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Trail engineer eager for others to experience the Skywalk

“Walking across the bridge is a great experience that once you walk across it you will want to use it again,” Proulx told the Trail Times.
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Following the Dec. 15 soft launch of the Columbia River Skywalk

City of Trail engineer Warren Proulx is an official Skywalker - he’s crossed the new walking bridge numerous times as part of inspection.

Each time, he’s marvelled at the experience.

“Walking across the bridge is a great experience that once you walk across it you will want to use it again,” Proulx told the Trail Times. “The new views of the city are spectacular and I can see this bridge being a prominent promotion for the City of Trail. I can’t recall ever going across a bridge as unique as this pedestrian bridge,” he added. “The design and appearance is something everyone should witness.”

Soon people from Trail and beyond will be able to walk across water at the south end of town - the Columbia River Skywalk is being opened next week in what the city has termed a “soft launch.”

The ribbon cutting event is next Thursday, Dec. 15, 1:30 p.m. at the East Trail approach near McQuarrie Street.

City engineering tech Warren Proulx

 

There’s a logistical reason the ceremony is slated for that side of the water - landscaping is nearing completion whereas the Rotary Park approach needs a little more work.

“We had the opportunity to complete more work on the East Trail side because the majority of construction activity took place in Rotary Park,” Proulx explained. “Rotary Park was Graham’s (Graham Infrastructure) laydown area with offices and storage of material. They required this site until last week for that reason.”

Passersby may be wondering about the weird green colour of ground that extends almost to the shore. It’s actually hydro seeding for wild grass along with trees and shrubs mixed in.

While the city is phasing in the finishing touches to both approaches, Graham Infrastructure is responsible to reinstate all disturbed areas back to their original condition.

Rotary Park involves a larger area for landscaping and the site will remain as a graded area until spring, Proulx added.

“With the East Trail site being more pedestrian friendly at this time this is the reason this side of the bridge was chosen for the soft opening.”

To date, the $15.7 million bridge remains on budget and only eight days behind, mostly due to contractual changes.

“We have a list of deficiencies identified that Graham is working through this week with an anticipated date to complete on this Friday,” Proulx added. “The project currently sits below budget but there are some outstanding issues that will probably put the project on budget.”

Although the Skywalk is only days away from completion, the structure will not officially belong to the city until late 2017.

“Graham has a one-year warranty period on the bridge,” Proulx clarified. “Therefore it will not officially be signed over until the end of next year.”



Sheri Regnier

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