Water Street Swing Bridge - Gananoque, Ontario - Ontario Heritage Properties on Waymarking.com

"The Gananoque Swing Bridge of 1893 is proposed for designation under the Ontario Heritage Act for historical, structural and contextual criteria. The designation encompasses the area within both approaches to the bridge notably the retaining walls and abutments of the east and west shores as well as the riverbed and pier below the bridge.

The bridge was constructed with municipal support by the Thousand Islands Railway, a Rathburn Company subsidiary, to give direct rail access to industry on the east side of the Gananoque River, in particular the large Gananoque Carriage Company-at the time one of the largest manufacturers of carriages in the Dominion. Located at the mouth of the Gananoque River, the bridge was designed to rotate horizontally on the limestone-clad central pier and allow passage of tall water craft from the St. Lawrence. The riveted-steel, single-lane structure also originally accommodated vehicular and pedestrian traffic, which continued after the rail tracks were removed in 1913. The direct intervention by the municipality to guarantee the construction of the structure, illustrates the notable commitment the Town invested in infrastructure for industry in the late 19th century. The construction of the structure is attributed to the Leeds Bridge and Iron Works Ltd., of Gananoque.

A compatible setting for the Swing Bridge is present with the traditional wharf and boating facilities along the shores of the south end of the Gananoque River. This environment is in keeping with the original scale, function and environs of the bridge. The approaches to the bridge on either side ofthe Gananoque River are also consistent with the early history of the bridge, featuring industrial land on the west and residential and visitor accommodation on the east."

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Link to Property in The Ontario Properties Database: [Web Link] Building or Property Type: Not Listed in Database County or Regional Municipality: Leeds and Grenville

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/12/2022 TAAJM visited it