Norris Whitney Bridge - Belleville ON - Grand Opening on Waymarking.com

The Norris Whitney Bridge, also referred to as the Bay Bridge, connects the city of Belleville with the town of Rossmore, and serves as a major access point to Prince Edward County. This is the second bridge to be built at this location. Early on, passengers and goods were moved across the bay by means of ferry boat. Increasingly, a more reliable and expedient method of travel between the two areas lead to the construction of a swing-style bridge in 1891. Increased traffic volumes, and deterioration of the original bridge, necessitated the construction of a new bridge.

Norris Eldon Howe Whitney was born in Prince Edward County, Ontario, in 1908. Whitney was a sheep farmer both before and after his political career. In 1951, he ran for and was elected as MPP for the Prince Edward-Lennox riding, a position he held from 1951 until 1971. Norris Whitney reportedly spearheaded the campaign to replace the aged swing bridge, beginning in 1967. Whitney died on January 11, 1980, 9 years after leaving politics and less than a year before construction on the new bridge began.Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norris_Whitney_(Ontario_politician); Accessed Nov 22, 2014

Construction to replace the 90-year old bridge began in December of 1980, and the new arch bridge was completed and officially opened on December 4, 1982. Presiding over the opening ceremonies was James Snow and William G Davis.

James Snow (July 12, 1929 – September 13, 2008) was a member of the Provincial Conservative Party of Ontario and served as MPP for Halton East from 1967 to 1985. He served as a cabinet minister in the governments of William Davis and Frank Miller, first as Minister of Public Works (1972–1972) and Minister of Government Services (1972-1975) and later as Minister of Transportation and Communications (1975–1985). Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Snow; Accessed Nov 22, 2014

William Grenville Davis (born July 30, 1929) was a member of the Provincial Conservative Party of Ontario and served as MPP for Peel from 1959 to 1985. Davis was the 18th Premier of Ontario, from 1971 to 1985. Unlike most provincial premiers in Canada, Davis strongly supported Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's 1981 plans to patriate the Canadian Constitution from the United Kingdom and add to it a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Davis's role in the constitutional negotiations of 1981 were pivotal in achieving a compromise that resulted in the passage of the 1982 Constitution. Davis was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1985. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_G._Davis; Accessed Nov 22, 2014