Borden Bridge
Encyclopedia
Borden Bridge is an abandoned arch bridge
that spans across the North Saskatchewan River
near Borden
, Saskatchewan
, Canada
. The bridge used to carry Saskatchewan Highway 16
, but is still open to foot traffic.
during the Great Depression
. It was built in 1936 by the contractor R.J. Arrand Construction Co. and was designed by Chalmers Jack (C. J.) MacKenzie (on leave from being Dean of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan
). Plans from 1929 called for a steel segmental truss bridge, however these were abandoned for a more labour intensive concrete bridge employing local farmers in the region.
In 1985 the bridge was closed to traffic. In 2007 the bridge was sold by the provincial government to Orville Middleton at a cost of $33,000; he indicated that his plans were to turn the bridge into a dance hall. The Saskatchewan Architectural Heritage Society expressed strong concern over this proposed use for the bridge.
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
that spans across the North Saskatchewan River
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
near Borden
Borden, Saskatchewan
-Notable people:* Robert Wardhaugh, born 1967, in Borden, Saskatchewan is an award-winning History professor at the University of Western Ontario.* David Orchard, is a Canadian political figure and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.- See also :* List of communities in Saskatchewan* Villages...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The bridge used to carry Saskatchewan Highway 16
Saskatchewan Highway 16
Highway 16 is a provincial paved highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is the Saskatchewan section of the Yellowhead Highway, and also the Trans-Canada Highway Yellowhead section. The main purpose of this highway is to connect Saskatchewan with Canadian cities such as Edmonton and...
, but is still open to foot traffic.
History
The bridge was constructed as a "make-work" projectMake-work job
A make-work job is a job that has less final benefit than the job costs to support. Make-work jobs are similar to workfare but are publicly offered on the job market and have otherwise normal employment requirements .A classic...
during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. It was built in 1936 by the contractor R.J. Arrand Construction Co. and was designed by Chalmers Jack (C. J.) MacKenzie (on leave from being Dean of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
). Plans from 1929 called for a steel segmental truss bridge, however these were abandoned for a more labour intensive concrete bridge employing local farmers in the region.
In 1985 the bridge was closed to traffic. In 2007 the bridge was sold by the provincial government to Orville Middleton at a cost of $33,000; he indicated that his plans were to turn the bridge into a dance hall. The Saskatchewan Architectural Heritage Society expressed strong concern over this proposed use for the bridge.