecting the bridge as Airdrie’s first Municipal Historic Resource. Located on Edwards Way between Railway Avenue and 1st Avenue, the bridge is the last remaining structure associated with the railway station grounds and the former grain elevators in Airdrie.
“I am thrilled that the Nose Creek Bridge to the Elevators restoration project has come to completion for our community to enjoy,” Brown said. “Our historic resources are so unique to our history.
“It is important that we continue to preserve the buildings, landscapes and features that represent a significant part of Airdrie’s heritage.”
According to the City, the 80-foot pony truss bridge, set on wood abutments, is indicative of early bridge construction in Alberta. It was built at a time when an influx of settlers to the prairie provinces resulted in a growing need for innovative roadways and bridges.
Michael McAllister, community developer for the City of Airdrie, said the bridge is a vital component to the Airdrie landscape.
“Funding provided from HPPP ensures that we were able to restore this landmark into a beautiful footpath that connects Airdrie’s parks and pathways while preserving pieces of Airdrie’s rich history,” he said.
“As Airdrie continues to grow, the conservation of landmarks is incredibly important.”
Carmen Cundy, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @carmenrcundy
