The City of Winnipeg held an event Friday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the start of construction on the Charleswood Bridge, as the date ownership of the span will be formally transferred to the city nears.
The $45.8-million bridge, built via a public-private partnership, opened on Oct. 24, 1995. The city made its final payment on the project during the 2024 fiscal year. Ownership of the bridge will be formally transferred to the city next year.
“As one of Canada’s first public-private partnerships, the Charleswood Bridge showed what’s possible when we get creative with infrastructure,” Mayor Scott Gillingham said in a news release.
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“Finished a full year ahead of schedule, this project not only connected neighbourhoods but also set the stage for future partnerships in Winnipeg and beyond. With the upcoming handover to the city, we’re proud to carry its legacy forward as a model of smart infrastructure that benefits our community.”
Then-mayor Susan Thompson said in the release that it took “huge work” to reach a deal on the project.
“The only way was through innovation, which was the private/public partnership. It was like climbing several Mount Everests,” she said. “But we got it done, and I do hope this bridge serves one and all very well. It was a significant exercise in perseverance, and we got the job done.”
DBF Ltd. recently finished rehabilitating the bridge’s roadway surface, stairs and barriers as part of the final maintenance agreement. Minor work on walkways and sidewalks will be completed within the next eight months.
