Point Wolfe Bridge
{{Short description|Covered bridge in Fundy National Park}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name = Point Wolfe Bridge
|image = Point Wolfe Bridge1.jpg
|image_size =
|caption =
|official_name =
|carries =
|crosses = Point Wolfe River
|locale =
|maint =
|id =
|builder =
|designer =
|design = Covered
|material = Wood
|spans =
|length = {{convert|28.8|m|ft|abbr=on}}{{cite web |last1=Government of New Brunswick |first1=Canada |title=Albert County - Covered Bridge |url=https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/dti/bridges_ferries/content/covered_bridges/albert.html |website=www2.gnb.ca |access-date=12 April 2024 |language=en |date=11 October 2011}}
|width =
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|load =
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|built = 1909
|opened = 1910
|rebuilt = 1992
|coordinates = {{coord|45|33|02|N|65|0|47|W|type:landmark_region:CA|display=inline,title}}
}}
The Point Wolfe Bridge is a red covered bridge that crosses the Point Wolfe River at Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada. It is one of the two covered bridges in Fundy National Park,{{cite news |title=Province's covered bridges delight artists |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/145242102/ |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=The Boston Globe |date=16 May 1993 |page=226 |language=en}} connecting the Point Wolfe Road from the Point Wolfe campground to the rest of the park.{{cite web |last1=Parks Canada Agency |first1=Government of Canada |title=Point Wolfe |url=https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/nb/fundy/activ/camping/pointwolfe |website=parks.canada.ca |access-date=12 April 2024 |date=15 March 2023}} It was originally built in 1909, following the collapse of a bridge one year prior. The Point Wolfe Bridge was once again rebuilt in 1992 after a workplace accident in December 1990 resulted in the bridge collapsing.
History
Since 1853, there have been a total of five bridges that have stood in the location of Point Wolfe Bridge.{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Jenna |title=Coastal Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick |url=https://library2.smu.ca/bitstream/handle/01/27072/Miller_Jenna_Honours_2017.pdf |access-date=12 April 2024}} One of these bridges fell in 1908,{{cite book |last1=Gillis |first1=Stephen |title=No faster than a walk : the covered bridges of New Brunswick |date=1988 |publisher=Fredericton, N.B., Canada : Goose Lane Editions |isbn=978-0-86492-091-1 |page=41 |url=https://archive.org/details/nofasterthanwalk0000gill/mode/2up |access-date=12 April 2024}} was rebuilt in 1909,{{cite news |title=Blasted bridge to be replaced |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator/145246745/ |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=The Hamilton Spectator |date=16 February 1991 |page=20 |language=en}} and opened in 1910 at a cost of $1,456. The Point Wolfe Bridge predates Fundy National Park, which was created on April 10, 1948, and officially opened on July 29, 1950.{{cite web |last1=Parks Canada Agency |first1=Government of Canada |title=History |url=https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/nb/fundy/culture/histoire-history |website=parks.canada.ca |access-date=12 April 2024 |date=23 March 2023}}
On December 29, 1990, the Point Wolfe Bridge collapsed when workers tried removing a rock that engineers deemed posed a safety risk to the bridge.{{cite news |title=Blasting error destroys Fundy's historic covered bridge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen/145243275/ |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=The Ottawa Citizen |date=2 January 1991 |page=10 |language=en}} The rock was a glacial rocking stone which had been there for eons. The engineers decided to use explosives to remove the rock to save the bridge. The rock rolled down the slope above the bridge hitting the abutments and knocking the bridge off the abutments and into the river, causing it to collapse. This should be an example of engineering error where bad engineering judgement resulted in disaster. It should be an example of engineering where engineering need not be done. {{cite news |title=Historic covered bridge accidentally wrecked |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-times/145242647/ |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=The Sun Times |date=2 January 1991 |page=11 |language=en}} Shortly following the accident, the federal government announced that they would be rebuilding the bridge with close resemblance to the former one,{{cite news |title=Ottawa to replace N.B. bridge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/145243534/ |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=The Gazette |date=12 February 1991 |page=3 |language=en}} with a temporary bridge being used in the meantime.{{cite news |title=Bridge replaced |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post/145243835/ |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=The Leader-Post |date=13 February 1991 |page=48 |language=en}} In 1992, it was rebuilt at a cost of CA$545,000.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Road bridges in New Brunswick
Category:Covered bridges in Canada
Category:Wooden bridges in Canada
Category:Bridges completed in 1909
Category:Bridges completed in 1992
Category:Buildings and structures in Albert County, New Brunswick