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West Grey’s mayor says repairing local bridges is going to be a priority in 2025.
Kevin Eccles says trying to repair the over 100 bridges in the municipality this past year was a constant challenge.
“Being blessed with so much of the Saugeen River and its tributaries and everything, and being cursed with the bridges that go across there and trying to maintain that infrastructure has probably been one of our least performing things of trying keep ahead of, the deterioration of our bridges across the municipality with 114 bridges,” says Eccles.
He says many of these bridges, which were constructed around the same time, are reaching the end of their useful life. Nine of these bridges are currently closed.
“It takes an awful a lot of money to replace one bridge, let alone trying to stay ahead of 114,” says Eccles.
In 2025, the municipality will replace at least one of the bridges in Glenelg, which he says will cost a little over $2 million.
Additionally, the municipality has some planned water and sewer infrastructure work scheduled for the new year.
Reflecting on the past year, Eccles says there were a number of highlights for West Grey.
“The final announcement that we were going to be breaking ground and starting with the build of the new Rockwood Terrace Long Term Care Home in Durham, and building on the other side of Durham is the police station and the paramedic building,” says Eccles. “Getting that well under way after years of design and tussle and work to get it done, we are finally seeing the fruits of that break through.”
One particular challenge for West Grey Eccles says, however, was the South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) removing the in-patient beds from the Durham Hospital earlier this year.
The SBGHC is currently appealing West Grey’s legal case over the removal of the inpatient beds after the municipality filed its lawsuit in May.