Photo "Senkiw Bridge"

photo:

Senkiw Bridge

photographer:

cheryl dunning add to favorites

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+ discussion

categories:

nature, misc.

place:

notes:

The historic Senkiw suspension bridge that crosses the Roseau River in the RM of Franklin is once again a safe place to cross the river.
A celebration marking the completion of the restoration project took place Sunday, Aug. 21, 2005. About 250 people participated in
this special event. Speakers paid tribute to the people who built the footbridge in 1946 and referred to the bridge as a symbolic link
between the past and the future.
The bridge, now part of the Crow Wing Trail, was originally built as a crossing for children attending the Senkiw School. When the
school closed in the 1960s, it was no longer needed and not maintained. Restoration was spearheaded by the RM of Franklin Crow
Wing Trail committee that is developing 75-kilometres of the 181-kilometre trail between Emerson and St. Norbert. The Crow Wing
Trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail.
The restoration project was funded mainly through a Manitoba Millennium Fund grant that was matched by funds raised through
community fundraising events and in-kind contributions, says Eileen Gunn, chair of the RM of Franklin Crow Wing Trail committee.
John Andrusyk, now living in Morris, cut the ribbon during the opening ceremonies. Andrusyk started school in 1948, two years
after the footbridge was built.
“I have probably crossed the river on that bridge more often than anyone else,” he said in an interview.
Before the swinging bridge was built in 1946 people crossed the river in a basket large enough for four to five children. The
basket was attached to a cable and manually pulled to the other side.
As a fundraiser for the restoration project, planks were sold in 2003 and names of donors were routed into the planks as permanent
recognition of their support.

I took this on October 21st of this year...thought it was a cool bridge. 

published:

mon 11 Dec 2006 16:01

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