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Contract for Illecillewaet pedestrian bridge awarded to Revelstoke company

Revelstoke city council awarded the contract for the long-awaited Illecillewaet Pedestrian Bridge project Tuesday afternoon.
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The City of Revelstoke approved these plans for a pedestrian bridge over the Illecillewaet River on Aug. 30. Construction will start soon and the target completion date is the end of November this year.

Revelstoke city council awarded the contract for the long-awaited Illecillewaet Pedestrian Bridge project Tuesday afternoon.

Revelstoke-based Vic Van Isle Construction submitted the low bid of $678,885 for the project to create a new steel and wood bridge across the river at the old rail abutments.

The design of the bridge will mimic the old train bridge. It will be a flat steel structure with a wooden surface approximately three metres in width.

Mayor David Raven made sure to emphasize the city will be funding the project through outside grant funding. "There is no city funding going into it other than [city engineering director] Mr. Mallett's time and council's time," he said.

The city has successfully applied for four different grants that total $735,000, including a $375,000 Towns for Tomorrow grant, a $100,000 grant from the Columbia Basin Trust, a $50,000 cycling infrastructure grant and a $210,000 tourism infrastructure grant.

Approval was not unanimous. Coun. Antoinette Halberstadt voted against the motion, arguing a few consultation loose ends hadn't been tied up, but the rest of council felt it had been done adequately and it was time to move forward. "Let's get at it," commented Coun. Steve Bender.

Construction is expected to start soon and the target completion date is the end of November this year.

Vic Van Isle submitted three different bids for the project and beat out four other bidders. Bids ranged from $678,885 to $1,064,537. B.G. McDonald Services Ltd. had the second lowest bid at $852,885.

"At this price I think it's and excellent price," said Raven.

Recently, some last-minute adjustments were made to the ramp plans on either side of the bridge to try and preserve more trees.

The bridge will provide pedestrian and bicycle access across the river, but it was noted at the meeting that there were ongoing negotiations with private landowners in the area over right of way issues.

Eventually, the city hopes to run an official trail up to the Cashato Bench area. Surveying for that route is ongoing now.

Plans for the bridge have been in development for many years.