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County buys a
bridge for a buck
reprinted from Red Deer
Advocate (Brenda Kossowan) December 23, 2009
Old CPR Trestle
over Red Deer River a Heritage Site
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A pair of horses
run through a pasture below the Mintlaw Bridge about 10 km
southwest of the city Tuesday; Red Deer County has purchased
Alberta's second longest railway bridge* from CP Rail.
Photo
by Randy Fiedler, Red Deer Advocate
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An enormous relic from what used to be the Alberta Central Railway
is set to get a new owner.
Located just off of the C&E Trail southwest of Red Deer, the Mintlaw
Bridge spans the Red Deer River adjacent to acreage subdivisions
west of Springbrook and the Red Deer Regional Airport.
On Tuesday, Red Deer County council agreed unanimously to buy the
97-year-old bridge for $1 and issue a tax receipt for $8.8 million
to its current owner, Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.
The purchase does not include railway right-of-way leading to the
bridge, which is valued at $8.8 million in its current state and has
an estimated lifespan of 80 years.
While the trestle still stands and the bridge deck remains intact,
the rails have been gone for a number of years.
In presenting CPR's offer to council, assistant county manager Rick
Henderson said the county would acquire a valuable asset that has
already been recognized as a heritage site with significance and
integrity.
The county has been given an inspection report that details repairs
needed, estimating that it would cost $2.1 million.
The report estimates that building a replacement, without rails,
would cost $24.6 million.
Mayor Earl Kinsella said it will be up to a future council to decide
what to do with the bridge.
* Webmaster Note: The Mintlaw Bridge
is actually the fifth longest railway bridge in Alberta but the
second longest CPR steel trestle railway bridge and the longest
railway bridge in Central Alberta.
News articles related to ACR/CPR Mintlaw bridge:
Commentary: Preservation Opportunity Not to be
Lost (Innisfail Province & Red
Deer Advocate June 2015)
News article: Red Deer County seeks partners
to afford bridge access
(Mountain View Gazette Apr.2012)
News article: County council looks at bridge
as tourist attraction
(Red Deer Advocate April 2012)
News article: Plans for Mintlaw Bridge waiting
on public feedback
(Mountain View Gazette Feb.2012)
News article: Opposition comes forward to Mintlaw Bridge preservation
(Mountain View Gazette May 2011)
News article: Reinforcing our history
(Red Deer Advocate Mar.2011)
News article: Repairs planned for crumbling
CPR bridge
(Red Deer Advocate Feb.2011)
News article: RD County antes up for Mintlaw
Bridge repairs
(Mountain View Gazette Nov.2010)
News article: Bridging gap between history and
disrepair
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2010)
News article: County buys historic railway bridge
(Red Deer Express Dec.2009)
News
article: Historic significance of concrete obelisk preserved in
mural (Red Deer Advocate Oct.2008)
Alberta Central Railway (CPR)
- Red Deer to Rocky
Mountain House
ACR/CPR Mintlaw Steel Trestle
Railway Bridges of Central Alberta
Alberta's Largest Railway Bridges
Largest Railway Bridges of Western Canada
Rails to Trails
Forth/Tuttle-Mintlaw-Sylvan
Lake Linear Park Proposal
Michael Dawe articles related to Alberta Central
Railway / CPR ACR branch heritage
A
look back at the Alberta Central Railway
(Red Deer Express Sept.2014)
Laurier's
1910 visit huge event for city
(Red Deer Express August 2010)
Mintlaw Bridge essential to region's railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
Sir Wilfrid Laurier visited Red Deer
(Red Deer Advocate May 2010)
The origins of
Alberta Central Rail pillar
(Red Deer Express April 2008)
Alberta Central Railway helped open region
(Red Deer Advocate Special March 2007)
John T. Moore
(Red Deer Express Feb.2003)
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