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July 2014
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Troubled bridge over water By Kim Goggins Severn Township Mayor Mike Burkett has had a fight on his hands from the moment he took office in 2010. The battle is with Parks Canada and the subject is a blue bridge that was floated down the Severn River from the former Bennett Hotel, in 1921, and attached to the swing bridge that crosses the waterway. This stationary bridge is in serious need of repair and Burkett fears that someone is going to lose their life crossing it. “Parks Canada is aware that there is a problem because two years ago they were here to do some retrofitting to try and buy them some time, but is someone’s life worth the time?” asks Burkett. His fears are not unfounded, says Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton. “It’s an important vehicular crossing. It’s the only one from Washago (besides Highway 11),” he tells The Villager. “It’s an important connection not only for the people in the Township of Severn but the Town of Gravenhurst that live in the north eastern side of Sparrow Lake because many of them commute to work and have no other connection toward the City of Orillia. That really is their main connection going southbound.” A financial commitment of $391.5 million has been set aside for roads, bridges and dams by Parks Canada in the 2014 budget but repairs to the hamlet bridge have not yet been announced.
Recent phone calls and emails by Burkett to Jewel Cunningham, Director, Ontario Waterways with Parks Canada have gone unanswered, although she did visit the area and viewed the bridge as well as a road in Port Severn, on June 26, 2013. “She came and looked under the bridge and saw that it’s a very old structure and is in need of replacing. Of course, Parks Canada says money is tight, but I would hope that the $391 million set aside for infrastructure would include the Hamlet Bridge,” says Burkett. After not hearing from Parks Canada for eight months, the Township of Severn sent a letter on Feb. 20, 2014, that again outlined Council’s concerns. “The Township is not comfortable waiting two years or more for the required repairs to be completed due to the potential harm to the area residents or local travellers,” stated Burkett in the letter. Stanton says the bridge is a high priority for the government but he hasn’t heard of a specific financial commitment yet. “I can certainly confirm that in the list of high priority projects for the waterway that it’s way up there; it’s been identified as an important repair,” Stanton says. “… The financial authority is there for this kind of work. It’s just a matter of waiting to see where Parks Canada lands in terms of when that project will take place.” Continued on page 18
Canada Day events will take place all day in Washago. The kids, like Danny Swift (seen here) always love the Bike Decorating Contest. Judging begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Washago Community Centre skating rink and then participants will join the parade at 2 p.m.
Business profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Fire training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 News in Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Recipe of the month . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Community Happenings . . . . . . . . 30
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